Birds

• Medium size parrot, usually around 10inches long.
• Average weight is about 4.5-5oz.
• This species is not considered to be in danger.
• Natural predators of these birds include Peregrine and Brown Falcons, Whistling Kites, and diamond pythons
• Swainson’s Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus)
• Swainson’s are often referred to as the “prettiest” of the rainbow lorikeets. They have bright blue-violet heads with a yellow-green collar around the nape. Wings and backs are green, with a dark blue lower belly. Breast area ranges from red to orange to yellow in a “sunset” type pattern.
• Medium size parrot, usually around 11 inches long.
• Generally weigh 4.6 oz.
• This species is not considered in danger, and, in fact, in some areas of Australia is considered a pest as they are destroying agricultural crops.

Anatomy

Beak

• Beaks are made of keratin (same as our fingernails!) and do actively grow. This portion of the beak does not sense pain, thus provides a good tool to the bird to aid in searching, digging, and cracking open fruits.
• All of our birds trim their own beaks by rubbing them on branches, rocks, etc., but they can be very sharp!
• The end of the beak closest to the bird’s body (called the cere and is where the nostrils are located) has significant blood supply and a number of nerve endings, making it very sensitive especially to touch.
• Use their bills to rip apart fruits and flowers to gain access to the soft insides and pollen.
• Can use beaks as a third foot to aid in climbing.

Voice

• Very loud! They screech during flight and often “chatter” while feeding. This establishes communication between birds during these events.
• Vocal Repertoire
• Fledging- high pitched wheeze
• Protest- made when disturbed at nesting sites or feeding on low shrubs; accompanied by wing flapping and sideways movements of the head.
• Locating- saying “here I am!”
• Warble- made by pairs talking to each other when feeding, resting, preening, etc.
• Scouting- made in flight when searching for other birds or for food.

Brush Tongue

• The ends of their tongues have tiny little hairs (papillae), which actively aid in soaking up nectar and pollen.
• Brush tongues make them excellent pollinators. In the wild, as they fly from flower to flower, they spread pollen around and help provide opportunities for plant reproduction.

Wings

• Have very fast, rapid wing beats
• In the wild, they fly high when traveling low distances. On short flights, or inside the aviary, they tend to maneuver from branch to branch or between the trees.
• They have the ability to establish flight paths before take off. In the wild, usually these paths tend to follow geographic features, such as coastlines or rivers.
• Inside the aviary, this is seen often from one end of the aviary to another with a group of birds flying together.
• Due to the body:wing ratio, lorikeets have difficulty landing and taking off from the ground. Often, they will take off from a taller height, giving them an advantage for long-range flying at high speed.

Skin/Feathers

• Unlike many other types of birds, lorikeets do not contain oil glands in their skin.
• They use a “powder down” technique when preening.
• Some of the down feathers that grow contain tips that constantly break down and form a waxy powder. The birds then spread this through their plumage during preening. This helps coat the feathers, keep them clean, and keep them healthy.
• They bathe daily by fluttering along wet foliage.
• Inside the aviary, bird baths are provided.

Tail

• Long, pointed tail aids in balance while perching, as well as agility during flight.
• Zygodactyl Feet
• The first and fourth toes face backward, and the second and third toes face forward (zygodactyl) which aids in the birds in perching, grasping, and climbing.
• Because of the shape of the feet, lorikeets cannot take regular, even steps, but instead must hop and leap while maneuvering around the ground.

Physiology

Lifespan and Reproduction

• 15-25 years in the wild, 30-40 years in human care.
• Create pair bonds which last throughout the pair’s lifetime
• Pairs preen and nibble each other during resting periods.
• Resting pairs display minor aggression towards non-pair birds by biting and protesting.
• Become sexually mature between 12-24 months of age. Typically, a pair will mate for life.
• Courtship behaviors include head bobbing, tail fanning, wing displays, and fencing with their beaks.
• Incubation period for the eggs is about 26 days.
• Both the male and female parents guard the next. Hatchlings stay in the next for 49-56 days, but will return every night for an additional few weeks until they are ready to be fully independent.

Diet and Digestion

• Lorikeets have very fast working metabolisms and spend approximately 70% of their time feeding in order to support nutrient demands.
• Lorikeets do not have a gizzard, thus they cannot digest anything solid- such as a nut or a seed.
• They use their beaks to peel away any tough or solid casing around fruits.
• Use bristle tongues to slurp nectar and pollen from trees and fruits.
• Here, we feed them manmade nectar (papaya or mango juice mixed with water), they eat a soft fruit cocktail mixture, and are provided with water soluble lorikeet vitamin pellets. Any additional fruits (apples, mango, bananas, etc.) that are provided for the birds are pre-sliced to ensure that no solids are accidentally being swallowed.

Habitat & Lifestyle

Distribution

• Lorikeets are indigenous to the Eastern Australia only. They have however been introduced to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia.
• In the 1990’s, Rainbow lorikeets were illegally released into the wild in New Zealand. By 1999, an established population of almost 200 Rainbow Lorikeets had been established and were competing with native birds (even much larger birds) and bats for food and nesting resources.
• Conservation programs have live-captured and relocated most of this introduced population. However, Rainbow Lorikeets are still sometimes seen in New Zealand.
• They will remain within an area provided that there are enough food patches to sustain them. Otherwise, they have been known to be nomadic to find food. It is possible for them to make daily journeys as far as 30 miles outside their nest sites in search for food.

Relationship with Other Birds

• Roost sizes are variable depending on the season, but in the wild some roosts get as big as 50,000 birds!
• Some theories for why roost and flocking behaviors exist:
  • To teach inexperienced birds survival necessities, such as what food to eat, feeding techniques, and other survival behaviors.
  • Communication between birds about feeding sites
  • Serves as a venue for non-breeding individuals to find mates
  • Safety in numbers principle to secure individual survival

Predators

• Raptor birds, including peregrine falcon, brown falcon, and whistling kite.
• Diamond python.
• Rats and other burrowing scavengers.
• **Humans are not a direct predator, but pose a threat to the wild birds due to deforestation and trapping.

Learn about these majestic birds, where they come from, what the like to eat, how we care for them and so much more.

Step into our aviary and meet our colorful rainbow lorikeets while offering them their favorite nectar treat. These lively, social parrots love interacting with guests and are known for their playful personalities and amusing antics. About 10 inches long and weighing only 4.5–5 ounces, rainbow lorikeets have specialized brush-tipped tongues with tiny hairs (papillae) that help them collect nectar and pollen—making them perfectly adapted for their sweet diet.