Designed and built by Dr. Alan Abrey in an old quarry site, the Umgeni River Bird Park was opened in April 1984.

[2] Floods in 1987 washed away the road in front of the park, and resulted in the temporary evacuation of the birds to Abrey's home on higher ground.

[5][6] Set in a landfilled and landscaped former quarry, the park includes several natural waterfalls.

[7] A viewing window in the nursery lets visitors see how the birds are hatched and raised.

Birds in the show includes owls, cranes, hornbills, macaws, kookaburras, toucans, vultures, in an open-air auditorium.