I am interested in any (as definite as
possible) reports of mating in the wild between Rainbow and Musk
Lorikeets. Single hybrids are likely to be regarded as aviary escapes,
so of most interest are reports of (a) pairs formed of both species eg
inspecting hollows and (b) hybrids being fed by one or other
species.
In Canberra we had an example of (a) in
the suburbs a few weeks ago, and I have a report of (b) in a backyard in Yass
NSW, where 2 hybrids are still present.
There is an online account of a hybrid
population with some Scaly-breasted admixture at Leopold near Geelong. A
report of a hybrid population in Tasmania is at Australian Field Ornithology
2019, 38.
EBird has a category ‘Musk x Rainbow
Lorikeet (hybrid)’. There is one record, from Yorke Peninsula SA from
earlier this year.
I’d be grateful for any further
information about this,
Geoffrey Dabb