Observations on the Food and Energy Requirements of Rainbow Lorikeets, Trichoglossus Haematodus (Aves:Psittacidae).

Abstract

Captive Trichoglossus haematodus were given a restricted diet of bread and honey or a supplemented diet of bread, honey and the fortified milk powder 'Complan'. On the former diet they lost weight and were less active compared to those on the latter. Both diets were very fluid and birds consumed the equivalent of 38 to 47% of their bodyweight daily. However, they ate significantly more of the supplemented diet, 15.1 g DM daily, than of the bread and honey diet, 12.8 g daily. Birds given the supplemented diet voided more excreta and lost more excretory energy, 28.9 kJ/day, than the others, 17.9 kJ/day, but the 2 groups did not differ in their gross energy intake or maintenance requirements. A captive lorikeet weighing about 150 g required about 230 kJ/day for existence, with an efficiency of food use of 89%. Allowing a higher energy cost for free existence, it is suggested that wild lorikeets could gather sufficient energy daily in 2.5 h.