Macaw lands on Sydney airport tarmac

A pet macaw named Maggie sent Sydney’s airport security into a frenzy recently after it landed on the tarmac.

Maggie is believed to have flown 900km from her home on the Gold Coast to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport on December 3, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ head of Biosecurity Operations, Nico Padovan, said in a release security officers initially feared the bird had been imported.

Maggie is believed to have flown 900km from her home on the Gold Coast to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport on December 3, according to the Department of Agriculture

‘After Sydney airport staff found this biosecurity risk, the department’s biosecurity staff contained it and referred it to a departmental veterinary officer for assessment,’ he said.

‘The veterinary officer found the bird was in good health and had an identifier leg band number but no microchip, and they held it for supervision, under biosecurity control, with strict biosecurity measures including isolation from other birds and decontamination procedures for staff.’

The department’s social media team asked the community to help find the macaw’s owner but it wasn’t until they scanned Maggie’s leg band that they were able to link her to a breeder in Queensland.

‘This breeder contacted the department and confirmed the bird was his—it had escaped in April 2016 and he had the DNA testing records which matched the leg band number.

‘Bird and breeder should be reunited soon—after it spent 18 months away and travelled around 900 kilometres.’

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ head of Biosecurity Operations, Nico Padovan, said in a release security officers initially feared the bird had been imported