Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Layla Kump holds Zeflie the Moluccan cockatoo and Savanna Hedlund holds Angel the cockatoo. Kump and Hedlund are regular visitors to the Riverside History & Nature Learning Center and it was a fun surprise to meet a couple of talkative birds.

NEW ULM — Riverside History & Nature Learning Center went to the birds, Saturday.

The learning center located in the old Franklin School building hosted a small flock of birds belonging to Tom and Juli Sands. The Sands live in the Twin Cities with their birds but are previously of New Ulm. They returned to New Ulm on a visit this weekend and offered to show their birds at the learning center.

The Sands brought five birds that included a cockatoo, a Moluccan cockatoo, a blue and gold macaw and a green wing macaw.

Some of the younger visitors were given a chance to hold the birds. The cockatoos Zefie and Angel were especially good with children. Zefie likes to be petted and Angel likes to ask questions.

Visitors were able to learn about the animals from their owners in a hands-on environment, which is the mission of the learning center.

Riverside Learning Center Curator Ron Bolduan said the center is open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sundays through the school year.