The rainbow lorikeet (''Trichoglossus moluccanus'') is a species of
parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittaco ...
found in
Australia. It is common along the
eastern seaboard, from northern
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
to
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. Its habitat is
rainforest
Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfo ...
, coastal bush and
woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...
areas. Six
taxa
In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...
traditionally listed as
subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet are now treated as separate species (see
''Taxonomy'').
Rainbow lorikeets have been
introduced to
Perth
Perth is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the Australian states and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth most populous city in Aust ...
,
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...
;
[ScienceWA Rainbow lorikeet joins Perth pest list]
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
;
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
;
[Rainbow Lorikeet pest]
and
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
.
Taxonomy
The rainbow lorikeet was formally listed in 1788 by the German naturalist
Johann Friedrich Gmelin under the
binomial name
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''Psittacus moluccanus''. Gmelin cited the French polymath
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (; 7 September 1707 – 16 April 1788) was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, and encyclopédiste.
His works influenced the next two generations of naturalists, including two prominent F ...
who in 1779 had published a description of "La Perruche à Face Bleu" in his ''Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux''. The species was illustrated as the "Peluche des Moluques" and as the "Perruche d'Amboine". Gmelin was misled and coined the specific epithet ''moluccanus '' as he believed the specimens had come from the
Moluccas
The Maluku Islands (; Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Maluku'') or the Moluccas () are an archipelago in the east of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located ...
. The
type locality
Type locality may refer to:
* Type locality (biology)
* Type locality (geology)
See also
* Local (disambiguation)
* Locality (disambiguation)
{{disambiguation ...
was changed to
Botany Bay
Botany Bay ( Dharawal: ''Kamay''), an open ocean
The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refe ...
in Australia by
Gregory Mathews
Gregory Macalister Mathews CBE FRSE FZS FLS (10 September 1876 – 27 March 1949) was an Australian-born amateur ornithologist who spent most of his later life in England.
Life
He was born in Biamble in New South Wales the son of Robert H. ...
in 1916. The rainbow lorikeet is now placed in the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
''
Trichoglossus'' that was introduced in 1826 by the English naturalist
James Francis Stephens
James Francis Stephens (16 September 1792 – 22 December 1852) was an English entomologist and naturalist. He is known for his 12 volume '' Illustrations of British Entomology'' (1846) and the ''Manual of British Beetles'' (1839).
Early ...
.
Two
subspecies are recognised:
[
* ''T. m. septentrionalis'' Robinson, 1900 – ]Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación ...
(northeast Australia)
* ''T. m. moluccanus'' (Gmelin, JF, 1788) – Australia (except Cape York Peninsula) and Tasmania
The rainbow lorikeet has often included the red-collared lorikeet (''T. rubritorquis'') as a subspecies, but today most major authorities consider it separate.[Dickinson, E. C. (editor) (2003). ''The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World.'' 3d edition. Christopher Helm. ][Gill, F., M. Wright, & D. Donsker (2010). ]
IOC World Bird Names
'' Version 2.4. Accessed 25-04-2010 Additionally, a review in 1997 led to the recommendation of splitting off some of the most distinctive taxa from the Lesser Sundas as separate species, these being the scarlet-breasted lorikeet (''T. forsteni''), the marigold lorikeet (''T. capistratus'') and the Flores lorikeet
The leaf lorikeet (''Trichoglossus weberi''), also known as the Flores lorikeet or Weber's lorikeet, is a species of parrot that is endemic to the Indonesian island of Flores. It was previously considered a subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet,J ...
(''T. weberi''). This is increasingly followed by major authorities.[ In 2019 The rainbow lorikeet in Australia was split into three: rainbow, ]coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or ...
(''Trichoglossus haematodus'') and red-collared lorikeets (''Trichoglossus rubritorquis'').
Three syntypes of ''Trichoglossus novaehollandiae septentrionalis'' Robinson
Bull. Liverpool Mus., 2, 1900, p.115
are held in the vertebrate zoology collection of National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool, formerly National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, comprises several museums and art galleries in and around Liverpool, England. All the museums and galleries in the group have free admission. The museum is a non ...
at World Museum, with accession numbers NML-VZ 23.7.1900.4, NML-VZ 23.7.1900.4a, and NML-VZ 23.7.1900.4b. The specimens were collected in Cooktown, Queensland, Australia by E. Olive. The specimens came to the Liverpool national collection via purchase from H. C. Robinson.
Description
The rainbow lorikeet is a medium-sized parrot, with the length ranging from including the tail, and the weight varies from . The plumage
Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...
of the nominate race
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...
