Cairns ZOOM is home to many feathery friends and the youngest (and one of the nosiest) of all is Petrie the Eclectus Parrot!

This adorable little guy has oodles of personality and loves cuddles and pats from our wildlife keeper.

Oddly enough, this adorable Eclectus Parrot likes being groomed with a clean mascara wand! This also helps his feathers to grow as it removes any residual wax.

Watch the video below to see Petrie the baby Eclectus Parrot grow up from a bald little munchkin into the dictionary definition of a “pretty boy”.

The Eclectus Parrot: 10 Fun Facts

1. Unlike many birds, eclectus parrots are not monogamous. Mating pairs do not stay together for their whole lives.
2. Males and females look completely different! As a matter of fact, until the 20th century, scientists thought that they were two completely different species. Males are a vibrant green hue with a blue bend at the wing, whereas females are red with areas of purple.
3. They dwell in low land tropical rainforest, including in Tropical North Queensland!
4. Multiple birds attend to nests. Up to eight different birds of both sexes have been reported to attend to the nests.
5. They nest in large holes in tree trunks and lay eggs on decayed wood dust and chips.
6. They have unusually long digestive tracts. This means they can tolerate a high-fiber diet.
7. Up to five males will provide food for one female as they compete for her to be their mate.
8. Young fledge the nest at around 11 weeks old.
9. They can live up to 40 years.
10. The Eclectus Parrot is a great speaker! These highly intelligent birds are among the top three parrots in the world when it comes to speaking ability.

You can meet Petrie the Eclectus parrot and an abundance of beautiful birds at Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome.

Book now