Wednesday 29 November 2017

Wild Bird Wednesday 279 - Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeets are a reasonably common bird in my neck of the woods - we get them in the trees in out garden, and at this time of year they are active around many of the holes that form in our older street trees.  I'm trying to track down some nest sites, but as yet I have not found any.

The Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) is about 25 - 30cm long and can be found along the eastern side of Australia from northern Queensland to South Australia.  This species has also been introduced into Tasmania and Western Australia.  In fact, it has also been introduced into New Zealand as well.

The first part of the birds scientific name means 'Hairy-tounge' - and this refers to the birds brush like tongue, which it use to feed on nectar and pollen.  Given its diet, it will be no surprise to find out that you can often see this bird on gum trees when they are in flower.

These birds are wonderfully colourful, noisy and great fun to watch.  I can't help but think that the 'jumping parrot' is shouting Tally Ho!











To join in with WBW just click the blue button below the thumbnails - SM.


21 comments:

  1. Thanks for the link-up Stewart. Living here in cold, wet Lancashire I am grateful to occasionally see such exotica on blogs. However I always think they never look like real birds, the LBJs of the world.

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  2. Gorgeous colors! There’s no hiding for these guys.

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  3. Hari OM
    Oh you just made me homesick again... had a pair nesting near me and they bought the fledglings to get their share of the nectar and seeds I had on offer! Mixed feelings, as it taught the kiddies humans might be okay... but it was balanced by the grevillea and bottlebrush I had in the garden which were bird central when in full flower! YAM xx

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  4. Beholding the beauty of birds is one of life's greatest pleasures. Stunning.

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  5. Such a bright and beautiful bird!

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  6. Gorgeous photos. Rainbow is right-- Australia's answer to our Painted Bunting.

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  7. A lovely bird! In Norway for indoor use only :-))

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  8. Wow! Just amazingly beautiful...like a rainbow with wings!

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  9. Good morning Stewart: Lorikeets, if I remember correctly, are not entirely popular in some Australian suburbs. There is no question that they are gorgeous. Just back from Cuba where we saw saw both endemic Cuban Parrot and endemic Cuban Parakeet. Now begins the task of downloading pictures.

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  10. ya gotta figger than Mother was over imbibing now and then when she was flinging the color around. Maybe a bit lit, but I love the result.

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  11. Stewart, now that is one colorful bird. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Absolutely stunning Stewart! I would be happy spending an entire day watching these colorful birds.

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  13. Beautiful bird! What a delight it must be to see such colorful birds.

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  14. I can't imagine having that bundle of color in my yard! Superb photographs, Stewart!
    "Tally Ho", I'm off to go birding.

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  15. Pretty bird..Pretty bird..Looks like he could be noisy !! Beautiful shots, Stewart..

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  16. Marvellous captures and interesting information.

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  17. Stewart, now that is one colorful bird. Thanks for sharing.

    หนังตลก

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  18. The name rainbow is fits perfectly!

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