General Information
In captivity, these birds are known for being extremely messy. They gather in huge flocks of public areas to be hand-fed and leave their droppings scattered all over the place.
Physical Description
Rainbow Lorikeets grow 25-30 cm in size with a wingspan of about 17 cm. They vary significantly in coloration between all of their subspecies. The body is predominantly green and other colors range from violet-blue, dark blue, and yellow with an orange breast and beak. Several lorikeets have darker scalloped markings across the orange breast as well.
Diet
These birds feed mainly on pollen and nectar, and possess a tongue adapted especially for their particular diet. The end of their tongue has a papillate appendage that is used for collecting nectar from flowers. They also enjoy store-bought nectar, sunflower seeds, apples, grapes, and pears. In Australia, these birds are considered as pests. They fly through farming land and strip trees of their fruits and seeds.
Habitat
A species in Australia, the Rainbow Lorikeet is also found in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia it is common along the eastern seaboard and its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush, and woodland areas.
Reproduction
In Australia, Rainbow Lorikeets' breeding normally occurs in the spring, and they reach sexual maturity after just two years. The lifelong mating pairs will nest in a tree hollow, knot hole or cavity high up that is lined with wood dust. Two white oval eggs are laid and it takes 25 to 26 days to hatch while the female incubates. Both parents help to feed the young which fledge in 50 to 55 days after birth.