, as with all subspecies, is very bright and colorful. The head is deep blue with a greenish-yellow nuchal collar, and the rest of the upper parts (wings, back and tail) are green. The chest is orange/yellow. The belly is deep blue, and the thighs and rump are green. In flight a yellow wing-bar contrasts clearly with the red underwing coverts. There is little to visually distinguish between the sexes.
Juveniles have a black beak
The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for fo ...
, which gradually brightens to orange in the adults.
The markings of ''Trichoglossus moluccanus'' resemble those of the coconut lorikeet
The coconut lorikeet (''Trichoglossus haematodus''), also known as the green-naped lorikeet, is a parrot in the family Psittaculidae. Seven species of lorikeets now recognised were once lumped together under ''Trichoglossus haematodus''.
Taxonom ...
(''Trichoglossus haematodus''), but with a blue belly and a more orange breast with little or no blue-black barring.[Collar N (1997). "Family Psittacidae (Parrots)" in '']Handbook of the Birds of the World
The ''Handbook of the Birds of the World'' (HBW) is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions in partnership with BirdLife International. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. ...
Volume 4; Sandgrouse to Cuckoos'' (eds del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J) Lynx Edicions: Barcelona. , pp. 420–425
Dimorphism
Unlike the eclectus parrot, rainbow lorikeets do not have any immediately discernible dimorphic traits. Males and females look identical, and surgical sexing by a vet or DNA analysis of a feather is used to determine the sex of an individual.
Behaviour
Rainbow lorikeets often travel together in pairs and occasionally respond to calls to fly as a flock, then disperse again into pairs. Rainbow lorikeet pairs defend their feeding and nesting areas aggressively against other rainbow lorikeets and other bird species. They chase off not only smaller birds such as the noisy miner and the little wattlebird, but also larger birds such as the Australian magpie.
Diet
Rainbow lorikeets feed mainly on fruit, pollen and nectar, and possess a tongue adapted especially for their particular diet. The end of the tongue is equipped with a papillate appendage adapted to gathering pollen and nectar from flowers. Nectar from eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of Flowering plant, flowering trees, shrubs or Mallee (habit), mallees in the Myrtaceae, myrtle Family (biology), family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the Tribe (biology) ...
is important in Australia, other important nectar sources are ''Pittosporum
''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. '' ...
'', ''Grevillea
''Grevillea'', commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus ''Grevillea'' are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the ...
'', ''Spathodea campanulata
''Spathodea'' is a genus in the plant family Bignoniaceae. The single species it contains, ''Spathodea campanulata'', is commonly known as the African tulip tree. The tree grows between tall and is native to tropical dry forests of Africa. It ha ...
'' (African tulip-tree), and '' Metroxylon sagu'' (sago palm). In Melanesia coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or ...
s are very important food sources, and rainbow lorikeets are important pollinators of these. They also consume the fruits of ''Ficus
''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending int ...
'', ''Trema
Trema may refer to:
* a List of Greek and Latin roots in English/P–Z#T, Greek and Latin root meaning ''hole''
* ''Tréma'', a word in French meaning diaeresis
** more generally, two dots (diacritic)
* Trema (plant), ''Trema'' (plant), a genus of ...
'', ''Muntingia
''Muntingia'' is a genus of plants in the family Muntingiaceae, comprising only one species, ''Muntingia calabura'', and was named in honour of Abraham Munting. It is native to the neotropics, from Mexico south to Bolivia, with edible fruit, and ...
'', as well as papaya and mangoes already opened by fruit bats. They also eat crops such as apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...
s, and will raid maize
Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn ( North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. ...
and sorghum
''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family ( Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many ot ...
. They are also frequent visitors at bird feeders placed in gardens, which supply store-bought nectar, sunflower seeds, and fruits such as apples, grapes and pears.
In many places, including campsites and suburban gardens, wild lorikeets are so used to humans that they can be hand-fed. The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, Australia, is noted for its thousands of lorikeets. Around 8am and 4pm each day the birds gather in a huge, noisy flock in the park's main area. Visitors are encouraged to feed them a specially prepared nectar, and the birds will happily settle on people's arms and heads to consume it. Wild rainbow lorikeets can also be hand-fed by visitors at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is an koala sanctuary in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket in Queensland, Australia.
Founded in 1927, it is the oldest and largest koala sanctuary of its kind in the world.
History
The name originates from ...
in Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
, Queensland, Australia.
