Walk-through Lorikeet Aviary

Some of the world's most beautiful parrots will go on exhibit at the Oregon Zoo in early August-- and visitors should have them eating right of their hand.

The brightly-colored and noisy birds, called lories, will be housed in a new walk-through, open-air aviary. It is currently being constructed on the site of the old sculpture garden just west of the Insect Zoo.

Jan Steele, animal collection manager emphasized the small parrots are very sociable and enjoy being around people. She called them "natural clowns" and indicated the aviary will be "a high public contact area."

"Zoogoers are going to love them because lories are quite acrobatic, very vocal and always inquisitive about people," she added.

Visitors will be able to purchase small paper cups of "nectar" (actually fortified fruit juice) at the new aviary. Then, as they walk through it, the parrots are expected to fly down and actually drink from the cups.

The new L-shaped aviary will measure 75 feet and 50 feet on the sides and will be framed by 20-foot-tall fiberglass posts, draped with wire mesh to form the walls and roof. It will also have a winding path that passes a small waterfall, a small pool, several trees and vegetation.

Ralph Arrison, senior bird keeper, has privately raised and bred several lory species over the years.

"Visitors are really in for a treat," he said. "These are very friendly, very special birds."

Meanwhile, for zoogoers wondering whatever happened to the old children's animal sculptures, they can be found in an area just west of the Elephant Museum.