The birds at Cornwall Park's aviary aren't the only ones singing the praises of Denise Karaitiana, who has become a regular fixture at the popular Hastings spot.
Ms Karaitiana was employed by the Hastings District Council under the Taskforce Green scheme, which offers funding for work on outdoor and environmental projects
for a six-month period.
She joined the council about July 2009 and has been working at the park's aviary, keeping the cages clean and feeding the birds.
Next week, her six-month stint will come to an end, much to the disappointment of supporters such as Jo Eyles, who said Ms Karaitiana achieved more than her daily set chores.
"Since she's been working at the aviary, the birds have really been happy, there's more life in them and she's really looked after them," Mrs Eyles said.
"You can see the birds sitting around on her shoulders because they like her. The aviary is more like a zoo environment now. Before the birds were just like museum pieces, just sitting there with labels."
Mrs Eyles said she was a regular visitor to the aviary when she was a child and when it was stationed near the Tomoana Rd end of the park.
Lately, she'd been taking her two grandchildren to the park to see the birds and had been impressed with Ms Karaitiana.
"She really is the reason these birds have come back to life," Mrs Eyles said.
The council said Taskforce Green recruits were employed by the council for work on outdoor projects not normally done through regular maintenance programmes. The council said it was made clear at the start of the project that on-going work was "by no means guaranteed".
But it said Ms Karaitiana's dedicated role had advanced the aviaries work programme.
Prior to her arrival, the council's parks staff looked after the aviary as part of their regular duties.
"And after her six months is complete, next week, this role will again be done by the parks team," the council said. "As much as we would like to provide on-going employment for all our Taskforce Green recruits, unfortunately there is not funding available or the work required to fulfil a permanent full-time role."
The council hoped Ms Karaitiana's work with the council would help her find employment. Another Taskforce Green recruit was painting a mural along the bottom of the aviary at Cornwall Park.
