|
BREEDS & their NEEDS
Lories &
LORIKEETS
By Rosemary Low
|
|
☺Click
to see list of Books written by Rosemary Low
LORIES
[images/photogallery/photogallery/photo00017180/real.htm]
Lorikeets are among the most colourful,
active and entertaining aviary birds it is possible to keep.
- In this
article I will discuss the species likely to be available in the
UK.
- Ten or 20
years ago the choice was much wider.
- Since then
many lories, including breeding pairs, have been exported, so
today the choice is greatly diminished, as is the ease of
acquiring them.
-
The two most
freely available lorikeets are the Green-naped (Trichoglossus
h.haematodus)
and the Swainson’s or Rainbow Lorikeet (T.h.moluccanus).
-
Their care
does not differ.
-
Both are
good subjects for the beginner with lorikeets –
-
who must
be aware that these birds need to be fed twice daily
-
Being less
aggressive than most other lories and lorikeets, they are
suitable for lory exhibits in zoos
(and safari parks) where the public can enjoy the experience
of lorikeets climbing all over them
to take nectar from tiny cups.
-
Anyone who
is thinking of keeping these birds will learn a lot about
them
-
by
visiting, for example, Paradise Park in Cornwall or Woburn
Safari Park
The Green-naped
The
Swainson’s or Rainbow Lorikeet
-
is found only
in Australia.
-
Many people
have seen film of these birds at Currumbin Sanctuary in
Queensland.
-
One of the
most famous sights in Australian nature,
-
the birds
there are attracted to artificial food and at times arrive in
their hundreds, creating
one of the most vivid spectacles on earth.
-
However,
feeding these wild birds on bread and sugar solution creates
health problems,
as many vets in the vicinity know
-
This
underlines the importance of correct feeding of birds rearing
young.
Massena’s
Lorikeet
(T.h.massena)
-
Another
sub-species that is available
-
As wild-caught
lories and lorikeets are still imported from the Solomon Islands
but are not
(or should not be) imported from Indonesia, Massena’s Lorikeets
and Yellow-bibbed Lories
are fairly readily available.
Goldie’s,
Iris and Meyer’s Lorikeets
(Trichoglossus
goldiei, iris and Trichoglossus flavoviridis meyeri)
-
Three small
lorikeets are sometimes offered for sale.
-
with a body
size no larger than an exhibition Budgerigar.
-
I would
recommend that the larger lorikeets are kept in flights 15ft
(4.5m) long
-
but Goldie’s
and Meyer’s can be kept and bred in cages only 6ft (1.8m) long.
-
They are also
among the quietest of the lorikeets.
Meyer’s are
a study in green and yellow
Although Iris
Lories are small, they need a flight at least 10ft (3m) long and
really enjoy a 15ft (4.5m) aviary.
Goldie’s
-
are the shyest
of the group and like to hide away in lots of leafy branches.
-
As with the
Meyer’s and the Iris, they lay two eggs, incubated by the female
for about 23 days.
-
Young spend
about eight weeks in the nest.
-
On fledging
their plumage is duller with dull plum colour rather than
scarlet on the head.
-
The
personality of this little lorikeet is more subdued and less
playful than that of Trichoglossus species
-
They tend to
move about in a cautious manner, with the head held low, almost
horizontal to the body.
-
Leafy branches
in which to climb and hide will greatly enhance their
environment.
-
This is, of
course, true for all lorikeets but none more so than Goldie’s.
-
Branches
containing blossom, such as elder, apple and pear, will provide
food and amusement for
all the species mentioned.
-
They are
mainly nectar feeders (feeding on pollen and nectar in the wild)
-
and also
consume such fruits as apple, pear, grapes, oranges and
Satsumas, and pomegranate.
-
unlike
some lories, they crave wild green-foods such as flowering
heads of dandelion (pollen),
chickweed and seeding dock.
-
One point to
watch when lorikeets are breeding is
-
Even during
our so-called summer this could lead to the death of young
chicks.
-
For this
reason a brooder should be kept running and nest inspection
should be made early every morning.
-
Chilled chicks
can either be quickly warmed up and returned to the nest during
the summer,
-
or removed for
hand-rearing in the colder months.
-
Once a chick
becomes cold it does not cry for food and will not be fed.
-
Hunger and
cold will kill it, especially if it is a single chick.
-
Problems are
most likely to arise if the nest litter is not changed regularly
and becomes damp.
-
While drilling
holes in the bottom of the nest-box helps,
-
there is no
alternative to changing the litter,
-
although this
can be difficult with some aggressive lories.
