Bullied parrot finds new confidence with 3D-printed beak

A palm cockatoo named Huizai — C
hinese for Grey Boy — has gotten a new lease on life, thanks to the wonders of technology. The parrot who lives in a Nanjing zoo in Jiangsu, China, was on the verge of losing its beak (and respect from its peers) until he was fitted with a new beak on Apr. 17. According to one of his keepers, Chen Wei, Huizai’s beak started showing cracks after a fight with another parrot, but those cracks got worse and most of it started to fall off.

Both Huizai’s confidence and appetite were affected by the loss

Huizai’s broken beak affected his appetite and confidence.

Chen told China Daily: “The beak is very important to a parrot’s appearance. Huizai knew that it was different from the others and gradually preferred to stay alone. Sometimes it even refused to come out of its cage.”

Because Huizai was seen as “less of a bird”, its keepers started to worry about its health and decided to approach vets and researchers at the Nanjing Research Institute of Additive Manufacturing for help.

According to one of the vets, Cheng Wangkun, a 3D printing company offered to rebuild Huizai’s beak for free, reported CCTV News.

Using another parrot of the same species and health status as Huizai for reference, the company was able to create a comfortable resin beak for Huizai.

Huizai’s new resin beak.

Cheng told reporters that the surgery was performed under anesthesia and they were able to connect Huizai’s original beak with the resin part with 11 bone nails.

Huizai during surgery.

Huizai has successfully recovered from the surgery and has taken to his brand new beak like it’s its original one. The parrot is now able to drink and eat as per normal.

With its new beak, Huizai is once again accepted among peers.

Birds of a feather, flock together.

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