Rainbow Lorikeet Adaptations and Benefits
Structural Adaptations
A structural adaptation for a rainbow lorikeet is that they have short and strong legs, flexible hips, and also have two pairs of split claws on each leg. All of these inherited factors allow Rainbow Lorikeets to freely swing around and hang upside down, especially when collecting nectar from a flower. Rainbow Lorikeets also have ‘power-down’ feathers, which allow them to perform a cleaning technique called ‘preening’. Preening is a technique that allows Rainbow Lorikeets to clean their feathers. This happens when the tip of their feathers break up and release a special powder that spreads throughout their feathers, making the feathers cleaner and also preventing any sort of disease from accumulating or appearing. Their bills also can function as extra feet; hanging on branches etc.
Picture: Rainbow Lorikeets being flexible using their hips and neck.
Source: http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/runde_sama/images/picture%206%20Wkipedia.jpg
Source: http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/runde_sama/images/picture%206%20Wkipedia.jpg
Benefits of this Structural Adaptation:
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s structural adaptation of having flexibility is that it helps them retrieve food faster and more efficiently. Without this flexibility, Lorikeet’s would be more restricted to fixed movements and wouldn’t be able to hang or turn flexibly to take up food from flowers such as nectar or pollen or even eat berries. Preening also allows Rainbow Lorikeets to keep clean and avoid catching deadly diseases, and without preening and ‘powder-down’ feathers, Rainbow Lorikeets are at risk of catching diseases that could cause death as well as accumulation of dirt.
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s structural adaptation of having flexibility is that it helps them retrieve food faster and more efficiently. Without this flexibility, Lorikeet’s would be more restricted to fixed movements and wouldn’t be able to hang or turn flexibly to take up food from flowers such as nectar or pollen or even eat berries. Preening also allows Rainbow Lorikeets to keep clean and avoid catching deadly diseases, and without preening and ‘powder-down’ feathers, Rainbow Lorikeets are at risk of catching diseases that could cause death as well as accumulation of dirt.
Behavioural Adaptations
A behavioural adaptation for a rainbow lorikeet is that Lorikeets tend to be found and fly in a flock. These flocks are seen to be resting together during the night time, but during the day time, they move in much smaller groups and also feed in much smaller groups, with around about 20 Lorikeets. The benefit of flying in a flock allows effective protection against their territory such as feeding and nesting areas from other Lorikeets or other bird species. Flying in a flock also allows Lorikeets to gain power in the sense that they can scare off larger and more powerful bird species.
Picture 1: A flock of Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on food
Source: http://img06.deviantart.net/bf09/i/2010/095/d/a/rainbow_lorikeet_flock_by_psittacidae13.jpg
Picture 2: A flock of Rainbow Lorikeets flying together
Source: http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/Flock_of_Rainbow_Lorikeets_Hervey_Bay_01052010.JPG
Picture 3: A flock of Rainbow Lorikeets feeding from a berry bush
Source: http://ashdown4628.clients.cmdwebsites.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sunflowers_06-Large.jpg
Source: http://img06.deviantart.net/bf09/i/2010/095/d/a/rainbow_lorikeet_flock_by_psittacidae13.jpg
Picture 2: A flock of Rainbow Lorikeets flying together
Source: http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/Flock_of_Rainbow_Lorikeets_Hervey_Bay_01052010.JPG
Picture 3: A flock of Rainbow Lorikeets feeding from a berry bush
Source: http://ashdown4628.clients.cmdwebsites.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sunflowers_06-Large.jpg
Benefits from this Behavioural Adaptation:
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s behavioural adaptation of flying together in a group, allows Lorikeets to protect each other from other harmful bird species as well as other flocks of Lorikeets for territorial space. Without flying in a flock, Rainbow Lorikeets put themselves at danger as they become more vulnerable in the open and can easily become a target of prey for other living organisms.
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s behavioural adaptation of flying together in a group, allows Lorikeets to protect each other from other harmful bird species as well as other flocks of Lorikeets for territorial space. Without flying in a flock, Rainbow Lorikeets put themselves at danger as they become more vulnerable in the open and can easily become a target of prey for other living organisms.
Physiological Adaptations
A physiological adaptation that a rainbow lorikeet has is its specialized tongue. The tip of a lorikeet’s tongue contains an appendage (a projecting part) that is brush like and aids in efficiently enabling the bird to feed on nectar and pollen and also fruits. There are coarse bristles in the appendage that assist them in feeding and retrieving both nectar and pollen. Using their bills as a digging tool, they squash the flower and then proceed to use their specialised tongue to soak up any nectar or pollen present in the flower. Papillae protrude from the appendage and expand to increase the amount of pollen and nectar that gets collected. Lorikeets also have elongated and quite narrow tongues that help them poke at flowers to further absorb food.
Picture: The tip of a Rainbow Lorikeet's tongue.
Source: http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/655.jpg
Source: http://natgeotv.com.au/content/cache/525x800/natgeosnap/655.jpg
Benefits from this Physiological Adaptation:
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s physiological adaptation of having a specialised tongue is that it helps efficiently collect nectar and pollen from a flower, allowing more content to be taken from the flower. Without this specialised tongue, Rainbow Lorikeets are unable to retrieve as much content as possible efficiently and effectively from a flower which could result in the lorikeet flying from flower to flower, absorbing minimum content, when they could be retrieving as much pollen and nectar as they can. This also provides more of a food supply for the rest of the species residing in that particular area, as they can all effectively retrieve food without a hassle.
The benefit of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s physiological adaptation of having a specialised tongue is that it helps efficiently collect nectar and pollen from a flower, allowing more content to be taken from the flower. Without this specialised tongue, Rainbow Lorikeets are unable to retrieve as much content as possible efficiently and effectively from a flower which could result in the lorikeet flying from flower to flower, absorbing minimum content, when they could be retrieving as much pollen and nectar as they can. This also provides more of a food supply for the rest of the species residing in that particular area, as they can all effectively retrieve food without a hassle.