Think you know everything about our kaleidoscopic lorikeets? Think again.
These birds are full of surprises.
LOUD, BELLIGERENT colonies of rainbow lorikeets are the soundtrack of urban Australia.
They live so close to us that we think we know everything there is to know about the iconic bird.
Here are a few facts you about rainbow lorikeets you may have missed. In some parts of Australia, they’re considered pests.
Okay, we know this is hard to believe, but even native species can be classed as pests if they extend their ranges.
And this is the case for the rainbow lorikeet. Rainbow lorikeets were introduced to Western Australia in the 1960s… by accident.
According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the lorikeet population in Perth was established from fewer than 10 escaped or released caged birds.
The damage wrought by the birds is extensive. They’ve had a big impact on agriculture as they feast on cherry, apple, pear, stone fruit, grape and vegetable crops.
They’re also fierce protectors of these resources, and their breeding sites, which drives out other native species native to Perth.
