Go on a date with a difference this Valentine’s Day

Love birds are being encouraged to go on a date with a difference to celebrate Valentine’s Day at Slimbridge Wetland Centre this year.

There will be a special love trail at the Centre for families and couples to follow next month which will reveal some of the more unusual behaviours of loved-up birds.

The Centre is also picking out five of its best-known long-standing bird couples for visitors to see and vote for their favourite.

The trail will be running at the Centre from Saturday, February 12 to Valentine’s Day on Monday, February 14.

Sally Munro, marketing manager, said: “It is not only humans that make gestures to show their attraction, love and commitment to one another.

“This fun trail will reveal some of the more wacky and surprising ways that birds use to woo a potential mate and maintain their relationships.

“This is the perfect time of year as well to see the behaviours firsthand as our birds are starting to call and do their mating displays ahead of spring.

“Couples or families will enjoy following the trail in the beautiful surroundings of Slimbridge and can round off their day with a cream tea in the restaurant overlooking the brightly coloured Caribbean flamingos.

“If you are looking to surprise your loved one with a date with a twist then this would be perfect.”

Slimbridge Wetland Centre is where the headquarters of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) is based.

To complement events running at the nine different WWT centres in the UK, the website for the Trust has a range of downloadable e-cards and ring tones with different bird mating calls.

There are eight mating call sound tracks that can be downloaded as mobile phone ring tones or combined with one of a selection of e-cards with fun images. You can choose the most appropriate mating call according to what kind of lover you are – or want to be!

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