Rainbow lorikeets eating meat.

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GregL
GregL's picture
Rainbow lorikeets eating meat.

An interesting story in the ABC. Makes me think of Alfred Hitchcock.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-23/rainbow-lorikeets-eating-meat-baffles-bird-experts/6337984

zosterops
zosterops's picture

Many parrots will take animal protein, though usually limited to insects. 

Maybe they think they are Keas?

Also the Antipodes Island Parakeet scavenges meat and feeds on adult storm petrels and their eggs/young, ambushing them in their nests. 

I also read a report of Nutmeg Mannikins feeding on roadkill. 

malcolm.tatt
malcolm.tatt's picture

See http://malcolmtattersall.com.au/wp/2013/08/rainbow-lorikeets/ for a Rainbow Lorikeet eating a scale insect.

As I said in that blog post, the tree was full of the lorikeets before it flowered so I figured they had to be there for the insects.

- Malcolm

zosterops
zosterops's picture

I think this is lerp rather than scale. Many lorikeets and honeyeaters depend heavily on the sugary secretions, though they could well be taking the insect as well. 

Here are some Scaly-breasteds feeding on mealworms:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g552107-d257406-i105120803-Taronga_Zoo-Mosman_Greater_Sydney_New_South_Wales.html

Night Parrot
Night Parrot's picture

Perhaps there's another verse to be written to the old celtic song "Seven drunken nights" ending with:

Well its many a day I've travelled, a hundred miles or more,

But a lorikeet eating steak tartare I never saw before.

DeeManG
DeeManG's picture

Lorikeets are turning into Oviraptors ;P Their similar looking ancestors.

These beautiful critters around us, believe it or not descended from theropod dinosaurs :) !!

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