Hi everyone!
About 3 weeks ago I came across a rainbow larikeet on the ground. He was weak and hungry and could not fly. It's hard to say how old he is but his beak and eyes are still dark and hasn't changed colour.
I would really like to release him back to the wild. In the mean time I am trying tout get him to fly and to grow strong.
I don't want him to become dependent on me or humans so I guess I'm just looking how and when is the best time and way to release him to a park where there is other rainbow larikeets.
Also he is forever cheeping really loud almost like a cry around people but he wants to be around people. So it's hard to tell what he wants.
Alone he makes really happy chirps like he's playing and enjoying himself.
And he only likes bananas when it comes to fruit and vegetables.
I'm not an expert on caring for injured & destitute birds, Jessica, but in the absence of far greater expertise, here are a few thoughts.
Good on you for wanting to see this young bird back in the wild. In fact, from a broader perspective, the most effective way of preventing bird injuries is to protect & restore their natural habitat. That is, keep them in the wild. But that's a long term project.
Your disinclination to make the bird dependent on you is also commendable.
Thirdly, caution needs to be exercised when rescuing birds that appear to be abandoned. Often humans intervene in natural processes which are there to teach birds to fend for themselves or to control their populations. A bird on the ground only needs rescuing, in my view, when it's in danger of being collared by a cat, trampled by a train or banged by a bus - in which case the human again needs to exercise caution!
While lorikeets eat a variety of non-natural fruit my sense is that birds benefit most from being fed a diet as close to a natural diet as possible. We humans are fond of feeding wildlife what we think is best for them & often this food is harmful to the animal.
To bring this bird to peak performance prior to releasing it into the wild you might find it helpful to call your local wildlife rescue service. Knowing your location would be helpful in referring your to the most appropriate wildlife rescue service. Also, you might want to discuss with your Department of Conservation & Wildlife (or whatever it's called in your state) about the best strategy for release.