Lorikeets at the Maritime Aquarium.... sweet surrender!

Step into a lush aviary to share a laugh and a squawk with beautiful tropical birds that will sip food right out of your hands as "Lorikeets" returns as the special summer exhibit at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk now through September 1.

The exhibit will feature more than 50 free-flying lorikeets, which are colorful medium-sized parrots native to the south Pacific (SE Asia, eastern Australia, Polynesia). The birds come in a dazzling rainbow of colors – with feathers that almost radiate an iridescent glow when seen in full sunlight. Lorikeets are naturally found in rainforests and woodlands, but also in wooded urban areas, where they primarily feed on the nectars of various blossoms and fruits.

Visitors are invited to purchase a cup of nectar for $3 that will attract lorikeets to land on you while drinking creating an unforgettable experience and photo opportunity.

Lorikeets are specially adapted to their sweet nectar diet through their specialized tongue. Tiny hair-like appendages called papillae form a U shape on the end of the tongue. When the tongue is extended, these papillae stand up like bristles on a brush, expanding the tongue's surface area and allowing the birds to easily soak up nectar. Unique to lorikeets, these papillae have earned the birds the nickname "brush-tongued parrots."

Some other important items to note about "Lorikeets": • It will be handicapped-accessible but no strollers, please. • Guests will be asked to sanitize their hands before entering. • To encourage the birds to rest, the exhibit will close for a half-hour at 1:30 p.m. daily. • The exhibit will close 30 minutes before the rest of the Aquarium: at 5:30 p.m. in July and August.  

Get more details about "Lorikeets" and other summer offerings at The Maritime Aquarium, including the new IMAX movie "Journey to the South Pacific" (opening July 1), by calling (203) 852-0700 or logging onto www.maritimeaquarium.org.

Sample Forgotten Drinks of the Colonial Era in Litchfield

Join the Litchfield Historical Society on Friday, August 29, 2014 at 6 pm for a lecture and guided tasting of long-forgotten colonial drinks. Author Corin Hirsch will talk about her new book, Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England: From Flips and Rattle-Skulls to Switchel and Spruce Beer and lead participants in a guided tasting of drinks featured in the book. 

Throughout the evening colonial music accompaniment will be provided by local musician Tom Hooker Hanford. Following the talk, please join us for a reception featuring historic cocktails and refreshments. This event will be held on the lawn of the Tapping Reeve House.


Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England, released by History Press this year, explores the origins of drinks popular in Colonial New England and offers revived recipes for today’s modern drinkers. Cocktails were popular with all ages and a huge part of social interactions, for everyone from farmers to founding fathers. Corin Hirsch explores the origins of these drinks and the culture they created for New Englanders. She offers reasons for certain combinations and tastes, and provides recipes for those wanting to drink like early colonists.  Hirsch is a food and drinks writer for Seven Days, a Vermont-based magazine. She used to tend bar in a sixteenth-century English pub. This is her first book.


Musician Tom Hooker Hanford has been delighting audiences with his singing and visual art performances for over 20 years. His shows feature sing-along songs, onstage participation, authentic costumes, and colorfully painted props and masks. He accompanies himself with guitar, harmonicas, violin, and other instruments. Tom has taught music for years and has recorded multiple CDs for children and adults.


Copies of Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England will be available for purchase. Tickets for this event are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Please call (860) 567-4501 or see our online registration site at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/lhs.


The Tapping Reeve House is located at 82 South St., Litchfield, CT. The rain location for this event is the Litchfield History Museum, located at 7 South St. For more information about this or other programs, please see www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 567-4501.