Lorikeet Landing at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Matty and I headed down to the Cincinnati Zoo today to sketch and draw some of the animals. In addition to sketching, we visited "Lorikeet Landing," a really cool display where you can interact and play with a flock of sweet, sweet lorikeets.

A Rainbow Lorikeet laps up nectar.

Last week Matty and my niece, Maria, went to zoo camp. They did a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and one of Matty’s favorite activities was visiting Lorikeet Landing. The kids learned a lot about parrots in the wild, including the devastating effects of the parrot pet trade on population numbers and the importance of making sure pet parrots have been hatched locally. He also filled me in on many other facts. Lorikeets, which are small parrots, are sweet and friendly birds. They come in many colors. They love fruit, nectar and pollen, and let me tell you…when you hold a cup of nectar in your hand, they become your best friend! At one point Matty had four Rainbow Lorikeets on him. Highly social, lorikeets hang out in small flocks, and boy are they noisy! It was fun listening to their whistles, warbles, and non-stop chatter. The love to talk to each other...and you! 

As soon as Matty walked in, two Rainbow Lorikeets hopped 

on him. It's so fun when they swoop in and land on you!

"Excuse me, young sir, but may I borrow one of your beads?"

Look at that gorgeous eye. These fellows are so 

friendly and sweet. They love communicating with 

you...through their bills, voices...and eyes!

Multiple birds would land on Matty and others 

would try to lure them away with seeds, but 

the lorikeets always came back to Matty.

Next year Matty and Maria will be zoo volunteers 

(called "volunteens"). Matty wants to work in Lorikeet 

Landing! I think he will be perfect for the job!

"Hey, hey...not so fast! Where do you think you are going 

with that nectar? Take off your shoes and stay a while!"

This nectar-loving Black-capped Lory pulled Matty back 

closer to him. Then he hitched a ride on Matty's shoulder.

"Come on down to the zoo, zoo, zoo--

Cincinnati Zoo Zoo Zoo. Family fun for 

everyone at the Cincinnati Zoo...yeah!" 

(Remember that song?)

Do these guys remind you of the Painted Buntings I found on Pinckney Island (beside the fact the Painted Buntings were in the wild and are...well...buntings and not parrots!)? They have the same colors!

Beak Bit
Lorikeets have a brush-tipped tongue that helps them lap up nectar. Their feet also help them obtain nectar because they have two toes in the front and two toes in the back, which gives them a strong grip and lets them hang upside down to drink nectar from a flower. 

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is the second-oldest zoo in the United States. It opened in 1875, a year after the Philadelphia Zoo opened. The Reptile House (built in 1875) is the oldest zoo building in America.