Maleny Bird World
You can find Maleny Bird World on the Maleny-Stanley River Road at Wootha, approximately 5 kms from Maleny.
Located within the grounds of Maleny Botanic Gardens, Bird World features 5 large, walk through aviaries and is home to over 700 exotic and native birds.
Many of the birds are rescued, surrendered by locals, who were no longer able to keep them.
Guided tours of the Aviaries take place daily at 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 2.00 and 3.00 pm with more tours added during peak times.
Each tour is conducted by one of the experienced bird keepers, and takes 50 minutes.
My first tour of Maleny Bird World
The guide we had naturally focused on keeping guests safe, and clearly knew the various bird species well.
It quickly became clear that she knew “these” specific birds as well.
Throughout the tour, she was talking about individual birds and their personalities. She explained that that some birds were more dominant and mischievous than others, especially amongst the Macaws.
Naturally, the moment we entered, there was a flurry of activity. Because all of the birds are completely free to fly around.
In fact, within a few minutes most people had at least one bird on a Shoulder.
The shy birds, or those new to the Aviary tend to stay high in the rafters. Others are happily feeding from the many food stations down the middle of the building.
The cheeky or more confident ones watched closely before choosing who to visit.
At this point, the warnings from our Guide about not wearing jewellery and shiny objects became important. These birds, especially the larger parrots, love to play with them, and to keep them as souvenirs.
I found out that the same applies to buttons.
I was thrilled when one of the large Crimson Macaws landed on my shoulder. And she entertained those around me by immediately taking the top button from my shirt.
At that moment I quickly removed my silver framed glasses.
Almost anything that they can remove is fair game. And you simply can’t get things back once the bird flies to the top of the Aviary to admire them.
Feathers are your Friends
Don’t worry If you are at all nervous about the Birds. Staff will give you a feather duster to carry. That way the birds know to keep their distance. The guides keep a close eye as well and give the larger birds something to hold in their beaks which seems to keep them happy.
There are birds of all sizes and breeds here, including many natives. Watch out for the ground dwelling birds like pheasants and peacocks etc, as you enjoy the wide range of parrots from all over the World.
The smaller parrots and tiny finches are housed separately. They are every bit as beautiful, and just as interesting but less interactive overall.
My favourite section was the Large Parrot Aviary where those Macaws are housed. The Australian native aviary with the Major Mitchells, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos, as well as both Yellow and Red Tailed Black Cockatoos was a close second.
Maleny Bird World Tickets
Tickets to the Bird Park include full access to the Maleny Botanic Gardens which you are free to enjoy form 9am to 4.30pm daily.
You will only have access to the bird Aviaries during your 50 minute tour.
Adult tickets are $39, and concession holders $35. Children 3-14 years are $20 but the child must be with an adult at all times.
As mentioned above, tours take place daily at 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 2.00 and 3.00 pm with more tours added during peak times.
These tours are extremely popular, so it is best to book ahead, to avoid disappointment, especially for weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
Individual or family bookings can be made here and there is a dedicated link for Group Bookings
The 50 minute tour was over in a flash, and we stayed outside watching and listening to the birds for much of the tour that followed.
To me, it really is great value. Where else can you be up close with these exquisite creatures?
Maleny Bird World’s website describes a visit to the park as an “Unforgettable Experience”. For me, and guests of all ages who we have taken through there over the past 5 years the verdict is they are right!
If you are visiting the area, this is one of the area’s most popular attractions. A visit to the Bird World Maleny is a great idea.
