For a unique gift idea this Mother's Day, name a parakeet after your mom at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo

If your mom has all of the bubble bath and scented candles that she needs, you could give her something different this Mother's Day.

Parakeet(Dalton Touchberry/Unsplash)

Your mom gives all year to you, and Mother's Day is your chance to give back. For the mom that has everything, you can celebrate her this year with a novel idea. The Brookfield Zoo is offering a Name a Parakeet for Mother's Day package to honor moms while helping to fund the Brookfield Zoo where they need it the most.

What is the cost?

A $10 donation that goes directly to the zoo's annual fund. According to the zoo's website, "This gift allows us to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people and communities with wildlife and nature, including parakeets."

What do you get?

• You get to name a parakeet inside the Hamill Family Wild Encounters parakeet aviary.
• A link to download a Certificate of Naming that you can print and fill out with a personal message to give to your mother.
• Your mom's first name on the Mother's Day Parakeet Naming Board outside Hamill Family Wild Encounters. The board will be up from May 9th through May 23rd.
• The naming board will be shared on the website and social media pages.

Can you name a parakeet for someone other than your mom?

Yes, you can name a parakeet for grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and friends as well.

When is the deadline?

The program is open now and runs through April 30th at noon. You must register and submit your donation with your mother's name before the deadline to get a place on the board. However, you can still make a donation and print a certificate online after this date.

Hamill Family Wild Encounters

Take your mom to visit the parakeets on Mother's Day where she can see her name on the board. The parakeets are housed inside the Hamill Family Wild Encounters, and you can feed them with seed sticks.

The Hamill Family Wild Encounters exhibit offers guests the chance to feed parakeets and goats. Some of the animals in the exhibit include reindeer, red pandas, alpacas, llamas, and wallabies.

Did you know?

A parakeet is a type of parrot, and parakeets are originally from Australia, It's the only part of the world where large wild flocks can be found in the grasslands. Pet parakeet escapees have been spotted living in colonies across the U.S., with California, Texas, and Florida having the largest population.

What will my donation do?

The $10 donated to the zoo's annual fund goes directly to the care of the animals. Donations are more critical than ever due to the financial difficulties the zoo has been under during the COVID-19 pandemic. The zoo was closed for months, and though it has reopened, it's operating under limited capacity and the indoor buildings are still closed.

Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Derek Taylor/CC BY-SA 2.5/Wikimedia Commons)

Do you need reservations to visit the zoo?

Yes, you must get timed entry passes online to visit. No tickets are sold at the zoo. You can buy tickets here.

Honor your mom while helping the animals

Mother's Day is our chance to tell the moms in our life just how much they mean to us. Moms work hard taking care of their families all year. This Mother's Day, you can celebrate your mom a little differently this year by naming a parakeet to honor her. And you'll be helping fund important operations for the zoo while you're at it.

#HappyMothersDay

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