Kuala Lumpur - Bird Park

When I made the decision to visit Kuala Lumpur, just about everyone I spoke to recommended I visit the bird park, and given my interest in wildlife photography, it was a no-brainer.

So after fuelling up with breakfast, it was time to get moving; now the bird park is about 4km from my hotel, which is well within my usual walking distance; however, in this case, I was carrying bulky and heavy camera gear, so I decided to get a taxi.

Anyhow, heading for the hotel front desk to ask them to get me a taxi, they suggested I use a much cheaper grab car, which, from what I understood, was something like uber.

Now, being totally paranoid and having been warned about being ripped off by those sorts of services, I was less than convinced. The hotel desk told me that I would pay a fixed price and pay the hotel desk rather than the driver.

Ok, the question is, will I make it to the Bird Park in one piece? I got into the car and, as is my way, said "hello" to the driver, but got no response. Hmmmmm, interesting. Could it just be normal for the grab service, or did the driver not speak English? Read into that what you will.

Thankfully, my getting there in one piece question was answered as we pulled into the parking area at the bird park. And not a single word from the driver in any language; again, me being me, I thanked him. No point in being rude....

The sign said, "World's Largest Free-flight Aviary," Which was one of the things that attracted me to this place, but the question remains: how is it going to hold up against the Singapore Bird Paradise

Heading to the entrance, and given I was visiting during the week, I expected to see the place crowded, with school and tourist groups. But no, no sign of any groups, just a few locals and other tourists.

Waiting in line for my ticket, and talking to some other tourists, who were complaining about the cost, which at RM90, is not as bad as it sounds; it's only around AUD$32. We had a talk, and it seems they were from Melbourne and did not know the exchange rate. Anyhow, we got our tickets and headed in.

Just like the other Aviary I have visited, the entrance was an airlock, with double doors, getting inside, the first birds to be seen were a few Alexandrine parakeet. A sign of things to come.

Heading into the main part of the Aviary, it's like the others I have visited, very large and open, with birds both roosting and flying free. A good start, and about as good as it gets for some serious wildlife photography.

The other side of the airlock entrance opened, just as expected, and it opened into a large enclosed area. What was not expected was the amount of shade available, which, given the +30°C heat and high humidity, was welcome.

When it comes to birds running around all over the paths, where Peacocks, another good sign, never know, I may break my duck when it comes to photographing one with its tail feathers displayed. TLDR; nope still no luck 😐

Okay, I am impressed and managed to get some good shots, but then came the surprise: the bird park doesn't just have birds, but also Monkeys, Lizards, and, as a surprise to no one, rats. 🐀

Talking of Lizards and Rats, looking around, I saw multiple Monkeys looking up into a tree, and following their gaze, I spotted a rat a few seconds before a large Lizard got it. And no, I did not photograph that. But did get the aftermath.

For those interested, and after a reverse Google image search using the above less-than-wonderful photo, it seems these Lizards are actually Clouded Monitors.

Again, after Google reverse image search, these Monkeys are actually Long-tailed Macaques, and yes, seeing them was one of the highlights of the bird park visit.

As for my thoughts on the bird park? Well, yes, it's well worth the visit. Do what I did and visit during the week to avoid the crowds, which I am told can be excessive on the weekends.

Other than that, remember to take plenty of water, and never forget the sunscreen, as even with the available shade, trust me, the sun is intense.

After a good day at the bird park, it was time to go back to my hotel, and yes, I did think about heading to the nearby butterfly park, but with both my camera batteries depleted, I decided to do that another day. Anyhow, my hotel was around 4km away; it was 32°C, so how to get back? Grab car? Taxi? Or walk?

Yes, me being me, I decided to walk back, but more on that in another tale.

And after being asked about the photographic gear I used at the Bird Park. I shot these and more images using my Nikon D850 with a Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 lens, using various settings. And while I did have my Rollei Carbon Tripod with me, I did not end up using it.

And yes, I also used my phone camera for shots that the DSLR was not good for, with the lens I had with me.