A very special feathered fellow is settling back into life at Townsville's Percival Pacific Andrews Aviary following eye-removal surgery at Hammett Street Veterinary Surgery.
Gordon the Galah moved into the aviary after his owner sadly passed away and is a favourite among visitors to Queens Gardens.
While Gordon usually has a great time chattering away and showing off to his fans, he recently developed a cloudy eye that required a trip to the vet.
Hammett Street Veterinary Surgery avian health expert Dr Ingrid Huisman said Gordon had developed an infection in his left eye, causing him some discomfort.
"We attempted to save the eye with medications, but unfortunately the eye became too diseased and removal of the eye was the only solution to stop the pain and inflammation," Dr Huisman said.
"Because the build up of pressure behind the eye is very painful, he immediately felt better after the removal of the eye and he was eating and talking an hour after surgery."
Dr Huisman said this condition could happen in any type of animal, including birds.
"He will only require 10-14 days for the tissue to heal from the surgery," she said.
"Because he can only see out of one eye, he may be startled by members of the public if approaching him from the left side. However, he had already adapted to being visual in one eye, therefore people shouldn't notice too much difference."
And while Gordon has been in recovery Dr Huisman has given him an A+ for his attitude.
"Gordon was a wonderful patient, and we hope that he can thrive in his environment again now that he is pain free. Everyone here at Hammett Street Veterinary Surgery enjoyed his stay and we will definitely be visiting him in the gardens," she said.
Acting Mayor and divisional councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said she was very pleased to hear Gordon was taking recovery in his stride.
"Gordon is very loved in the Queens Gardens aviary and we want to be able to keep showering him with care and attention for many years to come," Cr Greaney said.
"On behalf of Townsville City Council I'd like to extend my thanks to Dr Huisman and the team at Hammett Street Veterinary Surgery for their work in getting Gordon back to health."
The Percival Pacific Andrews Aviary is located in Queens Gardens and was first established in 1938. The aviary is home to a variety of native Australian birds which are cared for by a team of rangers from Hands on Wildlife.
The aviary is free to visit and is open to the public seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.
