Rainbow Lorikeet

1. Deep blue head and belly, bright red breast, and yellow-green collar

2. Longer tail than the similar-sized Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

3. Extremely vocal, with loud screeching calls heard in flight and at roosts

Rainbow Lorikeets are highly social and form strong pair bonds, often seen in pairs or small groups by day and gathering in large communal roosts at night. Their brush-tipped tongues are specialized for harvesting nectar and pollen from a wide range of native and introduced flowering plants, making them important pollinators. They also eat fruit and occasionally seeds. Breeding occurs mainly from June to January in southeastern Australia, but can take place year-round in warmer regions. Both sexes prepare the nest, usually a tree hollow high in a gum tree, and the female incubates the eggs while the male feeds her. Chicks remain in the nest for about 45 days and are fed by both parents.

Rainbow Lorikeets are native to the eastern seaboard of Australia, from northern Queensland to South Australia, and have expanded their range into urban areas and new regions such as Perth, Tasmania, and even New Zealand through human introduction. They thrive in diverse habitats, including rainforests, coastal bush, open woodlands, and especially urban parks and gardens with flowering trees. Their presence is often first noticed by their raucous calls and energetic activity in the canopy.