Vistiors Flock to Sylvan Heights Bird Park

Some of the park’s newest attractions, including the Bird’s Nest Treehouse and Beaver Pond Blind, showcase the fascinating world of Eastern North Carolina’s native animals and plants and the habitats where they live.

Another new addition, The Landing Zone, is a large aviary that opened in March.

“It’s probably one of the most unique attractions we now have here,” says Brent Lubbock, the park’s membership and development projects manager. “It’s a great opportunity for people, especially children, to make a connection with birds.”

The opening of Sylvan Heights Bird Park in 2006 emerged from the legacy of one man—Mike Lubbock, affectionately known to many as the Waterfowl Man.

He is considered by many avian biologists to be the most intuitive and prolific waterfowl aviculturalist in the world. His background stems from his early work in England at the Wildfowl Trust to his permanent move to the U.S., where he founded the park’s parent organization in 1985.

And Mike Lubbock greatly enjoys sharing his love for birds at the park.

“Our facility is one of the few where visitors can wander freely amongst the birds,” he says.