Umgeni River Bird Park

Please note that the free-flight bird show remains closed for the time being. Structural damage has been caused to our backstage facilities due to the recent heavy rains and a complete assessment is needing to be done before we can safely conduct the shows. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The rest of the park remains open, and our education staff are conducting guided tours of the park every day at 11am and 2pm, and these are a great way to not only learn more about the park and birds, but to ask any questions you may have.

Please note that the free-flight bird shows will not be taking place this weekend due to flooding issues at the show caused from the rain on Friday night. Our show staff will be conducting guided tours of the park at the normal show times and will be a good opportunity for you to learn more about the birds and the park.

The rest of the bird park is open as normal though. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Grateful thanks to Airlink for making this possible and helping in the survival of one of South Africa's endangered and most iconic species.

Small Passenger. Big Impact. 🐣✈️

recently had the privilege of welcoming an endangered Southern Ground-Hornbill chick on board, flying from Umgeni River Bird Park to O.R. Tambo International Airport. This journey is part of our commitment to wildlife conservation and supporting Mabula Ground Hornbill Project in their mission to secure a safe and hopeful future for the Southern Ground-Hornbill species.

Every chick represents renewed hope for the future of this remarkable bird, and being part of this conservation effort helps protect the species for generations to come.

We’re proud to support initiatives that make a real difference. Together, we can the Southern Ground-Hornbill!

Visit ground-hornbill.org.za to discover how you can get involved. 💙

It is with incredibly heavy hearts we announce the passing of one of our long-serving staff members, Megan Gaul. Meg had been part of our bird park family for 16 years and her presence is sorely missed by all.

In order to allow our staff to pay their respects and attend her memorial service, please note that the park will be closing at 2:30pm this Sunday, 14 December 2025. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and thank you for your understanding.

The Bird Park has always been a safe haven for wild birds and the last few months have seen some stunning new visitors take up residence around the park. 2 of the most special are a pair of Palm-Nut Vultures and a Yellow-Billed Stork and you may be lucky enough to see them on your next visit to the park.

Thank you to East Coast Radio for inviting us to cause chaos in your studios while introducing you to some of our characters.

Some of the pics from our Heritage Day celebration today, as well as the birthday of Heritage, the Southern Ground-hornbill from our Bird Show. Thank you to everyone who visited us today, the staff who made the day possible, and of course to our birds for showing themselves off in all their beauty.

The Mitchell Park Zoo is also celebrating Heritage Day today with Admiral, the famous 120 year old Giant Aldabra Tortoise celebrating his birthday today. Entry to the Zoo is also FREE today only so why not go and visit this famous resident and celebrate with him. The Zoo will be open from 9am to 4pm with last entry at 3pm.

Happy Heritage Day everyone. As well as a day full of fun planned at the park, even better news is that for today only, entrance to the Bird Park is FREE! So come and celebrate Heritage Day with us and bring your friends and family with. We will have our Bird Show as normal at 11am and 2pm as well as a host of other activities. The park will be open from 9am to 4pm with the last entry at 3pm. with EThekwini Municipality

Join us on Tuesday 24th September as we continue to celebrate Heritage Month with the birthday of one of the stars of our Bird Show, Heritage the Southern Ground-hornbill. With eThekwini Municipality

Please note that the Bird Park will be CLOSED today, Saturday 2 March due to ongoing water issues in Durban North. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.