eBusiness Weekly
Tawanda Musarurwa
Mukuvisi Woodlands is one of the few areas in Harare where one can enjoy the leisure activity of bird-watching, if you are a simple bird-watcher, or “birding”, you are a “birder”.
Ok, let us be clear on these terms.
“Birding” is the sport and/or hobby in which individuals enjoy the challenge of bird study, listing, or other general activities involving bird life.
“Bird-watcher” is a term used both to describe the person who watches birds for any reason at all, while a “birder” is used to refer to the person who seriously pursues the hobby or sport of birding.
Located approximately seven kilometres from the city centre, the Woodlands are the closest thing to a zoo here in Zimbabwe’s capital. They offer an opportunity of, what one would loosely term, “urban tourism”.
We recently visited the Mukuvisi Woodlands to sample some of the close-up bird experiences, and this writer took a liking to the parrot species.
The Woodlands has a sanctuary that specifically caters to the breeding, rearing and training of the parrots.
Although some of the birds are caged, there a number that are left to roam around in the sanctuary were visitors can get close to the birds.
No worries though, the birds that are allowed to have personal encounters with humans are essentially harmless, although you may get scratches here and there.
A trainer with the sanctuary Shupi Gurure said since parrots typically hatch altricial (helpless) young, these need special care at such a vulnerable stage.
“Our breeding of the birds begins at the egg stage. We first incubate the eggs until they hatch and then they incubate the chicks until an appropriate age.
“When the chicks begin to develop feathers, they are taken into cages where they are fed with such items as maize meal pap, sunflower seeds, white millet, apples, oranges and most other fruits that humans consume,” she said.
A parrot can generally live up to 45 years, which means they can be a long-term friend if you want one for your home.
Individuals who take a liking to the birds can actually purchase them from the sanctuary, but there is a small caveat here:
“It is a basic requirement that when one purchases parrot they take them as a couple, that is, male and female,” said Shupi.
Their business is, however, not one of pet trade, rather it is to ensure the long-term survival of the species by providing an appropriate habitat for the bird as well as training of the public on how to best take care of the birds.
Besides the parrots, birders (I hope you remember what that is) have access to expansive woodland in which they can enjoy a real birding experience in the wild.
Two-thirds of this 265-hectare woodland reserve, 7km east of Harare’s city centre, is natural msasa parkland, ideal for picnics, walking and bird-watching.
The remaining area is a wildlife park where antelopes, zebras, impala, eland, giraffes and warthogs roam free.
One can also find crocodile in the Woodlands, but they do not roam quite as free!
