These colourful birds are commonly found in Australian backyards. With bright feathers of blue, green, orange and yellow, its no surprise that we have such affection for these cheerful birds.
Appearance
The rainbow lorikeet is between 25-30cm from its head to the tip of its tail. That’s about the length of a ruler.
They weigh between 75-157g.
They are well known for their beautiful bright colouring, which includes an orange beak, blue head and belly, green wings, back and tail and their chest is orange and yellow.
Did you know? Baby lorikeet’s have a black beak which changes in colour to orange as they grow older.
Habitat
Rainbow lorikeet’s are native birds of Australia. They are also found on many islands of Oceania.
Their natural habitat is rainforests, coastal areas and woodlands and are also found in many built up areas due to habitat loss.
Diet
These birds mainly feed on nectar, pollen and fruit. They love flowing natives and some of their favourite trees to feed from include Eucalyptus, Grevillia, Banksia and Callistemon. They also feed on small insects and are commonly found feeding from bird feeders placed in gardens.
Did you know? Nectar gives the rainbow lorikeet energy and pollen gives them protein for healthy feathers.
Lifespan & Species
A rainbow lorikeet can live for up to 30 years.
Rainbow lorikeet’s scientific name is trichoglossus haematodus.
Whilst you are possibly most familiar with the rainbow lorikeet, Australia is home to a total of seven species of lorikeet. Some of these include the coconut lorikeet, red-collared lorikeet, purple-crowned lorikeet and scaly-breasted lorikeet.
Reproduction
Lorikeets generally mate with one bird for their whole life. The female typically lays 1-3 eggs with an incubation period of approximately 25 days.
Rainbow lorikeet’s nest in a variety of places including tree hollows and overhanging rock. Pairs sometimes nest in the same tree with other rainbow lorikeet’s or other bird species.
Did you know? The male and female lorikeets look identical. If you had two the same age, the male would be slightly larger, otherwise you can’t tell them apart!