6 wild facts about the new UP bird show at Animal Kingdom

There’s a new bird show debuting April 22, 2018, at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World and it stars two characters from Disney-Pixar’s “UP.”

Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry pal Dug join bird experts on a new adventure featuring encounters with birds from around the world.

UP! A Great Bird Adventure replaces long-running bird show Flights of Wonder on April 22, coinciding with Animal Kingdom’ 20th anniversary.

Here are half dozen facts from Disney about the new 25-minute show:

1. Led by an avian enthusiast and bird experts, this show features a close-up look at bird species from South America, North America, India, Africa, and other locations around the globe.
2. More than 15 species of birds make appearances, including toucans, parrots, macaws and an African fish eagle.
3. This is the first time that Russell and Dug from DisneyPixar’s “UP” appear onstage at Animal Kingdom.
4. An original, authentic Indian musical score features themes from “UP.”
5. Twenty animal trainers were involved in the training and rehearsal. Four trainers work with the birds and the actors during every performance.
6. The production team’s goal is to showcase beloved Disney characters and the amazing natural behavior of birds to inspire guests to connect with nature.