Drunken parrots drink up a storm

07-13-2008, 05:56 PM

This is a sad story...I hope they got rid of the tree!

Australia - Parrots in Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens are getting drunk on tree nectar that has fermented in the spring sunshine, it was reported on Friday.
The Sydney Morning Herald said rainbow lorikeets in the central Sydney reserve were staggering around tipsy after eating nectar from the tree "schotia brachypetala", a member of the pea family which began flowering this week.
"It produces a lot of sweet nectar, a nectar that is a sugary juice. If it ferments in the heat of the sun it can produce alcohol," the gardens' curator, Ian Innes told the newspaper.
"The lorikeets get right into it."
Senior veterinarian at Taronga Zoo, Larry Vogelnest, said lorikeets in northern Australia were also known to become intoxicated on fermenting fruit.
"Basically they behave like drunk people, staggering around and unco-ordinated," he told the Herald.

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07-13-2008, 06:00 PM

Drunk birdies

, those poor things, I hope they do something about that tree, and soon!

07-14-2008, 06:18 AM

Oh dear! that isn't funny!

07-14-2008, 08:32 AM

Actually it is very common in the wild. their is a book, I forget the title, that goes into the facts of parrots and animals in general self medicating to get rid of illness or prevent it. Most birds will get drunk on fermented nectar to cure or prevent infections as the alcohol acts as a antiseptic. So in fact it in normal for them to do so. Like Lemur who eat giant millipedes and effectively "trip" (hallucinat) the chemicals that the millipede produces is a very strong insect and parasite repellent.

07-14-2008, 01:32 PM

Kimba, that is so interesting, if you remember that book, please post the title. I would love to read that.

07-14-2008, 02:40 PM

Got it! Check it out you will be amazed

Wild Health - wild animal self-medication review

07-15-2008, 06:17 PM

Thank you, Kimba! This book looks so interesting. I have already ordered it. I really appreciate you coming back with the title. Will let you know when I have read it.

07-18-2008, 01:59 PM

Woo hoo! Got my book already, it looks so interesting. Just looking at the table of contents (Health in the Wild - Nature's Pharmacy - Food, Medicine and Self-Medication and so on...), it is so up my alley (anyone old enough here to know that expression?

) Thank you so much, Kimba!

07-18-2008, 02:22 PM

I remember seeing a show on National Geographic about a tree in Africa that the animals, all animals, come from hundreds of miles away to eat the fermented fruit and get drunk. Ever see a Giraffe stagger? YIKES!!!

07-20-2008, 06:56 AM

There's a reason for everything "someone once said to me".
Man best leave that tree alone, as well as other tree's that produce "alcohol" from natural conditions.
I am sure there is a Hen out there somewhere keeping a close eye on her mate and is controlling her mates visits to the tree....