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Birds of the same feather flocked together for SMOU’s Annual Family Day at the Bird Paradise on 2 June 2024.
Bird Paradise, which opened its wings to visitors in May 2023, replaced the Jurong Bird Park and forms a part of the integrated Mandai Wildlife Reserve, consisting of the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Wonders, and the upcoming Rainforest Wild Park.
On that bright and beautiful Sunday, some 4,000 visitors comprising SMOU members and their families, shipping companies, children and teachers from MyFirstSkool Jalan Sultan, healthcare workers from NTUC Health (Jurong West), and seafarers from Mission to Seafarers Singapore (MTSS) flocked to the Bird Paradise for a fun day of family bonding.
As early as 8.30am, queues started forming as visitors lined up to collect their goodie bags consisting of umbrellas, Oreo packs, insect repellant spray, dried fruit snacks, wet tissues, hand fans, water, and meal vouchers—all the ‘ammo’ they would need to combat a hot and humid day in the park. Then, guests made their way to the Sky Amphitheatre after dropping in their lucky draw coupons.
At the Sky Amphitheatre, SMOU members and guests enjoyed a host of fun activities emceed by Cheng. There were ice-breaker games to liven up interactions among the SMOU family. The early bird draw followed, where 10 lucky winners received their prizes from Mr Ismail Bin Ahamad, Assistant Treasurer of SMOU & Chairperson of SMOU Membership Committee.
Mr Gwee Guo Duan, Assistant General Secretary of SMOU, emphasised the importance the union places in making time for family. He said, “In today’s fast-paced world, work commitments and technological distractions often divert our attention. Hence, it becomes increasingly vital to allocate time for families. Our Family Day stands as a testament to prioritising spending time with our loved ones.”
The Grand Draw segment saw more members walk away with prizes, while the top 10 prizes were drawn and presented by Mr Tan Geh Ting, Assistant Treasurer of SMOU.
Members were mesmerised by the amazing talents of the birds during an exclusive bird show, ‘Wings of the World.’ The awestruck audience saw a friendly duel of parrots as they tried to outdo each other with speed, agility, and showmanship; witnessed the soaring abilities of the endangered hyacinth macaw Gaia and great pied hornbill pals Sunny and Vicky; and marvelled at the mimicking ability of a yellow-naped Amazon Parrot, called Amigo, the only bird in the world that can sing in three languages. For an unforgettable finale, the world’s biggest flock of birds swooped onto centre stage, drawing lots of oohs and ahhs.
The bird show was an appetiser for more winged adventures for the rest of the day, as members and guests headed out to explore Bird Paradise, home to 3,500 birds from over 400 avian species. Everyone had a special and different experience from visiting the nine walk-through aviaries that took them across different biomes and landscapes of the world.
For those who love colourful birds, there was the crowd favourite Crimson Wetlands aviary, which features some of the world’s most brilliantly coloured birds amongst wetland vegetation and crimson blooms. There’s also a 20m-tall waterfall inspired by the San Juan Curi waterfall in Colombia.
At the largest aviary of Bird Paradise, Nyungwe Forest Heart of Africa, elevated canopies and suspension bridges overlook forest streams. 80 African bird species could be spotted in there.
Members also went looking for the second largest living bird in the world—the emu—at the Australian Outback aviary. Many heard the Laughing Kookaburra before they saw their jovial feathered friend.
The explosion of colours, sounds, and energy from the different aviaries made the Bird Paradise experience such a memorable one. But best of all is having these experiences shared among family members and friends of SMOU. Looking forward to the next SMOU Family Annual Family Day!
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