Unique Preserve: Adward Youde Aviary

#hongkongtrip Edward Yuode aviary in Hong Kong Park has been open to the public since September 1992. The aviary is named after the late Sir Edward Youde, Governor of Hong Kong from 1982 to 1986. The aviary has an elevated walkway that allows visitors to stroll under the treetops, from where they can observe birds, trees and plants at different heights and the entire valley from different angles. The footpath is accessible to wheelchair users. The bottom of the aviary valley is a streambed overgrown with trees and shrubs, decorated with shallow pools and small waterfalls. The water descends into the valley and flows into a large pool, which adjoins a small lake outside the enclosure and is a great place to watch waterfowl. Information panels with graphic and text illustrations are installed at the entrance to the aviary, explaining the structure and ecology of the rainforest with a special focus on the bird communities in the aviary. To avoid the presence of unsightly support pillars inside the enclosure, a stainless steel hanging net covering the entire valley is supported by four giant arches. The area enclosed by a grid is approximately 3,000 square meters, and the highest point is 30 meters above the valley floor. In addition to preserving the trees on the territory, additional plantings were carried out both inside and outside the enclosure. Trees and plants help to hide the steel mesh from prying eyes and give the aviary a resemblance to its natural habitat. Birds are native to the rainforests of Malesia. Malesia is a botanical region covering a vast territory stretching from the Malaya Peninsula and the Great Sundas (Sumatra, Borneo and Java), the Philippines, the Indonesian islands to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. These rainforests are home to the tallest trees on earth and a large number of animal species, including some of the most beautiful birds in the world. The aviary contains about 530 birds of 60 different species, mostly native to Malaysia. Terrestrial birds include pheasants, partridges, pigeons and thrushes. Some of them, such as crowned pigeons and golden pheasants, are strikingly beautiful.