Parrot Kindergarten

Ducks are true originals. There are more than 120 different species of ducks in all, a fantastical group of complex characters. Ducks have a talent for survival, and life stories filled with personality and charm. Each bird is more fun than the last, and will leave you wanting more.

Whales have long been a profound mystery to us. They live in a world so removed from our own that we can barely imagine their lives. Their environment is different, their senses are different, their relationships are different. How might such almost alien creatures see the world?

Introduced by esteemed conservationist Jane Goodall and narrated by National Geographic's Bill Jones, this documentary focuses on what humanity has in common with other species. Wildlife photographer Todd Gustafson captures stories of competition, courtship, family, hunting and flight to illustrate the hidden life of East African birds.

Arne Sucksdorff’s short documentary observes gulls raiding nests and stealing eggs with ruthless persistence. Though presented as pure nature study, the film was widely read as an allegory of Nazism—a symbolic parable of predation and violence during wartime. Sucksdorff himself denied such intent, but remarked that “a film that is not open to interpretation is a dead film.”

Whoever came up with the term 'bird brain' never met these feathered thinkers, who use their claws and beaks to solve puzzles, make tools and more.

A devoted pair of little owls set up home in an old orchard in rural Herefordshire. From spring blossom to autumn apples, a year in the life of the parent birds, their baby owls and the old fruit trees.

Behind the scenes documentary about the making of the two time selected film "Moonflower"

In the remote Manambolomaty lakes region, a globally unique ecosystem is home to both the Sakalava indigenous people and the endangered Madagascar Fish eagle. Through close collaboration with the local community, the region has become a stunning success for conservation - even as the rest of Madagascar's nature suffers heavy losses.

Go deep into the woods to explore the lives of a unique avian family. Woodpeckers come in 239 species and live on every continent except Antarctica and Australia, playing a powerful role in every ecosystem they inhabit. They come in all shapes and sizes, each uniquely engineered for their particular lifestyles.

Sid James learns of the joys of owning a budgerigar.

The remarkable story of one woman raising an army of over 10,000 people to help save one of the rarest birds on Earth from the depths of extinction.

La fabuleuse histoire des oiseaux, des dinosaures parmi nous

Footage of the seabirds found in the Shetland Isles. One of a group of films made by Jenny Brown and bought by John Grierson for the GPO Film Library in the 1930s.

At Arolla Film, we strive to positively motivate people to protect wildlife through our work. Sometimes, however, the devastation of nature is so extensive and the changes so rapid that more radical measures are needed to stop them. This is the case with the capercaillie, a species closely linked to natural mountain forests. We could no longer stand by and watch as dozens of locations where the capercaillie was found until recently disappeared. That is why we decided to make a short video that uses the example of the Low Tatras to show the dramatic changes that have taken place over the last ten years. The animation is made from real satellite images, and the crosses with the names of the locations are actually extinct leks. The video is part of an initiative to save the natural habitat of the capercaillie.

The peculiar trait of the cuckoo, which tricks another bird into hatching her egg for her, is shown in color photography.

"Kon-Tiki" was the name of a wooden raft used by six Scandinavian scientists, led by Thor Heyerdahl, to make a 101-day journey from South America to the Polynesian Islands. The purpose of the expedition was to prove Heyerdal's theory that the Polynesian Islands were populated from the east- specifically Peru- rather than from the west (Asia) as had been the theory for hundreds of years. Heyerdahl made a study of the winds and tides in the Pacific, and by simulating conditions as closely as possible to those he theorized the Peruvians encountered, set out on the voyage.

Finland’s first nature documentary. The filmmakers’ expedition leads them all the way to the Åland Islands and the Karelian Isthmus.

This documentary follows various migratory bird species on their long journeys from their summer homes to the equator and back, covering thousands of miles and navigating by the stars. These arduous treks are crucial for survival, seeking hospitable climates and food sources. Birds face numerous challenges, including crossing oceans and evading predators, illness, and injury. Although migrations are undertaken as a community, birds disperse into family units once they reach their destinations, and every continent is affected by these migrations, hosting migratory bird species at least part of the year.

The Scarlet Macaw, a vibrant symbol of the Mexican rainforest, is disappearing from the ecosystem. Conservation and Recovery of the Scarlet Macaw in Mexico explores the tireless efforts of Natura y Ecosistemas Mexicanos (NEM) to save the last remaining viable population of these iconic birds. Facing the constant threat of poaching, NEM works diligently to rescue hatchlings from vulnerable nests before they are looted. By forging partnerships with local communities, they have developed a network of dedicated individuals to locate and protect macaw nests. This compelling film showcases the resilience of both people and wildlife in a united fight to preserve a species that has long symbolized the beauty and diversity of the region's natural heritage.

Portrait of Hermann Heinzel.