Birdworld welcomed a surge of visitors during the February half-term, with the UK’s largest bird park reporting a 70 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

Despite wet weather, families flocked to the attraction at Holt Pound near Farnham, helped by the recent launch of multi-million-pound indoor and outdoor play areas designed to keep visitors entertained in all conditions.

Newly enhanced bird habitats also offer colourful, immersive environments designed to support learning in a fun and engaging way, proving popular with children and adults alike.

Adding to the excitement, families were invited to step into a winter wonderland for Squid and Friends’ Challenge – a half-term penguin trail created in partnership with Bordon-based creative studio Iconic Bricks.

The company, known for transforming well-known characters and stories into intricate brick-built displays, brought playful storytelling to life around the park. The trail included a special appearance from Squid, recreated in brick form and now permanently displayed at Penguin Beach.

The event tied in with Birdworld’s Naturally Playful ethos, encouraging visitors of all ages to learn through play – not only about its 181 bird species but also about the positive impact of global conservation.

Matt Hill, director of Birdworld, said: “Seeing families return in such great numbers this Half-Term has been fantastic, and it’s been a real joy to see so many happy faces around the Park. The busy week also gave us a chance to learn a lot - from what’s working brilliantly to where we can improve. At one point we even ran out of parking spaces, which is a good problem to have, and it just means we can make sure everything runs even more smoothly in time for Easter.”

The half-term success marks another positive step for Birdworld as it continues to create experiences that bring families closer to nature while generating income to reinvest in its birds, conservation work and education programmes.

Mr Hill added: “We’ve got a jam-packed events calendar ahead this year, from egg hunts at Easter to dinosaur meet-and-greets.

“As we move into spring, many of our birds will also be entering breeding season, so visitors can expect courtship displays, nest building and hopefully some new arrivals too. It’s a really special time of year at the Park and we can’t wait to welcome families back to experience it with us.”