Looking for birds to see in Cairns? Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome is a bird-lovers paradise!
Peter Griffin once claimed that “bird is the word” and this is something that we 100% agree with at Cairns ZOOM!
From cheeky cockatoos, to free flying parrots, to a duck that stalks our guests along the ZOOM course (yes really), here’s 10 birds that you can see in Cairns ZOOM and Wildlife Dome.
Our birds may be small, but they sure pack a whole lot of personality!
1. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Cockatoos don’t get more cheeky than our Jojo! At 32 years old, this charming chappy is the unofficial “King of the Dome” and greets customers with a sly “hello” as soon as they pop into the park.
Jojo the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo also has an impressive dance repertoire. His favourite song to dance to is “I like to move it move it”.
See Jojo get treated to a little spa day below…
2. Papuan Frogmouth
Our Papuan Frogmouths’ Gomez and Fergus have what we call “resting grump face”. With huge red eyes and an expressive beak, these birds are stunning and comical in equal part.
Look out for them closely when you explore our wildlife park, their feathers have evolved to look like tree bark, which means they can blend in easily to trees or wood.
3. Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus Parrot’s are incredible in that the male and female are completely different colours! The male is a vibrant green hue with a yellow beak, whereas the female is red and purple with a black beak.
Cairns ZOOM is lucky to have three Eclectus parrots; two males, Petrie and Elvis, and one female, Juliet. Juliet and Elvis are free-flying, but you are very likely to spot them near our Black Cockatoos, stealing a cheeky bit of seed!
Find out more about our Eclectus Parrot, Petrie here and watch a video of him growing up below:
4. Radjah Shelduck
Meet Mumbles our Radjah Shelduck! This sociable duck enjoys watching our customers as they make their way over our Mid-ZOOM obstacles.
He also enjoys a chat with our keepers and responds with “mehhh”, when they say “Mumbles, mehh”.
The Radjah Shelduck is commonly known as the “Burdekin Duck” and is protected in all states of Australia.
5. White Kookaburra
Our Snowy is pretty special, and he knows it! This rare white kookaburra has a condition called leucism, which results in a partial lack of pigment.
His angelic appearance is in contrast to his loud, cackling laugh. He can often be found at the very top of the Dome, watching our customers brave our 13m Power Jump.
6. Rainbow Lorikeet
One of Australia’s most colourful birds, the Rainbow Lorikeet is cheeky, curious and chatty.
Our newly opened Lorikeet Lane is an immersive experience where you can get up close to an abundance of these beautiful birds. Warning: they WILL land on you!
7. Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo
Out of all the birds to see in Cairns ZOOM, our Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, Holly and Willow, are a guest favorite! This chatty two-some may sound like two males, but Holly is actually a boy!
Red Tailed Black Cockatoos are sexually dysmorphic, meaning that the male and female look very different. Males are black with a vibrant red flash of tail feathers. Females are black with yellow stripes in the tail and small yellow spots all over.
8. Major Mitchell Cockatoo
Major Mitchell cockatoos are pretty pink birds that are named after one of the first explorers of inland Australia.
When this beautiful bird raises its crest, guests are treated to a vibrant pattern of red and yellow.
Cairns ZOOM is home to two Major Mitchell Cockatoos, Mitch and Cracker.
9. Bush Stone Curlew
Ever thought that you’d heard screaming during the night? We can bet our bottom dollar that the culprit was a Bush Stone Curlew!
These ground-dwelling birds can be found throughout Australia and are prominent in Aboriginal Dreamtime stories.
10. Tawny Frogmouth
Much like the Papuan Frogmouth, the Tawny Frogmouth has intricately patterned plumage that resembles tree bark.
The most noticeable difference between these two birds is the eye colour, with the Tawny Frogmouth having a lighter orange eye hue. This guy still has good ol’ resting grump face though!
Meet an abundance of birds in Cairns at Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome. Book now!
