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Description

Rainbow lorikeet From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Trichoglossus moluccanus

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Aves

[1]

Order:

Psittaciformes

Family:

Psittaculidae

Genus:

Trichoglossus

Species:

T. moluccanus Binomial name

Trichoglossus moluccanus (Gmelin, 1788)

The rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) is a species of parrot found in Australia. It is common along the eastern seaboard, from northern Queensland to South Australia. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. Six taxa traditionally listed as subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet are now treated as separate species (see Taxonomy). Rainbow lorikeets have been introduced to Perth, Western Australia;[2] Tasmania; Auckland, New Zealand;[4] and Hong Kong.[5]

[3]

Contents    

   

1Taxonomy 2Description 3Dimorphism 4Behaviour o 4.1Diet o 4.2Breeding 5Status o 5.1As a pest 6Diseases o 6.1Lorikeet paralysis syndrome 7References 8External links

Taxonomy[edit] The rainbow lorikeet was formally listed in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin under the binomial name Psittacus moluccanus.[6] Gmelin cited the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon who in 1779 had published a description of "La Perruche à Face Bleu" in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux.[7] The species was illustrated as the "Peluche des Moluques"[8] and as the "Perruche d'Amboine".[9] Gmelin was misled and coined the specific epithet moluccanus as he believed the specimens had come from the Moluccas.

The type locality was changed to Botany Bay in Australia by Gregory Mathews in 1916.[10][11] The rainbow lorikeet is now placed in the genus Trichoglossus that was introduced in 1826 by the English naturalist James Francis Stephens.[12][13] Two subspecies are recognised:[13]  

T. m. septentrionalis Robinson, 1900 – Cape York Peninsula (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. [14][15] 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 (T. weberi).[16] This is increasingly followed by major authorities. [14][15] In 2019 The rainbow lorikeet in Australia was split into three: rainbow, coconut (Trichoglossus haematodus) and red-collared lorikeets (Trichoglossus rubritorquis).[17]

Description[edit] The rainbow lorikeet is a medium-sized parrot, with the length ranging from 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) including the tail, and the weight varies from 75 to 157 g (2.6– 5.5 oz). The plumage of the nominate race, 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, which gradually brightens to orange in the adults. The markings of Trichoglossus moluccanus resemble those of the coconut lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus), but with a blue belly and a more orange breast with little or no blue-black barring.[18]

Dimorphism[edit] 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.[19][20]

Behaviour[edit] 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[edit]

Rainbow lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus, feeding at Adelaide Airport

In Brisbane, Queensland.

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.[21] Nectar from eucalyptus is important in Australia, other important nectar sources are Pittosporum, Grevillea, Spathodea campanulata (African tulip-tree), and Metroxylon sagu (sago palm).[18] In Melanesia coconuts are very important food sources, and rainbow lorikeets are important pollinators of these. [22] They also consume the fruits of Ficus, Trema, Muntingia, as well as papaya and mangoes already opened by fruit bats. They also eat crops such as apples, and will raid maize and sorghum.[18] 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, 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 in Brisbane, 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.[23] Packet mixes with a nutritional mix suitable for feeding lorikeets are generally available from vets and pet stores.[24]...