Sometimes we must deal with hard topics, and it is often best to go straight to the core! Hyacinth Macaws take this advice literally every day as they feed on some very hard nuts. Evolution of these macaws have led them into an “arms-race” with palm trees. As the macaws evolve stronger bills and better methods the acuri palm trees adapts with harder shells. Read about how parrots and palms interact on the evolutionary level here.
You can also learn more about the EAZA Hyacinth Macaw EEP here
Did you know that the main distribution of the Hyacinth Macaw is within one of Earths largest wetland habitats; the Pantanal? Therefore the Parrot also links to the current EAZA Conservation Campaign – Wetlands for Life
Below you find more PDF’s with suggestions for education activities. If you have further ideas, please share and do save them for World Parrot Day on May 31st and tell the world about how fantastic parrots are!
Lovebirds are like humans, essentially social beings and they are dedicated to spending time together, naturally they will have conflicts but the lovebirds are champions in resolving these, perhaps humans can learn a thing or two. Read here about how the term “lovebird” made it into human psychology research and here about lovebird trafficking issues.
Below there are PDF’s with ideas education activities for kids and adults alike. If you have further ideas please do not hesitate to implement them on World Parrot Day on May 31st and share widely!
PARROT BEHAVIOUR: Kea are considered highly intelligent and in some areas they have started to disrupt human activities e.g. traffic by pushing objects onto the road giving the keas have the opportunity to get into the vehicle and scavenge for edibles.
Check out this video from the Kea Conservation Trust and see the education materials below
PARROT BEHAVIOUR:
Red-fronted Macaws lives in areas where large trees with nesting cavities are rare. As a result they nest in caves in steep cliffs and they are the only macaws in the genus Ara that does this in flocks. They are colony breeders.
Demonstrating that the availibility of nesting sites can be a driver of behaviour and adaptations.
Blanco, G., Morinha, F., Roques, S. et al. Fine-scale genetic structure in the critically endangered red-fronted macaw in the absence of geographic and ecological barriers. Sci Rep 11, 556 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79575-6
PARROT BEHAVIOUR:
Did you know that some parrots use plants as their own pharmacy?
Dr. Juan Marcello did a study on this together with many colleagues back in 2018.
Masello, J.F., Martínez, J., Calderón, L. et al. Can the intake of antiparasitic secondary metabolites explain the low prevalence of hemoparasites among wild Psittaciformes?. Parasites Vectors 11, 357 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2940-3
PARROT BEHAVIOUR:
Learn more about selfless parrots, click here for youtube VIDEO
Brucks & von Bayern (2020). Parrots Voluntarily Help Each Other to Obtain Food Rewards. Current Biology 30, 1–6 January 20, 2020.
Krasheninnikova A, Brucks D,Blanc S, von Bayern AMP (2019). Assessing African grey parrots’ prosocial tendencies in a token choice paradigm. Royal Society Open Science 6: 190696
Learn about conservation programmes for parrots. These projects are endorsed by the EAZA Parrot TAG
2023: Armonia the BirdLife Partner in Bolivia have a programme for the recovery of the Red-fronted Macaw
2022: The Katala Foundation have many activities to support the Philippine Cockatoo
2021: The Limbe Wildlife Centre has an ongoing Conservation_Proposal see video below for information on the project progress
Suggested open source educational materials and activity inspiration for use on the World Parrot Day or for other Parrot themed education activities:
PDF – 2026 Hyacinth Macaw fun with “Inti” *(new 2026)
PDF – 2025 Lovebird activities with “Kagiso” (new 2025)
PDF – 2024 Education with Kea “Thanee”(new 2024)
PDF – 2024 Kea face-mask-DOC(new 2024)
PDF – 2024 Kea? whose poo is whose…(new 2024)
PDF – 2023 Education about Red fronted-macaw “Keiko” (new 2023)
PDF – 2023 Poster Zoo Animal of the Year 2023_MACAW (new 2023)
PDF – 2022 Education on Philippine cockatoo “Katalita”
2020-2021: Due to the COVID-19 related lockdown in many zoos and schools around the world, we have added a “Corona Virus Supplement” with many alternative ideas for having a online World Parrot Day PDF – World Parrot Day Online
PDF – Parrot Eduction Survey 2025 Report
PDF – Information and Ideas material
PDF – 2021 Education on Grey Parrot Gonzo
PDF – Craft toys and enrichment
PDF – Fundraising for conservation
PDF – Invasive Species Information 
PDF – Invasive Species Activities
PDF – Activities for Children
PDF – AZA World Parrot Day 2021 Packet
We would like to thank our colleagues for sharing their materials with us. If you have any great ideas or material that you wish to share open source please get in touch with the EAZA Parrot TAG Education Advisor, Stephan Worm from Zoo Magdeburg.
For more content and ideas see also the World Parrot Day Facebook page #WorldParrotDay
RETURN to the joint Parrot TAG’s page
On the work of the Katala Foundation on the Philippine cockatoo.
Limbe Wildlife Centre on progress up til September 2021.