A new bird park is set to open in Singapore with eight large aviaries that visitors can walk through to see birds of different species living together in the same enclosure. During a media preview on Friday, visitors saw flamingos and macaws living side by side and got close to friendly parrots and hornbills. The birds have been gradually relocating to the new 17-hectare park over several months since their old home, Jurong Bird Park, closed in January. By the time it opens on May 8, the new Bird Paradise will house 3,500 birds from over 400 species, according to Mandai Wildlife Group, which runs Bird Paradise and Singapore Zoo. There are twice as many immersive aviaries that visitors can walk through in the new park. They are designed to bring visitors closer to their feathered inhabitants, and each one is built to resemble different parts of the world, including Southeast Asia paddy fields, the Australian outback, and African rainforests. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES