FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Antoinette Maciolek 215.243.5356
Leigh Rendé 215.243.5357
April 4, 2000

(Philadelphia) Birds of a feather will be flocking together in an exotic collage of brilliant color. Thirteen different species of parrots join our resident lorikeets in Parrot Paradise, one of the most dazzling interactive experiences ever at the Zoo.

Parrot Paradise (an open air aviary) is home to some of the world’s most colorful parrot species. The aviary offers guests the opportunity to get up close and personal to an diverse array of birds – all in the parrot family. Red lories, blue-streaked and black-capped lorikeets, umbrella cockatoos and eclectus parrots are among the sixty-five birds housed in the aviary. Both the lories and lorikeets are people-friendly birds who drink nectar (their favorite drink) from a cup.

As you enter the aviary, guests will be fascinated by the agility of the birds as they glide from their perches and land to your arm in search of nectar.

Species you’ll come in contact with include the Red Lorie with scarlet feathers, the high-crested Umbrella cockatoo and the yellow and green streaked Goldie’s Lorikeet. The open-air aviary adjacent to Bird Lake will be home to these aviary acrobats in their new exhibit. Parrot Paradise welcomes flocks of guests from May 6 through September

In addition to the birds of the Pacific Islands, get to know the local culture as well! Enjoy the opening of Parrot Paradise while celebrating the culture of the Pacific Islands at Dodge Polynesian Paradise on May 6. Native Polynesian performers share traditional music, dance and games with guests at the Philadelphia Zoo.

The Philadelphia Zoo, America’s first zoo, is located at 34^th Street and Girard Avenue. The Zoo is open year-round and is minutes from the historic downtown area. For more information on the Zoo and its programs, please call 215.243.1100 or visit our web site at www.philadelphiazoo.org. The Zoo is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00, and until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10.50 for adults, $8.00 for children ages 5-11 and senior citizens (65 and older) and $6.00 for preschoolers (2-4 years old).