Types of Birds
At the Walk-in Aviary
Austrailan parrots like the Rainbow Lorikeet are most numerous at The Walk-in Aviary. However, the aviary also houses finch and parrots from other parts of the world.
Play the Where's Polly Game to see more of the walk-in aviary's birds.
The Rainbow Lorikeet is a small, brightly-colored Australian parrot with a brush-tipped tongue. This active bird has a shrill call while flying and chatters while eating. It is found in rainforests, open forests, woodlands, heath, mangrove forests, parks, and orchards in Australia. In the wild, this parrot feeds in flocks of about 20 parrots, but roosts in flocks of thousands of birds. Mating pairs stay together for life. The Rainbow Lorikeet has a life span of about 20 years.
Anatomy: The Rainbow Lorikeet is up to about 14 inches (35 cm) long. They weigh about 5 ounces (133 grams). These parrots have brightly-colored red, green, blue, yellow, and orange feathers; the curved bill is red. The males and females are hard to distinguish.
Eggs and Chicks: There are 2 white eggs in each clutch (a set of eggs laid in one nesting period). The eggs are laid in a tree cavity high above the ground. The female incubates the eggs for 25-26 days, and the male feeds her. Both parents will feed the chicks.
Diet: Rainbow Lorikeets eat flowers, pollen, nectar, seeds, insects, and some fruit, feeding while upside-down. They use their brush-tipped tongue to get the pollen. The tip of the tongue has hairy projections (called papillae) that soak up nectar and catch pollen. These birds spend most of the day feeding. Predators: Rainbow Lorikeets are eaten by peregrine falcons, brown falcons, whistling kites, and pythons.
Classification: Order Psittaciformes, Family Psittacidae, Subfamily Lorinae, Genus Trichoglossus, Species haematodus.
The Australian Finch is for many people the pet bird of choice. In fact they've been kept in captivity for almost 200 years.
Bright and energetic finches are highly social with one another. They do not usually bond with people. This makes them less appealing to people who want a pet that can be held and taught tricks. However it does mean that finch are a good choice for busy people as once their basic needs are met, little else has to be done.
In the bush finches can be found gathering arround water. In fact people often use the finch to find water when in the outback.
The Walk-in Aviary is located at Federation Square, O'Hanlon Pl, Gold Creek Village, Canberra, Australia
Open 7 Days Summer 10 am - 4:30 pm Winter 11 am - 3:30 pm
Admission is charged. Wheel chair access is avaliable.
Phone 02 6230 2044 Fax 02 6254 6369 mob 0414718798
