Black Swan & Pelican Caversham Wildlife Park Australia

Black Swan & Pelican Caversham Wildlife Park Australia

The black swan is featured on the flag and is both the state bird and state emblem of Western Australia.

The Noongar People of the South-West of Australia refer to the black swan by various local names; Kooldjak along the West and South-West coast, Gooldjak in the South East and sometimes referred to as maali in language schools.

Black swans are mostly black-feathered birds, with white flight feathers. The bill is bright red, with a pale bar and tip; and legs and feet are greyish-black. Cobs (males) are slightly larger than pens (females), with a longer and straighter bill. Cygnets (immature birds) are a greyish-brown with pale-edged feathers. It is the only swan in Australia that isn’t introduced. They feed on aquatic plants, grasses and reeds. This bird is very special to us here in Perth as the Black Swan is Western Australia’s Bird Emblem, and it appears on our State Flag. The black swan is common in the wetlands of southwestern and eastern Australia and adjacent coastal islands.

Habitat – The black swan’s preferred habitat extends across fresh, brackish and saltwater lakes, swamps and rivers with underwater and emergent vegetation for food and nesting materials.

Caversham Wildlife Park introduces visitors to the unique selection of wildlife in Western Australia, from iconic native species to farm animals and rich birdlife.

Black Swan & Pelican Caversham Wildlife Park Australia

About Pelicans

Pelicans are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterised by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before swallowing. They have predominantly pale plumage, the exceptions being the brown and Peruvian pelicans. The bills, pouches, and bare facial skin of all species become brightly coloured before the breeding season. The eight living pelican species have a patchy global distribution, ranging latitudinally from the tropics to the temperate zone, though they are absent from interior South America and from polar regions and the open ocean. The Australian pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus is a large waterbird in the family Pelecanidae, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant in New Zealand. It is a predominantly white bird with black wings and a pink bill. It has been recorded as having the longest bill of any living bird. It mainly eats fish, but will also consume birds and scavenge for scraps if the opportunity arises.

Overall, the Australian pelican is predominantly white in colour. There is a white panel on the upper-wing and a white-V on the rump set against black along with the primaries. During courtship, the orbital skin and distal quarter of the bill are orange-coloured with the pouch variously turning dark blue, pink and scarlet. The non-breeding adult has its bill and eye-ring a pale yellow and the pouch is a pale pinkish. Juvenile birds are similar to the adults, but with black replaced with brown and the white patch on upper wing reduced. Overall, their appearance is somewhat similar to several other pelicans, though the species is allopatric

About Caversham Wildlife Park

David and Pat own and operate Caversham Wildlife Park with their son David & daughter Debbie.
When they purchased the park in 1988, the park housed a small collection of animals and birds on a modest 5 acre (2ha) property. A few years later, the park doubled in size, when the family purchased the adjoining property and the collection started to boom. In May 2003, the family designed and built a new park in Whiteman Park, once again, more than doubling in size.

Opening Hours of Caversham Wildlife Park
Caversham Wildlife Park is open 9.00am to 5.30pm every day of the year except Christmas day (December 25).
Last entry into the park is at 4.30pm.
We recommend you arrive before 3.00pm if you wish to see and do everything (some attractions start to close from 3.00pm).

To make the most of your visit and enjoy all of the attractions, we recommend you allow at least 3 hours in the park.

Monday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Wednesday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Friday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Saturday 9.00am – 5.30pm
Sunday 9.00am to 5.30pm

Come and spend the day at one of Perth’s most exciting tourist attractions, showcasing the largest private collection of native wildlife in Western Australia.

Hand-feed the kangaroos, join in the interactive farm show, touch a possum or lizard, meet a wombat, watch the cheeky penguins being fed, and have photos taken with koalas! Caversham Wildlife Park; a great Australian meet & greet experience for the whole family, in one fantastic day!

All of our shows, interactive experiences, photo opportunities and animal food are included in the entry fee! With no extra money needed around the park, you can make the most of your experience at Caversham Wildlife Park.

Caversham Wildlife Park is very proudly owned and operated by a Western Australian family. We don’t receive any Government assistance; the park is solely funded by visiting patrons! Thank you for your support and assistance!