Birds have four types of feathers. I never realised this until I visited Marwell Zoo in Hampshire. Wing feathers help the bird fly, tail feathers help to balance and steer, body feathers give protection as well as streamlining while down feathers keep the bird warm. For me the sign of a good day out is walking away with a few interesting, useful facts like this. A nice sunny weekend is an ideal opportunity to visit this attraction, set in 140 acres of Hampshire countryside near Winchester. It’s home to 1,200 animals and there is an emphasis on African wildlife ranging from giraffes and zebras to rhinoceroses, pygmy hippopotamuses and meerkats as well as some colourful birds. Founded by John Knowles, who opened it in 1972, Marwell soon became a leading zoo in Europe to carry out important animal conservation work.

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