Flying Like a Brick

Remember that young lorikeet that Carl rescued after a storm? It looks like Lori, as he is known, is with us for life.

Carl’s original plan was to keep him until his tail feathers grew back but further research has revealed that some young lorikeets never do grow tail feathers. They inevitably end up on the ground after an attempt to fly, where they get eaten by dogs, cats, snakes and other exotic local wildlife.

Lori was clearly waiting for this fate when found by Carl. Since then, he’s demonstrated his low rating on the Darwinian scale by escaping from his cage, climbing the nearest tree, and then plummeting to the ground, so far without damage. He always will fly like a brick, it seems, so had better resign himself to living with Carl and being supplied with flowers from our gravilias. Parrots of all kinds love the nectar.