-
I wait until
the parents have left the nest to feed,
-
slip a
piece of cardboard over the nest hole,
-
then from
inside the nest I stuff a towel in the nest entrance.
^Go
to Top
The Eos
lories
-
are recognised
by their basically red plumage.
-
Availability
in the UK varies from obtainable if you search (Red),
-
to declining
and hard to find (Black-winged and Violet-necked.)
-
These lories
are wonderfully entertaining aviary birds.
-
They are
active and playful and need a flight at least 12ft (3.6m) long
and a minimum of 3ft (91cm) wide.
-
The
nest-box should be in position throughout the year for roosting
purposes
-
and is best
placed in the shelter or indoor part during the winter months.
-
Hardy birds,
they do not need heated accommodation.
-
Red Lories
were sometimes kept as pets (and can learn to talk)
-
The protein
content of the diet should, perhaps, be slightly higher than
that of most other lories.
-
This can be
achieved with the use of a little soaked or sprouted sunflower
seed.
-
especially
when they have chicks,
-
an
egg-rearing food or a food mixed with chopped fruit.
-
Those who
use cooked beans and pulses for other birds, can offer some
to the lories as well.
-
The numbers of
these lories in the wild have declined due to over-trapping.
-
It was for
these reasons that Indonesia banned their export in 1995
-
(Indonesia has
many more serious problems than trade in birds.)
-
But the EC has
rightly prohibited their importation into Europe.
-
The effect of
this prohibition is now apparent.
-
Red Lories
are no longer common and the Violet-necked has almost
disappeared in the UK.
-
It is
imperative that more breeders show an interest in these species
-
They are
greatly undervalued, in financial and aesthetic terms.
The Red Lory
(Eos bornea)
-
has always
been the best known member of the genus,
-
with a long
history in aviculture.
-
It occurs on
Seram and some of the smaller Moluccan islands.
-
Only the birds
from Buru are distinguishable (sub-species cyanonothus)
-
The plumage of
immature birds varies in individuals;
-
some birds
have blue on the ear coverts and blue margins to the feathers of
the underparts.
-
Beak and iris
are brown when young birds leave the nest; this colour is
quickly lost.
Blue-streaked
Lories (Eos reticulata)
-
are extremely
beautiful
-
and surely
greatly underrated.
-
To see them in
display is unforgettable.
-
Both sexes
will strut along the perch, arching the neck, hissing and
nuzzling each other’s faces.
-
The male
especially stretching to his full height.
-
This species
comes from the Tanimbar Islands, east of Timor and south of
Seram.
The
Black-winged Lory (Eos
cyanogenia)
-
is from the
island of Biak.
-
Two other
smaller islands on which it was or is found, Manim and Numfor,
The
Violet-necked Lory (Eos
squamata riciniata) and
the Obi sub-species (E.s.obiensis)
-
are the
smallest members of the genus at 10in (26cm) and 9in (23cm).
-
The Obi
from the island of that name,
-
was
unknown in aviculture until 1987.
-
Few were
imported into the UK and few were bred.
-
An effort
should be made to find odd birds and pair them up.
Eos
lories
-
are usually
easy to breed.
-
Two eggs are
laid and incubated by the female for 24 or 25 days.
-
Young spend
about ten weeks in the nest.
-
There is a
tendency for chicks to be plucked in the nest,
The Lorius
lories
(Black-cap an the Yellow-bib).
-
are now
represented in UK aviculture mainly by the Black-cap and
the Yellow-bib.
-
The
Black-cap (Lorius
lory) breeds well and
young are sometimes available.
-
It is a
wonderful aviary bird but it must be admitted that its voice is
loud.
-
As aviary
birds they often become tame.
-
They have
great character and their display is amusing to watch.
-
The
red-breasted form, erythrothorax, is the only
sub-species readily available here now.
-
The nominate
race has black almost up to the throat and right round to the
nape.
-
Young birds of
the sub-species erythrothorax look quite different from
adults with a blue ring
right around the neck.
The Purple-naped
Lory (Lorius domicellus)
-
is, sadly, a
bird which has been endangered by trade.
-
Few birds are
exported because they are eagerly sought as pets on the island
of Seram.
-
They occur
nowhere else.
-
Most books
erroneously give the range to include Amboina (now extinct
there)
-
and Buru
(probably escaped pet birds).
-
Worldwide
numbers of Purple-naped lories in aviculture are low and the
breeding success rate is poor.
-
There are
literally only one or two breeders in the UK.
