I don't know about your part off the world but here in the UK the fascination with birds goes back a long way.Countrywide there have been public aviaries since Victorian times.Some are still maintained up to the present day.But many have disappeared due to maintenance costs,vandalism,and being a low priority for public spending.
Here in the middle of England in Nottinghamshire we're lucky to still have a couple to encourage youngsters into bird keeping.With our weather you won't come across many exotic species...mostly those able to adjust to the conditions year round.
In the mid 1800s an area of Nottingham was put aside for future generations and many acres declared a public park for perpetuity.It's now surrounded by dense housing.
The Arboretum.Nottingham City.
The Victorians were as keen as we are about birds and the aviaries here were opened in the late 1800s.
Before the days of multi media,in those days parks with their flower beds and the mandatory bandstand were extremely popular.
It's still a nice place to spend a Sunday afternoon and the aviaries as I write are being updated and modernized.There used to be some indoor space with humming birds and exotics...but they have unfortunately gone now.
All in a beautiful setting for the middle of a city.
The cannon captured from the Russians in the Crimea wars.
It was here I saw my first golden pheasant...and I now have a trio of my own.
Another aviary in a park near where I used to live used to suffer from vandalism.The council raised the funds to build a purpose built aviary that was attractive but could be locked up at night.
Long may they survive to encourage youngsters into our hobby.
I'm Will ... single dad with 3 daughters
