Angela Merkel pecked by Australian lorikeets on the campaign trail in Germany

Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel provided a rare splash of colour amid Germany's staid election campaign while visiting a bird park where she posed with half a dozen parrots.

Not content with the bird feed on offer, one of the Australian rainbow lorikeets at Marlow Bird Park took a peck at the long-time German leader's hand, prompting a theatrical scream from Merkel.

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Merkel, who is not running for a fifth term, visited the northeastern state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania on Thursday to promote the centre-right Union bloc's candidate in the constituency she has held since 1990.

Earlier in the week, Merkel stopped to pose for selfies with locals while visiting the weekly market in her former constituency in Marlow on Thursday.

Germany holds a national election Sunday that will determine the composition of parliament.

The strongest party usually ends up leading a new government and will name a new chancellor, who needs to be confirmed by a majority of lawmakers.