If you enjoy seeing the most exotic and magnificent bird
species with outstanding close up opportunities in a natural
environment, then you will definitely love the visit to Foz
Tropicana Bird Park.
The
Foz Tropicana is a World-Class Bird Park located just meters away from
the main entrance to the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Brazilian side of
the falls) and it is the most important bird preservation park in Latin
America.
You will have the chance
to come into very close contact with many rare and colorful birds in large
naturally landscaped walkthrough aviaries within a beautiful Atlantic
Rain Forest natural environment. The Bird Park covers an area of 16 hectares;
however, only 5 hectares are so far developed, the rest is presently kept
as a conservation area.
This tour will allow you to get acquainted with and admire
more than 150 different species from all around the world,
one third of them in danger of extinction. You will follow
an approximately 1 mile (1500 meters) path which winds through
the forest and large walkthrough aviaries.
Expect colorful birds flying and passing above your head,
and friendly Toco toucans.
In addition you will also admire Caiman Crocodiles, Boa
Constrictors, Marmosets monkeys and Butterflies. There
are 25 species of butterflies which coexist in the same environment
with humming birds, which can only find in the American Continent.
There are many species of humming birds, Brazil has 80 of
them. They are the only birds which can fly in all directions
including sideways, backwards and upside-down. While hovering,
the wing beat rate in smaller humming birds averages 70 -
80 wing beats per second. Their heart beats over 1000 times
per minute during aggressive encounters with other humming
birds. Humming birds' principle source of energy is plant
nectar, and the major protein intake comes from arthropods
(small insects and spiders). Before the introduction of the
humming birds, spiders were a great problem in the butterfly
house. They spun webs in every corner and caught the butterflies
in large numbers. Two humming birds were introduced and proceeded
to destroy the spider population by taking newly hatched spiders
out of their webs before they were big enough to become a
threat to the butterflies. It proved to be an accidental but
very successful example of biological control!
The
construction of this bird park had to be carried out carefully in order
to prevent any damage to the native forest. The overriding theme of the
exhibits was to provide environmental enrichment for the birds by giving
them as much space as possible in naturally landscaped aviaries.
The
Bird Park has more than 900 birds of 150 species.
Two thirds of the birds are native
South American and the other third were imported subtropical species from
other continents.
All
birds seen in the Park originate from zoos, breeders authorized by IBAMA
(Brazilian Institute of Environment) or rehabilitation centers. The Bird
Park does not accept birds of unknown origin. All animals are registered
and an annual report is given to the Brazilian Zoological Society and
IBAMA.
Duration:
1 hour
approximately
Guide:
self-guided
Transfer: private vehicle
Includes: transfers +
entrance ticket