Can Lorikeets eat seed?
Photo by Jim Bendon; Flickr
This is not a simple question to answer as some people will say NO! but these people are wrong and the ones that say yes can cause the death of a bird.
The truth is that no bird should be feed on a diet of just dry seed as it's not what they would eat in the wild. Most birds need to be feed a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, dry and ripe seeds, nuts, live food and depending on the species, nectar and/or meat.
The truth is that no bird should be feed on a diet of just dry seed as it's not what they would eat in the wild. Most birds need to be feed a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, dry and ripe seeds, nuts, live food and depending on the species, nectar and/or meat.
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Lorikeets are a nectar feeder so you need to start planning their diet with a wet and dry nectar food, there are many commercial mixes on the market. Then fruit, vegetables and blossoms should be supplied. If you have all that included in their aviary then there is no harm in letting them have access to dry seed.
I remember seeing on Burke's Backyard an Australian gardening show, many years ago lorikeets feeding on the seeds of the gum nuts that had fallen onto a road. Passing cars had run the nuts over, giving the wild lorikeets access to the seeds which they were eating. If wild lorikeets are eating seeds as part of a balanced diet then why not let our birds have them too? |
Photo by Julie; Flickr
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I've seen the arguments that people put out there for not allowing lorikeets access to seed but I can't find any data to back up their claims. The main argument is that lorikeets have a brush type tongue that has evolved for feeding on nectar and it can be damaged by feeding on seed but birds don't have hands, they feel with their beaks and tongues so they will be running those brushed tongues over many things worst than a few seeds.
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If you watch my video filmed at On The Perch you will see purple crowned lorikeets feeding on meal worms in a mix aviary with birds that eat seed and they are in great heath and breeding.
Melbourne Bird Vet has a great piece on their site about caring for lorikeets.
If you think that I'm wrong then please email me with links so I can correct the information, Thank you.
- Dale Cray
Melbourne Bird Vet has a great piece on their site about caring for lorikeets.
If you think that I'm wrong then please email me with links so I can correct the information, Thank you.
- Dale Cray
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