Animal Kingdom Bird Show: Everything You Need to Know

One of the best things about visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the animal encounters on offer throughout the park. There are many different opportunities to meet beautiful creatures in the park, and it’s something that both adults and children will love doing on your next vacation. Today we’re going to discover if Animal Kingdom still offers a bird show and how you can add this into your upcoming touring plans.

Is Animal Kingdom Still Offering a Bird Show?

The great news for anyone who loves bird watching is that Disney now offers an experience called Winged Encounters. This takes place every day in the park, but you need to know where and when to be so that you don’t miss it. The show takes place in Discovery Island, which is the area you first see when you enter the park. You need to find a good spot in front of the Tree of Life, where the six species of South American macaw will come and soar over the crowd. For keen animal enthusiasts, you’ll find that the cast members here also answer questions from the audience during the show. It’s one of the things we love the most about bringing kids to Animal Kingdom, as your day here will be both entertaining and educational.

What Time Does Winged Encounters Normally Happen Each Day?


The challenging part about catching Winged Encounters is that there isn’t a published schedule for the show. This is something that Disney has been doing more often due to COVID-19. It helps to avoid crowds from gathering in one space in the parks. However, there are some ways to figure out if a show is about to start here at Animal Kingdom. The stage for the show is located to the left of the Tree of Life. You’ll see a large log, which is the little stage for the macaws involved in the show.

A general rule of thumb for the show is that it happens about once every hour. It’s usually sometime after the start of the hour, but of course, this may be subject to delays. Try to get here for the start of the show, as it’s over reasonably quickly. The team does take a break for lunch at about 12, and usually the final performance of the day is at about 3 pm. Keep in mind that in the future, Disney may start to publish show times again. This will certainly make things much easier if you are planning to see the show during your next visit.

A good indication that the show is about to start is when a small group of cast members walk towards the stage area. They usually then will disappear again after setting up, ready to welcome you to the show a few minutes later. One of the best parts of the show is when the macaws first arrive. They’ll fly onto the stage before taking a few moments for photos and viewings. The show isn’t too long though, so you need to make sure you are there when it begins. The birds swoop over the heads of the crowds again to leave, which is one of the highlights of the show.

What Type of Birds Can You See in the Show?

The stars of the Winged Encounters show are six different species of South American Macaw. These include blue and gold, scarlet, green-winged, hyacinth, blue-throated, and military macaw. The largest of the birds in the show has a wingspan of about 48 inches, so you are certainly going to be impressed by what you see. If you have any questions about the birds, the cast members will be happy to discuss anything you want to know. It’s a great way to learn more about these magnificent creatures, which we rarely get to see nowadays.

How Long Is The Bird Show At Animal Kingdom?


The show will be subject to the birds and their behavior, but it usually lasts between three and eight minutes. As you can see, if you aren’t here at the start, you’ll pretty much miss the whole thing. While it’s only a short show, we think it’s something that everyone should try and catch at least once on their day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s one of the hidden treasures in the park that is starting to gain more attention, so make sure you don’t miss it before word gets out about its popularity.

Where Is The Best Place To See The Show?

While the birds can be seen flying in towards the stage from further back, we generally recommend trying to get as close to the little log stage as possible. When the birds land, you’ll have the best chance of seeing them up-close and taking some great photos. If you are looking to capture great images of the birds, make sure you put your camera on a continuous shutter mode. You’ll also love taking a quick video of the birds arriving and leaving, as this is the most spectacular part of the show.

Other Animal Encounters in Discovery Island

Once you’ve seen the show, we encourage you to check out the rest of Discovery Island for more animal encounters. There are plenty of hidden little coves and walking trails, where you’ll be able to meet other animals that call this part of the park home. We find that so many guests are keen to get to some of the top attractions in the park that they often skip over this area on their way in. It’s a great place to spend some time in the early afternoon when crowds are often at their highest. You’ll find cast members around many of the areas who will be more than happy to answer your questions about any of the animals who call the park home.

The Discovery Island Trails are home to more macaw, so they are a perfect way to continue your birdwatching experience. These self-guided trails are located below the Tree of Life. It’s a great chance to get some amazing photos of this landmark, and you’ll also want to admire the many animals which are carved into the tree’s trunk. Other animals and birds you can expect to see on the trails include lesser flamingo, white stork, red kangaroo, otters, and tortoise. Kids will love getting to see animals that are so exotic, and they might meet some creatures that they’ve never seen face-to-face before.

Is There Another Bird Show in the Park?

If Winged Encounters didn’t give you enough of a birdwatching fix for one day, the good news is there is another great experience in store for you further on in your day. Feathered Friends in Flight takes place in the Anandapur Theater, which is located in the Asia section of the park. In the past, this show was themed to the movie Up, but it now takes the form of a more traditional bird show. You’ll be seated during this show, which is something you may appreciate later on in the day. The show takes you behind the scenes of how the bird specialists care and train the birds in the park. You’ll learn more about the free-flying birds that call Animal Kingdom home, but you’ll also find the show to be incredibly entertaining.

For anyone who found Winged Encounters impressive when you first entered the park, you’ll once again be blown away by the tricks these birds perform in this second show in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The good news about this show is that it runs to a schedule each day. Shows usually start late morning, and they run roughly once an hour, with a break for lunch. We don’t find this show to get too crowded, but make sure you arrive on time. Due to the stunts performed in the show, you may not be allowed to enter late. If you want a front-row seat, try to get here quite a bit in advance of the show. You’ll be able to get up-close with these amazing birds, and your kids will love learning more about the creatures who live here.

Read Also: Everything You Need To Know About Disney’s Kite Tails

Animal Kingdom is an amazing day out for the whole family. We highly encourage you to watch Winged Encounters on your next visit, which is one of the best animal encounters on offer in the park currently. Once you are done with the show, make sure you explore the Discovery Island Trails. These are home to a wide variety of animals, which both kids and adults will love seeing. Make sure you take time away from the attractions of the park to enjoy meeting the animals, as this is what makes this theme park so unique from the others in Walt Disney World. We hope these top tips help you to plan an action-packed day in Animal Kingdom during your next vacation. Make the most of your day here by arriving at park opening to enjoy all that’s on offer to guests.

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