The
Yellow-bibbed Lory (Lorius chlorocercus)
-
is a
lovely-looking bird.
-
Young birds
have less yellow on the "bib" but the black patch on the side of
the neck is present.
-
Found
only in the Solomon Islands.
-
This lory was
almost unknown in aviculture until 1991 when its export was
permitted for the first time.
-
The only
member of the genus without a black cap is the Chattering
Lory (Lorius g.garrulus)
-
The latter was
formerly kept and bred in larger numbers in the UK than any
other member of the genus.
-
It is admired
for its gorgeous plumage and appealing personality.
-
A few are kept
as pets and, like the Black-cap, some are excellent mimics.
-
This species
originates from the northern Moluccan islands of Indonesia.
-
It is
declining due to deforestation and trapping.
^Go
to Top
The Lorius
species lay two eggs
-
which are
incubated for 25 or 26 days by the female.
-
The young
spend between ten and 11 weeks in the nest.
-
As in all
lories, in the male and female are alike
A word of
warning about Lorius species.
-
An aviary for
these lories should be about 15ft (4.5m) long.
-
If they lack
exercise, they can become overweight.
-
In any case,
it is good to see them flying.
-
How else can
one appreciate the beauty of the bright yellow under wing
coverts of the
Chattering and Yellow-backed Lories?
-
My favourite
characteristics of lories are their playfulness,
-
their
inquisitive behaviour and their capacity for great affection
towards human companions
and those of their own kind.
-
There are few
other species of birds that you can watch rolling around on the
aviary floor,
-
usually locked
in a friendly tussle with a companion or sibling.
-
I never tire
of watching them at play.
-
They are
exceptionally inquisitive birds, not only taking a keen interest
in everything that is going on,
-
The species
vary in their capacity for affection
-
but this is
probably at its height in Chalcopsitta species,
especially the Black.
-
It is touching
to watch the affection of which they are capable.
-
The
personality varies greatly according to the species
-
However, only
a small number are well known in aviculture.
-
I will
generalise on their "good and bad points" and mention their
advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
-
They are great
fun to keep because they are so playful and active.
-
They don’t sit
around most of the day doing nothing!
-
They are also
inventive in their play.
-
They are so
beautiful and brightly coloured – a delight to the eye.
-
They breed
with relative ease.
Disadvantages:
-
Most of the
larger species are noisy and some have piercing calls.
-
They are
extremely aggressive towards other birds.
-
They must be
fed twice daily
-
They need a
lot of exercise;
-
if they
are confined to a cage they will become overweight and
bored,
-
leading to
screaming sessions.
-
Most
lories are unsuited to cage life
-
keeping
them this way is very time-consuming
-
In the UK
(unlike in the USA, for example) few lories and lorikeets are
kept as pets.
-
They are
usually favoured by breeders and kept in pairs in outdoor
aviaries.
-
However,
certain species, especially Green-naped and Swainson’s can
make excellent pets if hand-reared
-
and acquired
very young.
-
Because
all lories and lorikeets are so sociable,
-
I believe that
it is unfair to hand-rear them in the company of their own kind
then sell them as pets
if they will thenceforth be isolated from their other lories.
-
Lories and
lorikeets might breed at any time of the year.
-
Many chicks
hatched during the coldest months die at about the age of ten
days.
-
It is
therefore advisable to remove them for hand-rearing.
-
Occasionally
hand-reared males fail to identify with other lories
Specially
adapted tongues
-
To understand
lories and lorikeets you need to know that the tongue is
specially constructed to
enable them to collect pollen and nectar from blossoms.
-
The tip of the
tongue contains tiny brushes or papillae.
-
These are
developed to a varying degree according to the species and its
environment.
-
Those in which
nectar and pollen play a large part in the diet,
-
such as
Stella’s and other Charmosyna lorikeets,
-
they
attain maximum development and the tongue is longer than in
other species.
-
It is so
long in Stella’s, for example, that the tongue can be waved
around outside the mouth
-
The papillae
are well developed in most species, even in the Green-naped,
-
which is among
the more omnivorous species.
-
The brushes
on the tongue are the least developed in the Iris and
Musschenbroek’s Lorikeets.
-
The latter
species has a relatively heavier and more powerful bill
-
which it
perhaps uses to extract grubs from beneath tree bark.
-
Mine are
passionately fond of wax moth larvae, some of which they
receive daily.
-
In all species
the papillae are contained within small sheaths.
-
These are
unfurled only when the bird is feeding or exploring with its
tongue.
