Rainbow lorikeets 'expanding'

["Philip Veerman" <>]

21 Years ago I published this article: (1991) ‘The changing status of the Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in South-east Australia: the role of wild and escaped birds’, Australian Bird Watcher 14: 3–9. (Investigates the range increase.) I expanded on this knowledge in The GBS Report.

 

The situation has not changed much in Canberra (and region) since then, in that they are still throughout the region in small numbers and we still don't know the balance between wild and escaped birds, but it is almost certainly both. It appears very likely that the group in Hawker & Belconnen is human assisted but the others seen at various times around Queanbeyan, Kambah (both of which I have seen them many times over the last nearly 20 years), Wanniassa, etc appear to be wild birds. What is curious is that they have taken so long at this low population stage and have not yet become abundant, as they have elsewhere.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: boy nature [
Sent: Tuesday, 21 May 2013 12:26 AM
To: Canberrabirds
Subject: [canberrabirds] Rainbow lorikeets 'expanding'

Last week (Friday) at Oakes Estate while having lunch I was very surprised to see 4 Rainbow Lorikeets fly over, heading West, towards Parliament house. Although officially ACT it is basically in Queanbeyan. Im used to seeing them in Hawker & Belconnen more broadly, but didnt expect to see them there.

 

Benj Whitworth