How to Tell the Age of a Lorikeet

Lorikeets are a member of the parrot family with brush-shaped tongues and bright-colored feathers. The birds originate from the South Pacific and Australia. Lorikeets' diet consist of flowers and pollen, and the birds are in danger of becoming endangered because they sometimes feed on farmers' crops. Determining the age of any pet parrot is important before purchasing a new feathered friend or when determining how to care for the bird. There are many species of lorikeets, each with unique appearances and traits.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the bird's closed leg band, which indicates that the bird was bred in captivity. The band is often made of metal, and is slipped on the bird's leg as a baby. When it grows, the bird's leg and claws become too large to remove the band. These bands are imprinted with the year and state of the bird's birth. This is the most reliable way to determine the bird's age.

    • 2

      Observe the bird's traits and body size if it does not have a closed band on its leg. A lorikeet is full-grown at 1 to 3 years of age. During its life, it grows from 6 to 15 inches long and from 0.7 to 10 ounces in weight, depending on its species. Once it can open its eyes, the bird is considered a nestling, and it depends on caregivers for food and protection. If it can fly, the bird is in its fledgling stage or older. If it can fly and feed on its own, the bird is a juvenile or older.

    • 3

      Examine the bird's eyes. Commonly, a juvenile parrot's eyes will be darker colored, and lighten as it grows older.

    • 4

      Research your bird's particular species and determine if there are other distinguishing factors about their aging. Each of the 53 species of lorikeet are slightly different, and some birds will grow feathers of new colors when they reach a certain age.