Adelaide Zoo macaw escapes

Chlidonias

Chlidonias

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Media pack chases escaped zoo macaw - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Zookeepers have finally caught an escaped macaw which led them on a chase around Adelaide.

The blue and gold macaw was being trained for an outdoor flight presentation at Adelaide Zoo on Wednesday when it took fright and flew off.

The escaped two-year-old macaw Tambo was attacked by magpies and ravens in city trees after it flew off but fortunately seemed not to be seriously hurt.

The zoo's senior bird keeper Trena Carney says efforts were made to entice the macaw down from a tall casuarina tree near Adelaide University.

"We're hoping that he'll fly to a much lower tree where he'll be confident enough to fly down to us," she told reporters.

But with the media pack keeping close watch, the macaw decided to fly off toward the city centre late on Thursday morning.

It next settled in a palm tree at the Torrens Parade Ground, giving the scrambling media contingent time to draw breath and set up equipment.

By early afternoon it flew off from the parade ground to a low tree on nearby University Drive.

A handler finally coaxed it from there into a cage.

The handler said the macaw seemed exhausted after a big night out, but was in good condition.

Bird keeper Trena Carney earlier had explained Tambo was used to being in an enclosure and was somewhat afraid of heights.

"He is a little bit scared of heights. They do actually have to learn how to descend from that level and he hasn't had a lot of practice at it so he's in unfamiliar territory," she said.

"It's all just a bit scary."

The bird had missed its usual morning feed and keepers had been hoping an empty stomach would eventually win the day.
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Macaw home and starting from scratch - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Safely back in the aviary at Adelaide Zoo, Tambo the macaw has recovered well from a day and night of freedom.

Keepers started a hunt when the two-year-old bird took fright and flew off during training at the zoo on Wednesday.

Tambo had little idea of the dangers in the wild and his keeper said he was so used to living a caged life that he was even a little scared of heights.

The macaw was set on by native birds, including murray magpies, as he tried to roost in parklands trees.

With the media and keepers keen to coax Tambo down, he flew from tree to tree until he finally chose a low branch.

From there, a keeper enticed him back into a cage.

Zoo staff have checked the macaw thoroughly and say he is showing no ill effects from the adventure, a day later.

Handler Claire Peterson says Tambo is untroubled by a scratch on his beak inflicted by the native birds.

"He had a really good feed last night so we're not really worried about his eating," she said.

"He's displaying really good behaviour towards us and towards his sister and that scratch looks like it's settling down.

"The vets had a quick look at it today and they're pretty happy with how it's going."

Keepers will start again with their plans to teach Tambo about outdoor flight, so he can be used for zoo education programs.
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