Semi-tame lorikeets are common daily visitors in many Sydney backyards, though many people, ignorant of their dietary requirements, feed them bread or bread coated with honey. This is an inadequate source of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the rainbow lorikeet requires and can lead to health and feather formation issues in young lorikeets. Packet mixes with a nutritional mix suitable for feeding lorikeets are generally available from vets and pet stores.
Breeding
In southern Australia, breeding usually occurs from late winter to early summer (August to January). Elsewhere in Australia, breeding has been recorded in every month except March, varying from region to region due to changes in food availability and climate. Nesting sites are variable and can include hollows of tall trees such as eucalypt
Eucalypt is a descriptive name for woody plants with capsule fruiting bodies belonging to seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australasia:
''Eucalyptus'', '' Corymbia'', '' Angophora'', '' Stockwellia'', '' Allo ...
s, palm trunks, or overhanging rock. One population in the Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
These rainforest-co ...
nests in holes in the ground on predator-free islets. Pairs sometimes nest in the same tree with other rainbow lorikeet pairs, or other bird species.[ The clutch size is between one and three eggs, which are incubated for around 25 days.] Incubation duties are carried out by the female alone.
Rainbow lorikeets are mostly monogamous and remain paired for long periods, if not for life.
Status
Overall, the rainbow lorikeet remains widespread and often common. According to the annual Birdlife Australia census, it is the most commonly observed bird in Australia. It is therefore considered to be of least concern
A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. Th ...
by BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
. The status for some localised subspecies is more precarious, with especially ''T. h. rosenbergii'', the Biak lorikeet (which possibly is worthy of treatment as a separate species), being threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
and capture for the parrot trade.[Juniper, T., & M. Parr (1998). A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press. ]
As a pest
The rainbow lorikeet was accidentally released into the southwest of Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...
near the University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...
in the 1960s and they have since been classified as a pest.
A feral population of rainbow lorikeets was established in New Zealand after a North Shore, Auckland, resident illegally released significant numbers of captive-reared birds in the area in the 1990s, which started breeding in the wild. By 1999, a self-sustaining feral population of 150–200 birds had been established in the region, proving that they could survive and adapt to the New Zealand environment. The Department of Conservation, concerned that rainbow lorikeets would outcompete native honeyeaters and by the possible threat to pristine island habitats such as Little Barrier Island, began eradicating the feral population in 2000. MPI (the Ministry of Primary Industries) Bio-security, in partnership with DOC and regional councils, now manages rainbow lorikeets under the National Interest Pest Response initiative. The aim of the response is to prevent rainbow lorikeets from becoming established in the wild. Late in 2010, five of these birds were discovered living in the Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui (, ) is a major residential, commercial and industrial suburb of the Tauranga metropolitan area, located on a peninsula to the north-east of Tauranga's city centre. It was an independent town from Tauranga until the completio ...
area. They were fed for a few days before being trapped by a Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries contractor.[Betty Jeeves; 'Rainbow Lorikeets Gone From Bay', 17 August 2011; ''Bay of Plenty Times'']
Many fruit orchard owners consider them a pest, as they often fly in groups and strip trees containing fresh fruit. In urban areas, the birds create nuisance noise and foul outdoor areas and vehicles with droppings.
In Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...
, a major impact of the rainbow lorikeet is competition with indigenous bird species. This includes domination of food sources and competition for increasingly scarce nesting hollows. Bird species such as the purple-crowned lorikeet, the Carnaby's black cockatoo, and the Australian ringneck are adversely affected or displaced.
Diseases
Lorikeet paralysis syndrome
A syndrome of uncertain etiology
Etiology (pronounced ; alternatively: aetiology or ætiology) is the study of causation or origination. The word is derived from the Greek (''aitiología'') "giving a reason for" (, ''aitía'', "cause"); and ('' -logía''). More completely, e ...
affects rainbow lorikeets every year. Every year in southeast Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
and northeast New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
thousands become paralysed, most significantly, unable to fly or eat. Because this problem is highly seasonal - occurring only October-June and most intensively December-February - it is likely this is a form of plant poisoning. This pattern suggests it is due to the fruits of an unknown plant which only blooms from the spring - the autumn (the fall), and most intensively in the summer.
References
External links
World Parrot Trust
Parrot Encyclopedia – Species Profiles
The Dangers of Feeding Lorikeets (NSW Office of Environment and Heritage)
Audio field-recording of a pair of Lorikeets
Rainbow Lorikeet on the Atlas of Living Australia
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1809222
rainbow lorikeet
Birds of New South Wales
Birds of Queensland
Birds of South Australia
Birds of Victoria (Australia)
Endemic birds of Australia
rainbow lorikeet
rainbow lorikeet