Rainbow Lorikeet

(Trichoglossus haematodus)
Also known as Rainbow Lory.

Live: Tasmania, Northern and Eastern Australia, Indonesia, Bali, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands.

Habitat: Lives in all types of country where there are trees and is often seen in gardens and parks. Not often seen in mountainous regions.

Diet: In the wild: Feed on pollen, nectar, fruits, berries, seeds, leaf buds and insects. In Australia they feed mainly on Eucalyptus, Melaleuca and Banksia. Can cause damage to orchard fruits, especially apples and pears and sorghum and maize crops.
Zoo diet: Seed mix, fruit, vegetables and browse.
Enclosure cleaned twice weekly.

Breeding: In Australia, August to January. Northern regions, also in April and May .
Nest: In a hole in a tree or a hollow limb high off the ground. Nest is a bed of decayed wood dust.
Eggs: Usually two, occasionally 3. The female incubates for 25 days.
The male spends time in the nest but doesn't help with incubation

Conservation status: Common.

General: Size to 26cm.
Adults: Blue-mauve forehead. Remainder of head brownish-black. Red breast edged with blue-black.
Dark green abdomen. Underwing orange with a broad band of yellow, upper wing green.
Green tail above, dull yellow underneath. Orange to dark red beak. Orange-red eyes.
Green-grey to dark grey legs.
Juveniles: Duller than adults. Brown-black beak. Brown eyes.

Call: A rolling screech when in flight. A shrill chattering when feeding. Soft twittering when resting.

Habits:Depending on available food, can be in pairs or large flocks of hundreds of birds. They travel widely in search of food and are noisy and active. Will feed in the company of other parrots.
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Chicks: Both parents feed the chicks. Chicks leave the nest 7-8 weeks after hatching.