Puydu Fou

Puydu Fou
16-02-2011

This theme park, SW of Nantes in western France is home to surely one of the most spectacular bird of prey shows in the world.
I was reading back on a summer 2010 edition of the IZES newsletter, which featured a review of the bird show at the park.
Highlights of the show include:

White-faced, snowy, great grey, Magellan, European eagle and barn owls.

Crested caracara and bald and imperial eagle.

20 vultures, species being Himalayan, European griffon, Ruppell's, white-backed, palm nut, cinereous, hooded and an Andean condor.

50 black and yellow-billed kite.

20 sacred ibis, 4 European white stork, 4 marabou stork, 2 European white pelican and 2 pink backed pelican.

Finishing off with a flypast by a microlight followed by a skein of Canada geese!

This park is also actively breeding many species of bird of prey including secretary bird, lammergeier, lappet-faced vulture and 4 species of the genus gyps.

There are a few large aviaries holding above mentioned species along with Steller's sea eagle.

The park will also host the mid year bird tag meeting for EAZA in April.

Does anyone have any further information on this park?

Thanks to Sam Whitbread for his excellent review in the magazine (hope he doesn't mind me lifting half his article).

http://www.puydufou.com/en#/phantom-birds/

20-02-2011

Le Puy du Fou is an amusement park whose theme is history. The Roman circus with lions and tigers hosts. I've never been to this park.

21-02-2011

I went to this park last year.

The birds of prey show is pretty good in my opinion (I am not a fan of animals shows). At the beginning, there is a demonstration of secretary bird hunting a false snake (really interesting). During the show some birds of prey are release from a balloon (they are hidden inside). The final scene mixe a lot of birds.

The birds of prey aviaries are the largest I've ever seen. In the past the park have a big afrian aviary but it was destroyed by a storm. The park announced that it will rebuild some big aviaries on the same model in the near future.

Like Yoman35 said, during the roman circus show you can see some lions, tigers plus a leopard (in a cage), a spotted hyena, some ostrichs and dromedaries.

There is also a viking's show where you can see some hybrids dogs x wolfs, fallow deers and a herd of highland cows.

In the park you can find some enclosures for farm animals species (sheep, goats, pigs...) and deers.

At last, there is a bear leader (I am not sure it's the good name in english) with a young bear (an american black bear in my opinion).

I can post you some photos if you want ( maxime must have some too).

22-02-2011

Yes Antoine, I've uploaded some photos of the aviaries in the "France - Other Gallery"