Arrival of Three Kakariki Birds Keeps Residents Busy at Leicester Home

Residents at Leicester home have been kept busy with the arrival of three Kakariki birds.

The kakarikis name means small parrot and comes from the Māori language with kaka meaning parrot and riki meaning small

MHA Aigburth, in Oadby took on two birds in October when a staff member couldn’t get on with them.

Lillie, the female bird, started to lay eggs, and the home welcomed the arrival of three new birds.

The birds have now come away from the parents and are located on the ground floor of the home, with Lillie and Norman on the first floor.

Jade Bown, deputy manager said:
“The arrival of the three birds is like a breath of fresh air at the home.

“Our residents love them and spend a lot of time looking out for them and sometimes even just babysitting them.

“The birds are great, they can now fly from their cage to other parts of the floor and it’s amazing seeing the reactions of residents when they spot them.

“Sometimes they just come and sit near or on the hands of residents and it lifts their mood up in an instant.

“One of the birds was hand reared by a resident and is called Eric, so there is a big connection between them and the residents.

“They do have a calming effect on residents, something we didn’t know at the start but are so happy with the outcome.