Visit some of the new born babies and new arrivals!

For great family entertainment, come and experience the wonder of the Montecasino Bird Gardens - the only bird park of its kind in Africa and Jo'burg's best kept secret.

Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) (born 2011/08/24)
Mom is Iray and is 5yrs and 5mnths old. She came to our Bird Gardens from Czechoslovakia. Dad is Roa and he is 4yrs and 11mnths old. He came to us from Cango Wildlife Ranch.
Web link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring-tailed_lemur  
What's the total Lemur population count now? 5 Males 4 Females and Baby
What makes them so special? Lemurs are Endemic to Madagascar
How often do they breed & how long is ? Gestation is 135 days. Baby is weaned after 5 months when they fend for themselves in the group.
Are they endangered species? Near Threatened due to Habitat Destruction and loss – Deforestation on the Island is creating many problems for the conservation of the biodiversity.

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
The Laughing Kookaburra is aptly named because of the distinct call they make. They are territorial by nature and will dispute boundaries with rival groups by sounding their calls in chorus as the rest of the family joins in song to claim their hunting grounds. They are passive hunters and will wait in the wooded areas of riverine areas in Eastern Australia but more recently, through introduction to various other parts of the Australian continent and also the island of Tasmania. They are related to the Kingfisher family and this is easily seen in their body shape and bill structure which allows them to successfully prey on various food types such as lizards, snakes, amphibians, large insects and on the odd occasion a fish.

Blue Wing Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii)
Another name used for this majestic kookaburra is the Howling Jackass. This is a coastal dweller occupying the coastal regions from east to west in the warmer and more northern parts of Australia. It is slightly smaller than it's cousin the Laughing Kookaburra (D. novaeguineae). This arboreal species nests over 20m high in tree hollows and will sit and wait for prey to pass by. With a sudden swoop, they crush their prey with their powerful beaks. Their diet is as varied as that of the Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) and may even include small mammals if the opportunity presents itself. This beautiful bird will produce 2 – 3 young per clutch and may produce a clutch up to three times a year, depending on food availability.

Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
The Caribbean Flamingo is also known as the American Flamingo. These birds are some of the longer live birds that may reach forty years old. They are distinctly different to the Greater Flamingo by its dark plumage. This plumage is possible because of their carotene rich food supply of Zoo Plankton made up of many species of crustaceans and blue-green algae. They start laying eggs from May all the way through to August where a single egg is laid on a mud-mound. The egg will be incubated for approximately 28 days until a newly hatched chick emerges from under its parents feathers who take turns in the incubating process. They reach sexual maturity at approximately six years old. A major threat to their future existence is Habitat Destruction that can be curbed if we manage our natural resources carefully.

Keel Billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
One of the smaller species in the family of toucans. They occupy rainforests in South America from lowland forests and may be found in regions as high as 1900m asl. This is a gregarious species and may be found in family groups as large as 30 members strong. They battle it out in the tree tops by tossing fruit to each other in order to establish a hierarchy amongst the flock. They sleep in tree hollows in the forest canopies where space is limited. They solve this problem by tucking their bills and tails tightly under their bodies. Their diets consist mainly of fruit and may sometimes include eggs and insects.

Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus)
This indigenous parrot is facing extinction unless drastic changes are made with regards to habitat preservation for these birds. They are one of Africa's few parrot species and are fond of nuts, various fruit and berries. This species is sexually dimorphic, which means that the males and females are different looking. The female has a red or orange forehead while the male has a plain grey forehead.

Green Naped Pheasant Pigeon (Otidiphaps nobilis)
This terrestrial pigeon is found in the rainforest in and around New Guinea foraging on the ground for fallen seeds, nuts and fruit. They are very well adapted to life on the ground and even nest around the bases of trees and bushes where they will incubate an egg for approximately 30 days.

Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea)
This West African bird species dwells in the climax forest canopies where it spends its time looking for fruit and berries. They are well adapted with strong legs and short, broad wings that allow them quick and easy access to prime perches in the tree tops. They are currently of Least Concern on the IUCN Red Data list. Their spectacular plumage is definitely one that demands viewing.

Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus)
The Marabou Stork is one that is well adapted to life of a scavenger. They will scavange of rotting carcasses on African plains, pecking at scraps of meat. They venture so far into carcasses that their heads get covered in blood. Their soft feathers will capture this blood and dry out. The soft feathers simply break off leaving them clean. Our Marabou Stork Clyde has retired from our 'Flight of Fantasy' and will spend the rest of his days pampered and pruned on display to our guests. Clyde is over 9 years old and may live to a good old age over 15 years in captivity.

Emperor Tamarin Twins (Saguinus imperator)
We are proud to announce the arrival of Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator) Twins. They were born on Sunday 17 October 2010. This is another first for Montecasino Bird Gardens, as they are relative new arrivals to the Bird Gardens. The twins will hold fast onto the mother whilst suckling and will wean at approximately 10 weeks of age. Emperor Tamarins in the wild live in groups of up to 15. They will roam through the lower tree canopies of the southern Amazon jungle in search of ripe fruit. They will also scratch around between bark and tree trunks for other insects, smaller vertebrates such as lizards and the odd bird egg. Two thirds of the females in a group are trichomats (able to see three colours). This means that they are able to find ripe fruit faster and easier than the rest of the group, which are dichromats (able to see two colours). In other words these females will lead the group to ripe fruit whilst the other females and all the males are able to spot danger better.

Meerkat Babies (Suricata suricatta)
Our new twin Suricat babies (Suricata suricatta) were born in the early hours of Monday morning 26 July 2010. The proud parents are rather protective at this time. The babies are said to be artricial. This means that they are dependent on the parents for survival until they can fend for themselves. They are born with poorly developed ears and eyes. These will complete development within the first 21 days after birth in the snug burrow the parents have provided. They babies will be hidden from view for approximately a month before their introduction to the rest of the wild outdoors. Suricat young suckle from their mothers for approximately 2 months and will start foraging with the rest of the group from as early as 1 month old. Please keep an eye out for them, as they make their appearance to the rest of the world in the spring, here at Montecasino Bird Gardens.