It's the 50th "bird-day" of Jurong Bird Park, and everyone's invited!

Home to more than 3,500 birds across 400 species, the iconic tourist attraction nestled in an idyllic hillside was first opened in 1971. Today, it is one of Wildlife Reserves Singapore's award-winning attractions.

Be part of the celebrations and plan a family day out with the little ones to navigate the picturesque park, but this time, avoid taking your usual walking trail. Instead, go on a GPS-enabled excursion via Wildlife Quest with Detective Blue.

Created specially with AID-DCC, a Japan-based digital production agency, and Crooner Pte Ltd, Wildlife Quest is Jurong Bird Park's first digital GPS game trail that features Detective Blue - a brave little blue-throated cartoon macaw - as it leads you on an educational journey to see the park through a new lens.

To start, simply visit the booth near the park entrance to receive your Wildlife Quest sun visor and a wristband with a personal code. A staff member will help you download the digital game on your phone, and you'll be all set to explore the sprawling 20ha space.

Go on an avian adventure

Your digital quest features nine designated game points to visit, but you are free to locate them or complete each activity in any sequence you like, at your own pace. At each game point you arrive at, you will be given a quiz question to answer, or a task to complete - but don't worry, you'll get all the help you need by searching for clues around the exhibit!

For instance, over at the Pelican Cove, you will be asked to take a photo or video of yourself holding as many things as possible, to mimic how pelicans use the pouch under their bills to scoop and store fish.

Your adventure is a great chance not only to win exclusive prizes, but to meet Detective Blue's many feathered pals. They include courageous little penguins waddling around or taking a dip at the Penguin Coast, gorgeous flamingos at the Flamingo Pool, and some 500 birds across 135 species at Wings of Asia, a stunning walk-in aviary.

Inside, the more delicate birds are kept in individual aviaries, while many others fly freely, or roam around specially constructed habitats - offering you photo opportunities as you get up close to them.

Many of the birds, such as the Santa Cruz ground-dove, Bali myna and black-winged myna, are threatened in the wild or poached, but have been successfully bred at Jurong Bird Park.

No visit is complete without experiencing Parrot Paradise - which houses cockatoos, macaws, lories and parakeets - and the awe-inspiring 35-metre tall Waterfall Aviary, featuring more than 600 free-flying birds.

Once you complete all the location-based challenges in the Wildlife Quest trail, return to the booth near Penguin Cove to claim your well-deserved rewards, which include an exclusively designed keychain and an explorer badge.

Catch more bird action

There are many other enrichment activities to enjoy before you call it a day. Be sure to check out the 'Cacawnival' at Songbird Terrace, which features a lineup of bird-themed games and sustainable craft activities, or catch a bird feeding session to see a yellow-bibbed lory snacking on sweet potato, lemon and apple slices. Don't leave Jurong Bird Park before venturing inside an egg-shaped portal to watch a video highlighting the park's heritage and 50-year history.

Wrap up your visit at the Feathers Gifts Shop, where you can treat the little ones to a souvenir to bring home; options range from sustainably-made Jurong Bird Park 50th anniversary collectibles such as tote bags made out of recycled bottles, notebooks, the Everybirdy is Unique! storybook and even T-shirts featuring Detective Blue and his birdie friends.

During the ride home, while the tuckered-out kids are snoozing, you can post your snaps on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #JBP50.

If the little ones find themselves missing their bird friends post-visit, fret not: book a live, interactive virtual experience via 'Hello from the Wild Side'. Organised by the park's animal care team, these sessions will feature Quincy the double yellow-headed amazon and a pair of toco toucans as their caretakers cover a variety of bird-related topics such as nutrition, behaviour and training.

Wildlife Quest with Detective Blue is available on weekends and public holidays from now till October 31, 2021 as an add-on option priced at $10 when you purchase admission tickets online. You can also purchase the bundle, which includes admission to Jurong Bird Park and the Wildlife Quest with Detective Blue game (SingapoRediscovers Vouchers-redeemable).

Jurong Bird Park is located at 2 Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925. For more information, visit www.birdpark.com.sg.