You Need to Know These 5 Types of Lorikeets

Lorikeet birds are some of the most beautiful parrots that you will encounter. Their majestic stature, colorful feathers, and playful temperament make owning lorikeets a joy.

They're laid-back and will let you know when they need attention, which makes them an ideal fist bird for many people. If you've been looking at lorikeets, you should know that there are many types of lorikeets. Here are five colorful lorikeets that you should know!

Rainbow Lorikeet Bird

When people think of a small pet birds like lorikeet, they usually think of a rainbow one. These majestic birds can trace their origins back to the eastern coastline of Australia. You can find them nowadays in Perth (Western Australia), New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

Rainbow lorikeets are highly intelligent and love to talk and can learn to say many words. If you have people in or near your home that will be sensitive to the noise and chatter, you may wish to reconsider this pet. However, their talkative style makes them fantastic pets for people who love to interact with and play with their birds!

These birds are tall and, as such, need a sturdy cage. The minimum cage size should be four feet long by at least a couple of feet wide. The cage should be at least three feet tall. Again, these are minimums. Taller, wider, and longer cages are very welcome.

They also need a substantial amount of playtime! Playtime is a form of exercise and it's one way of keeping your bird healthy. They'll need at least three to four hours of out-of-cage play. Much like with the cage size, more is better. If you happen to be at home and able to play with your lorikeet bird, you should consider letting him or her out of the cage.

Rainbow Lorikeets will last 15-20 years if kept in the right conditions! Check out these tips on increasing your pet bird's longevity.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Closely related to the Rainbow Lorikeet, but a different bird altogether, the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is another one of the popular types of lorikeets. They require mostly the same diet, hygiene, and care, so the tips above for caring for a Rainbow Lorikeet apply to this bird, as well.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeets can show aggressive lorikeet behavior, so please keep them in single-pair aviaries. If you have too many lorikeets in the same cage, they might attack one another, which is never good!

Lorikeet birds, in general, have a very high moisture diet. As such, their feces tend to be very liquidy. Please ensure that the cage prevents them from being able to touch their droppings. Enclosures with this property reduce exposure to bacteria and dangerous parasites.

Little Lorikeet Bird

As the name implies, this breed is, well, smaller than the other ones. Most pet owners choose either a Rainbow Lorikeet or a Scaly-breasted one because of their intelligence and hardiness. However, some people try smaller lorikeets. 

Little Lorikeets should not be in cages. They need plenty of flying room to maintain their health, both mentally and physically. Unlike the Scaly-breasted variety, they are calm birds. You can place them in the same space as doves, finches, and other small parrots.

As smaller birds, these lorikeets tend to have a shorter lifespan than the Rainbow variety. Expect these birds to last 10-15 years instead.

Purple-crowned Lorikeet

This breed is not popular as a pet since it is challenging to keep, but you should know about them if you're looking for a lorikeet bird. The demand is low for these so, even though these birds tend to be scarce, they go for less money.

Much like the Little Lorikeet, this bird is on the smaller size. However, unlike the Little one, this bird can do well in a sufficiently big cage. Furthermore, they can share the cage with other small parrots, finches, and doves. 

Unfortunately, these birds do not talk, so those hoping to have a conversation with their pet would find more luck with a Rainbow Lorikeet or a Scaly-breasted one. The absence of vocalization is undoubtedly a different lorikeet behavior than many of the other varieties.

These birds also don't last quite as long as the other species. Typically, their lifespan is only 7-10 years.

Musk Lorikeet

Much like the purple-crowned lorikeet, this breed is not popular commercially. These birds are harder to keep than the Rainbow Lorikeet. They are small birds that can be in cages if necessary. Musk Lorikeets can also be aggressive and need isolation, especially during the breeding season.

Musk Lorikeets do not talk as well, but they can mimic sounds, which provides some entertainment! 

These lorikeets can show some aggression to humans, but that's easily correctible. They love anything sweet, so you can gain their trust by merely offering them fresh berries and fruit. Once you do that, much of the aggression will be a thing of the past. Diet is important in keeping your bird healthy. Here's a helpful guide on how to feed your baby bird! 

Many Types of Lorikeets From Which You Can Choose

There are many different types of lorikeets that you could, in theory, get as your next pet. Most people choose the Rainbow or Scaly-breasted variety as their next lorikeet bird. Their hardiness and intelligence make them an ideal bird pet.

These birds go for $500 to $1,500. Although expensive, these birds will provide lots of companionship and enjoyment! It's truly a distinct and beautiful pleasure to give one of these majestic birds a loving home!

Do rainbow lorikeets mate for life?

Yes, they do. The female will incubate 1-3 eggs, and they can lay up to three clutches a year.

How do I tell the gender of a rainbow lorikeet?

Discerning your bird's gender is trickier than it sounds. Male lorikeets are slightly larger and have different mating behaviors (the male arches his neck, bobs his head, and does a few other things to attract the female). Other than that, they look virtually identical. The only guaranteed way to tell is to have a vet do a DNA analysis of a feather.

What to feed wild rainbow lorikeets?

Lorikeets are programmed to want sweet foods. They don't wish to have (and should not have) seeds. Therefore, if you're looking to feed a wild rainbow lorikeet, please give them fruit, such as bananas, oranges, melons, or apples. You can also give them berries!

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