Exotic feathery inhabitants of tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean and Australia filled up the Feldman Ecopark’s unique collection of birds.
According to the Feldman Ecopark’s deputy director of zootechnics, Valeriia Ivashchenko, new representatives of the family of parrots, namely 23 cardinal lories and 13 rainbow lorikeets arrived within the project of free exchange of animals between zoos.
“Birds are young, roughly two years old. They feel great, but are currently in quarantine. The visitors will be able to admire their bright plumage in the summer when our newcomers are transferred to the spacious open enclosure. Cardinal lories and rainbow lorikeets will become the real decoration of the Feldman Ecopark’s collection of birds” — Valeriia Ivashchenko told.
Rainbow lorikeets inhabit east coast of Australia, New Guinea, New Hebrides and other islands of Oceania. They were called so because of bright plumage. Generally, adult individuals are about 30 cm long, the wingspan reaches 17 cm. These birds inhabit the tropical rain and eucalyptus forests, but easy get used to people in the neighborhood and often live near their settlements. Rainbow lorikeets eat seeds, fruits and berries, as well as sweet nectar contained in flowers. In Tasmania, for instance, flocks of these parrots are considered to be a local sight as every day thousands of these multi-colored birdies come to the same place to treat on nectar. Most frequently these are coconut plantations in which pollination lorikeets are directly involved. Birds create conjugal relations for the rest of life that may last up to 30 years and are capable to bear its young in captivity.
The brilliant cardinal lory inhabits subtropical and tropical forests, riversides and mangroves of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. The birds received this name due to red plumage of various shades that makes them similar to pontifical. Adult birds are 31 cm in length.
The cardinal lories breed in zoo conditions without any difficulties.
There is a total of 900 birds of different species in the collection of Feldman Ecopark, 399 of them – parrots.
