What does the Rainbow Lorikeet's tongue help it to do?

The scientific name of the Rainbow Lorikeet is Trichoglossus haematodus. 'Trichoglossus' means hairy tongue, and rainbow lorikeets have tiny hair-like brushes on the tip of their tongue. These hairs help the bird to soak up nectar and pollen from inside flowers, which is what they mostly feed on (although not exclusively).