"public" aviary choices?

[SilverSage]

When I was very young I visited Reptile Gardens in South Dakota, and at the time they had a walk-in lorikeet aviary. I was probably about 4 years old and was introduced to the magic of parrots when I held up my tiny hand and a magnificent feathered rainbow divebombed me. It was instant love! Someday, far in the future I would like to own a similar attraction. Don't worry, there are years of research ahead of me before I attempt this. I have been looking on the internet, and Lories and Lorikeets seem to be the primary kind of bird used for this type of thing, though it seems that a few exist that have budgies instead. I have never met much less interacted with a lory, but I am trying to understand why they seem to be the most popular. Is there something about them that makes them easier to tame or easier to keep tame in a flock setting? Is it just their color? Are they somehow less expensive to keep or easier to clean up after outdoors? I guess I had kind of heard the opposite. Any ideas why they seem to be the most popular for walk in aviary attractions?

 

[Kimma]

I've never been in to a walk-in aviary, but I have been to lots of places that do outdoor feedings and rainbow lorikeets arrive in huge numbers. And when they are just hanging out by themselves, they roost in huge numbers in a single tree (they seem to love choosing trees in built up areas like carparks and malls - they are weirdos). I haven't seen any other species in such large flocks. Though King Parrots do show up for feedings as well.

So perhaps they have lorikeets because they are happy in large flocks, and are quite willing to land on complete strangers when it's meal time.

Also, I think that 's a completely awesome ambition to have and I hope you can make it happen.

 

[MonicaMc]

I went to one zoo that had a lorikeet exhibit where people were allowed in to feed the birds. You were given a cup of the lorikeets wet diet and the birds would come and drink from the cups.

Went to another place that had an aviary of cockatiels and budgies. The food was seed stuck to like a popsicle stick. Didn't go in that one....


Also have a picture of a hybrid lorikeet from another zoo (never visited!) that came out of a similar situation. The zoo knows who the father is, but not who the mother is! And the pictures are ADORABLE!!!!!


I don't know why lorikeets are so popular... might be best to ask the zoos that house these kind of "open" aviaries!

 

[Kimma]

It might be to do with climate too. Cockatiels and budgies are from arid and semi-arid climate, while lories and lorikeets are from the coastal and tropical regions.

Since aviary birds will be living outside, the choice of birds would depend on where the aviary is.

MonicaMc - where was the aviary that you went to that had cockatiels and budgies?

 

[MonicaMc]

The two I went to were both in California.... near the SF area.

 

[SilverSage]

All of those ideas make a lot of sense I am a bit hesitant to call anyone just yet, due to things being so far off (if ever) and the responses I have had elsewhere to the idea.

 

[thatsouthafricanguy]

I recently got my first Ranbow Lorikeet, they are awesome birds.

In Australia you find all over gardens and backyards, they tame easy and don't seem to mind humans close by, perfect for the type of aviary you're talking about. Also the nectar makes for a great feeding activity for strangers (humans) and birds to get close. Also I think Lorikeets look like people would imagine a wild parrot - colorful and feeding on fruits plants ect.

 

[SilverSage]

That makes a lot of sense. I know when I brought up owning parrots to my boyfriend (now husband) and began discussing species, he kept saying he wanted us to get "A parrot-parrot, you know, one that looks like a real parrot, like for a pirate!" And he meant a Scarlet Macaw, but he didn't know that. Perhaps the more common budgies and cockatiels simply do not have the "wow factor" needed to draw people in?

 

[BACON]

Ok... So I recently went into bird world in Australia. It was a HUGE walk thro aviary with many different kinda of bird. I loved it. They had rainbows... Altho you couldn't feed them there wet diet but I'm guessing as they are friendly... Bright and are easily tempted with colourful objects full of there favourite stuff this makes them the prime birds to use.

But then this aviary had many ringnecks and alexandrine in too that we're all super friendly and curious haha.

Also had galahs, major Mitchell's conures (various) ekkies (few pairs) bg macs, scarlet (stunning) crimson wings. Red tailed black cockatoos fig parrots (didn't see them) to tiny.

It would defiantly be a dream of mine to have a place like that. Not necessarily for the public, more for a place for me to go and relax but the up keep would be HUGE...

Another note.... It was kinda fun( in a sick way) watching many ignorant people just walking up to ekkies and Alex's and stuffing there hand in there faces and wondering why they were getting bitten!! I even watch some lass reach INTO an ekkie nest box where the female was.... She got it really bad!!!

It surprises me that they are not warned or even monitored while in these places.

My idea of heaven tho.... Good luck with it

 

[RavensGryf]

I say 'WOW' for two reasons... That aviary sounds incredible compared to what I've seen in California. Also 'wow' that people could get close enough to a nest box to get bit that bad without a ton of law suits on the place?? I'd think you'd have to read sign something not holding them liable!

Also, I hope you had a WONDERFUL time in Australia

 

[BACON]

I say 'WOW' for two reasons... That aviary sounds incredible compared to what I've seen in California. Also 'wow' that people could get close enough to a nest box to get bit that bad without a ton of law suits on the place?? I'd think you'd have to read sign something not holding them liable!

Also, I hope you had a WONDERFUL time in Australia

Well I signed a disclaimer (I think) before I went in. And people were walking about in there but yeah.... The box was maybe 8ft off the floor but she stood on the bottom of a fence/tree!!! I got a picture of her sitting in the entrance!! Maybe I'll start a thread about it?!!

Side note.... Australia IS amazing. Mixed weather but I love it here. Surely room for me to move permenantly haha.



This walk thro was the biggest/best I've seen to. I could of spent hours in there. It could of been made better with proper education etc of the birds but I guess that's all money haha. But maybe stuff to consider for the op who would like to open one. Also the area etc that's required to make it brilliant.!!!

I forgot to mention king parrots.... Very beautiful birds.

 

[goalerjones]

Long Beach Aquarium has a lorikeets, walk in aviary.

 

[MikeyTN]

They have the lorikeet exhibit at the Nashville Zoo here as well....haven't been back since they added more stuffs.....You gotta pay for a small cup of nectar to feed them.....

 

[SilverSage]

That sounds AMAZING! I have only been in the one as a child and it was all Lorris and Lorikeets. Actually, I had kind of thought it was a dream rather than a memory, because my mom denied it ever happening. Then when we were digging through photos for my wedding I found pictures of it! Pics of me, my brother, and my dad all being perched upon by colorful birds I love my mom, but a childhood accident left her with brain damage that often causes memory loss. I was thrilled to find out it was a real memory, and it gave me hope of being able to bring it to life in my own journey, though not for quite a few years yet!

I don't know that I want the responsibility of introducing the public to Macaw and Cockatoo beaks in that way, and I would not want to have them walk in where birds are nesting. My thought is it have an "inner aviary" and "outer aviary", with the smaller birds such as budgies or Lorikeets in the inner one, and the larger beaks in the outer one in such a way as to give guests the sensation of being surrounded by them without the legal danger of getting chomped by a bird that large because yes, as you say, people have no idea what they are doing and they will get bitten sometimes. Also, of course they would never be unsupervised!