-
At other times
the tongue looks like that of other parrots.
-
A tame lory
will stretch out its tongue to reach a piece of fruit or blossom
held just outside its cage,
-
so you can
easily examine the tongue.
^Go
to Top
Feeding Lories
Lory food
-
Commercially
produced lory food can be obtained in powder form,
-
to which you
add water.
-
As in any
range of products these vary in quality.
-
Just as
pellets are marketed as the complete food for parrots
-
this cannot
apply to all species because probably no two have precisely the
same requirements,
-
a
particular lory food cannot suit all species of lories.
-
Those that
might be described as omnivorous:
-
such as
the larger Trichoglossus species like the Green-naped
and Swainson’s,
-
and
Lorius species such as the Black-capped
-
In
contrast, the species which are mainly nectivorous
-
such as
the Charmosyna species (except Stella’s)
-
and
Chalcopsitta species such as Yellow-streaked and
Black
-
It is
difficult for most people to know if a nectar food is well
formulated.
-
However, I
would suggest avoiding those that are based on cheap products
-
such as
maize and wheat and avoid one that is excessively sweet.
-
It should
taste pleasant and a little sweet.
-
In my
opinion most manufacturers give instructions that make up
the nectar too thick.
-
Among the
most sensitive species are the little Whiskered
Lorikeets.
-
They
like nectar well diluted, not thick.
-
Nekton’s Nektar-Plus or a sunbird nectar is most
suitable for them.
I make up my
own nectar.
-
I buy in
quantity 2kg tubs of malt extract and honey from a wholesale
whole foods outlet
-
as it can be
difficult to find malt extract.
-
I use a
very full dessertspoonful of malt extract and one of honey
dissolved in very hot water
-
then add a
little cold water
-
a full
dessertspoonful of Lory CéDé
-
and enough
hot water to make up one litre, to serve warm.
-
You need to
keep stirring when serving to prevent the CéDé from settling on
the bottom of the jug.
-
In my opinion
Lory CéDé makes up too thick if used alone.
-
(It is
also a good hand-rearing food for chicks more than ten days
old.)
-
The
analysis of this food is 15.7% crude protein, 3.5% crude
fat, 67% carbohydrate and 1% calcium.
-
Nectar
should be offered in stainless steel containers,
-
either fairly
shallow or not filled to the top
-
as lories
do not like drinking from deep containers.
-
It is better
to offer two shallow ones that one deep one
-
It is a good
idea to vary the nectar offered to prevent the diet becoming too
monotonous,
-
perhaps using
one type in the morning and another in the afternoon or evening.
-
I often offer
Nekton-Lori in the evening and always give it to pairs rearing
young.
Fruits and
vegetables
-
Fruit is best
cut into small pieces and offered in a separate stainless steel
container.
-
Alternatively,
it can be spiked on to a stainless steel holder.
-
Some lory
keepers liquidise fruit and add it to the nectar.
-
However,
unless it will all be eaten in a couple of hours this might not
be a good idea in warm weather.
-
All lories
should be fed in the inside part of the aviary.
-
In summer
wasps and flies can be a big problem
-
In winter the
nectar can freeze outdoors.
-
I always feed
my lories at first light
-
Frozen, thawed
sweetcorn is a favourite with all my lories.
-
Some will also
eat raw carrot and celery;
-
these are
pushed through the welded mesh.
-
Cooked red
bell pepper is eagerly eaten by one of my Iris.
-
Only a few
lorikeets, notably Stella’s and Whiskered, like green leaves.
-
Swiss chard,
spinach, chickweed, sowthistle and young dandelion leaves are
the most suitable.
-
Flowers from
non-poisonous plants and trees will be greatly enjoyed,
-
These include
apple and elder blossom, flowering heads of dandelion and
flowers of hibiscus and nasturtiums.
-
In the wild
many lorikeets eat green seeds.
-
In captivity
Trichoglossus lorikeets like spray millet.
-
Small striped
sunflower seed – preferably soaked – can be offered when they
are rearing young.
-
Lorius
and Eos lories (such as the Red) also like sunflower
seed,
-
but this
should be limited.
-
Lorius
species will also eat cooked or soaked pulses;
-
Remember
that lories and lorikeets have a faster metabolism than other
parrots
-
and liquid
food goes through them very quickly.
-
The small
species need to have nectar in front of them at all times.
-
The
small dry pellets made for lories are unsuitable for most
species,
-
and might not
even be recognised as food.
-
So, you might
unintentially be "starving" your bird by offering this dried
foods!!
^Go
to Top
|