Rainbow Lorikeet – Beautiful Australian Parrot (Photo Gallery)

Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) are a very colourful member of the parrot species which I love to photograph because of their multi coloured feathers and cheeky behaviour, they are commonly found in towns, big cities and out in the bush.

These birds are native along the east coast of Australia (Queensland, NSW and Victoria). However they are are also found in Tasmania, parts of South Australia, Northern Territory and south-west Western Australia where they are considered a pest by some people such as fruit farmers.

The NSW Department Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) says Rainbow Lorikeets tend to roost in large groups and can be seen just on dusk, arriving by the hundreds at their favourite roosting place, usually in tall eucalypts. I have seen these flocks in many places around Sydney, from the inner West to the South Eastern suburbs, as well as on the South coast while on holiday at Narooma.

Though males and females behave differently, it’s very hard to tell them apart just by their appearance. Their behaviour is quite comical at times, especially at mating time, when the male tries to impress the female with a display of bobbing, bowing and prancing like a true showman!

Rainbow Lorikeets are very cheerful birds. The sound of them calling to each other is quite distinctive and easy to recognise though all you may see is a brief splash of colour from their plumage as they zoom overhead.

The OEH warns people that eating biscuits, bread or seeds provided by humans can cause damage to the tongue and beak of Rainbow Lorikeets, which causes them to become very sick and die. Rainbow Lorikeets may become dependent upon these unnatural sources of food and become less inclined to forage in the wild.

Dead Lorikeet Parrot

So let them feed on the pollen and nectar in native flowering plants by planting these in your garden. Nectar gives them energy, and pollen provides protein for healthy feathers. They also feed on fruits and small insects. Trees with hollows are perfect for Rainbow Lorikeets to make nests and they are much more likely to visit your garden if there aren’t any cats or dogs which will chase them.

These are some of my favourite Rainbow Lorikeet photos taken across the years (oldest to newest):

Rainbow Lorikeet in my backyard

Rainbow Lorikeet Closeup

Rainbow Lorikeets in Leichhardt

Rainbow Lorikeets in Leichhardt

Rainbow Lorikeets Living In My Roof

Dead Lorikeet (Parrot) - Green Feathers closeup

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeets Squabbling - Narooma

Rainbow Lorikeet


Comments

7 responses to “Rainbow Lorikeet – Beautiful Australian Parrot (Photo Gallery)”

  1. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photography.

  2. Nice article, i highly appreciate the effort of the writer, keep on posting great articles. You have solid quality content, this article has a PERFECT SENSE, glad i visited this page. I love every creations, beautiful parrots, hope they will lasts forever.

  3. JayseeBlabs Blogger

    Great post there! Lovin your photos and this makes me want to own a parrot!

  4. Found a baby less than a week ago being attacked by a cat in Ashwood, Victoria. Les is missing a number of feathers but is recovering well.

    Your site hepled me identify the bird which has already stopped biting me and likes banana.

    I should also say I used to have a magpie and then a cockatoo, both of which were fantastic friends before they were integrated back into the suburban wild.

    Thank you,

    Stuart

  5. Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos. You really captured the colors. These species should be taken care of because there are only few of them.

  6. Stuart what a touching story!Those beautiful little parrots can’t be pests.They were there first.They fed on the fruit in the jungles that were once there.Than land was cleared for those farms.They can’t just take them as pests.People shouldn’t be feeding them junk like they are.Lorikeets are on my favorites list.
    Thumbs up if you have been to the Denver Zoo!Visit Lorikeet adventure and feed them seeds and nectar!So much fun and many different varieties!

  7. […] My 2011 Xmas/2012 New Year family road trip holiday was to Narooma, a small town located on the far south coast of NSW. We saw lots of beautiful native birds in the area including Galah Cockatoo’s, Cormorants and Rainbow Lorikeets. […]

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