Lorikeets vs Rosellas
The beauty of the avian fauna is something special because of their contrasting colours, but the parrots are more attractive than most of the birds because of their extraordinary colourfulness. Both lorikeets and rosellas are some of the most beautiful among all the parrots. Apart from their beauty, localities are distinctive compared to many other parrots. However, the distinctions between them are also important to know with regard to ecology, morphology, taxonomy, and ethology.
Lorikeets
Lorikeets are one of the most beautiful birds in the world with more than 35 species in seven genera. The highest diversity is in the Genus: Charmosyna with 14 species in it. Lorikeets are natives of Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and closer islands), Eastern Asia, and South Asia. Usually, lorikeets are lightweight birds with an upper limit of 120 or 130 grams and their length could range from 20 to 35 centimetres. Fruits, nectar, and other soft food of fruits are the main components of their diet. The brush-tipped tongue is a unique feature of the lorikeets. The tongue has tufts of extremely fine hairs called papillae, which are important for their frugivorous food habits. They have tapered wings and pointed tails to give them a fast and easy flight. Additionally, lorikeets are very active and in fact, hyperactive, which gives them clownish characters. Most of the people fall in love with lorikeets and keep them as pets for their extreme beauty, as some of the most beautiful and contrasting among all the birds.
Rosellas
Their importance starts with their unique distribution as it restricts to Oceania. There are six species of beautiful rosellas; all belong in only one genus (Platycerus). However, there are 17 subspecies of rosellas falling into three groups, according to the colouration of the cheeks, as whether it is blue or white or yellow. Rosellas have a unique tail, which is long and broad. Their generic is name Patycerus, which means broad or flat tailed. Rosellas are medium-sized parrots with a length ranging from 26 to 37 centimetres, and their maximum body weight could go up to almost 170 grams. Diet of rosellas includes mainly seeds and fruits, but they also prefer insects and insect larvae. Therefore, they are omnivorous in food habits. They hold their food by the feet while eating. Scientists have observed their specialized behaviour of scratching heads by taking the foot behind the wings. Because of their colourful and attractive features, pet trade is very common for rosellas.
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What is the difference between Lorikeets and Rosellas? • Lorikeets are small to medium sized parrots with an upper weight limit of about 130 grams, whereas rosellas are medium in size, and their maximum-recorded weight is almost 170 grams. • Lorikeets have a higher taxonomic diversity and larger distribution in the world than the rosellas. • Brush-tipped tongue, tapered wings, and pointed tails are unique to lorikeets. However, rosellas do not have specialized tongues, but they have characteristically broad tails, which are long. • Lorikeets are hyperactive birds with an extremely fast and easy flight, and those give them clownish characters. However, rosellas are not extremely fast flyers but their head scratching by foot that come behind the wing makes them unique, in addition to food holding behaviour, while eating. • Food habits are different between these two as lorikeets being exclusive fruit and nectar feeders, while rosellas being omnivorous.
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