Lorikeet

Unlike other parrots that primarily eat nuts and seeds, lorikeets primarily consume fruit, pollen, and nectar.

At the Zoo, lorikeets are offered a variety of fruits and vegetables, including apples, bananas, pears, and corn. They also eat a specially formulated pellet and nectar diet for birds. This nectar formula has a soy protein base with various ground fruits and vegetable powders, pollen, and vitamins.

Lorikeets can be found throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the islands of the South Pacific.

Rainbow lorikeets are native to eastern Australia. Coconut lorikeets can be found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia. Marigold lorikeets are indigenous to Indonesia and East Timor.

Lorikeets can be found in a variety of forests, mangroves, and eucalyptus groves.

Lorikeets are prey for birds of prey and snakes.

Most of these birds have been affected in different ways by habitat destruction from logging and changes made for farming. Lorikeets are also captured as nestlings and adults to be sold in the exotic pet trade.

Most species of lorikeets have colorful features like red beaks, blue heads, green wings, and black feet. However, the colors and patterns on their chests, necks, and bellies can be very different.

These birds have unique beaks that help them navigate and explore their surroundings. Their upper bills are long and pointy, making them good at reaching seeds in cones and other plants. Lorikeets have special tongues covered in tiny hair-like structures called "papillae." When they stick out their tongues to eat, these papillae act like brushes, soaking up nectar and pollen from flowers or scraping sweet juices from fruits.

Lorikeets are zygodactyl, which means their feet have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward, making an "x" shape. This helps them climb and move around easily in trees.

The breeding season for lorikeets can change based on their species, where they live, and the climate. Lorikeets lay eggs in tree hollows, where the female incubates them while the male provides food for her. Most species lay two to three eggs per clutch. Both parents help feed and take care of the chicks after they hatch. The chicks are born without feathers and have their eyes closed. Over time, they grow feathers and learn to fly by about seven or eight weeks old. Most lorikeet species can start breeding between 18 and 24 months old.

Lorikeets are very social birds that often travel in large, noisy flocks from tree to tree, looking for flowers and nectar to eat. They chatter excitedly while they feed. When a predator is spotter, alarm calls are made to communicate the threat.

Lorikeets are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time in the trees and off the ground. They are often seen in loud, fast-moving flocks or gathered together in communal roosts at dusk. Flocks of several hundred may be seen together. Living in large flocks also helps keep the birds safe, as there are many eyes to look out for danger.

Some lorikeet species, like the rainbow lorikeet, are nomadic. This means they move around to follow the flowering season of eucalyptus trees along the Australian coast.

Lorikeets are very important for the pollination of many species of tropical plants.