Swainson's Mountain Blue Lorikeet Chick
These are some of the most recent additions to our Aviculture department. Most people don’t realize the time and commitment it takes to raise one of these cute little guys, but I hope to give you some insight into the process.
We have chicks being born at differing times of the year. Because our birds come from all over the world, we have baby ducks, flamingos, penguins, etc., year-round. You never know what you might see on your next SeaWorld visit.
Right now, we are hand-rearing the Swainson’s Mountain Blue Lorikeet in the picture above. We are also taking care of a Lady Ross’s Turaco, and various species of waterfowl.
Depending on the species, we will help out by incubating the eggs and hand-raising the individual, particularly if they are new parents. Lorikeet chicks are born with closed eyes and few or no feathers, so they need lots of care. Zoo people refer to this as an altricial bird.
From the time the lorikeet eggs are laid, it will take 3-4 weeks for the chick to hatch. Then, once hatched, one of our skilled Aviculturists will take on the task of hand-raising this bird. This requires him or her taking the chick home for round the clock feedings (24-7). This is also a fun time for family members!
After two weeks, the chick will be growing and able to stay at SeaWorld (to the dismay of our families as they grow attached to the little guy!). He will be kept in a “baby room” which we call the brooder room, as he continues to grow. During this whole time, the chick is fed a specialized bird formula which will change as he grows to accommodate his dietary needs.
At two months, the little guy’s feathers start to appear. He’ll become fully feathered, or fledged, in four months. By 6-8 months, he will be introduced to the rest of the flock at our Lorikeet Aviary at SeaWorld. Then, guests will get the chance to see what feeding a lorikeet is like!
Check out some of our favorite baby birds in this Flickr set.
Your Animal Connection,
Paige
