Brown, artist and zoologist attached to Marmaduke Tunstall's museum which later became the Newcastle Museum. On the Wild Side (Endeavour was the ship commanded by James Cook when he discovered the The Rainbow Lorikeet eastern Australian coast in 1770.) Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus Lorikeets in Abundance Colorful ' Noisy - Active As far as bird life is concerned, Australia is not only the Land of Graeme Hyde, Australia Parrots but, also the "avian pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow! Conversely, Multi-Colored Memories Strait from Australia. As noted by Pizzey the strikingly colored, noisy and acro­ enjoyed reading Margrethe "Cape York Peninsula and New Guinea batic Rainbow Lorikeet, symbolizes all Warden's interesting article share many similarities in climate, vege­ that is wonderful, colorful, and fasci­ I "Rainbow Lories in American tation and wildlife. In effect they form a nating about the birds of the continent Aviculture" in the Watchbird, Number 2, faunal unit divided about 8000 years ago "Down Under." Of the thirty or so 2002. It brought back pleasant memories after the last Pleistocene ice-sheets melt­ native Australian species that frequent of visiting the San Diego Wild Animal ed and raised ocean levels round the our front garden or backyard, the Park in August 1994 with my Australian world" (1985). Rainbow Lorikeet, also widely known avicultural colleague, Warwick outside of Australia as Swainson's Remington of Ballarat, Victoria. We The Land of Parrots Lorikeet, is an annual seasonal visitor. were two of the three invited speakers As I sit in my small study, switch­ Along with the Musk Lorikeet the from Australia at the American ing my gaze from computer to our front Rainbow Lorikeet visits the flowering Federation of Aviculture's Twentieth garden, I often reflect on how fortunate eucalyptus in the front garden when it Anniversary Convention in Knoxville, I am to live in Australia - The Land of is in blossom around December to Tennessee. Following the convention we Parrots. Neville W. Cayley, the out­ February each year. spent a further two weeks in America and standing Australian naturalist-ornithol­ Forshaw (2002) confirms that before we left for home visited the San ogist-author-painter, in his important lorikeets are confined to the Papuo­ Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo's work Australian Parrots-Their Habits Australasian region, being distributed Wild Animal Park. A highlight for both in the Field and Aviary (1938) wrote: from Henderson and Marquesas Islands of us was the large walk-through aviary "The earliest Dutch navigators are west to Mindanao, southern Philippine that featured Rainbow Lorikeets of the credited with having named that part of Islands, and the Sunda Islands, Australasian Region. Along with hun­ the west coast [of Australia] visited by Indonesia. He acknowledges that they dreds (thousands?) of other visitors that them in the seventeenth century 'The are strongly represented in New Guinea summer's day we fed the Green-naped Land of Parrots'. ... A world map of whereas in Australia there are only six (Rainbow) Lorikeets nectar from a small Mercator (issued in 1569) has upon it a species in three, or possibly two genera. disposable cup. place called 'Terra Psittacorum, The Even though Musk and Rainbow As mentioned by Warden "The Land of Parrots'. This is marked in 45 Lorikeets only visit our garden when term 'Rainbow Lory' is a generic one degrees south, away to the southward they are traveling along what I term applied to over 20 separate brightly col­ of the Cape of Good Hope." "the eucalyptus blossom trail," and are ored birds. The Rainbow group, Phipps, in Australia s Animals both commonly observed species Trichoglossus haematodus, is comprised Discovered (1980), states the first cap­ throughout their distribution range, it is of one nominate species, commonly ture of a live Rainbow Lorikeet by always a thrill when one, or both, called the Green-naped Lory, and approx­ early explorers occurred in May 1770. species arrive to feed themselves on the imately twenty-two subspecies." It was a The bird was taken aboard the nectar of the flowering trees in our gar­ pleasure for Warwick and I to handfeed Endeavour as a pet where it survived, den, or the neighbor'S garden opposite, noisy Green-naped Lorikeets because due outliving its owner who died on 26 where there is an abundance of native to the 43-year ban on importation of birds December 1770. As a result, the trees. You don't have to see them to into Australia this race of the Rainbow Rainbow Lorikeet has a distinct place know they are present - the raucous Lorikeet is almost unknown in Australian in the history of Australian ornithology noise they make while clambering aviculture. This amazes overseas avicul­ as it was the first bird from eastern through the foliage in search of food is turists when they realize New Guinea is Australia to reach England alive where easy to discern - even from 50 yards only a few sea miles across the Torres it was painted from life by Peter away! 40 First Quarter 2003 Specific Differences Australia across Northern Australia to Localized Observations Although they lived in Adelaide, the Gulf of Carpentaria, that they are 1. My observation of the the small but beautiful capital city of two distinct subspecies. Rosemary Rainbow Lorikeet where I live (Colac) South Australia, Barry Hutchins and Low, the well-known avicultural author on the eastern fringe of the Western (the late) Bob Lovell traveled widely in and lory specialist, treats moluccanus District of Victoria consists mainly on their desire to study native Australian and rubritorquis as separate subspecies sightings made over a quarter of a cen­ birds in the wild - especially the par­ whereas Joseph Forshaw argues quite tury living in the same house in the rots, lorikeets, and cockatoos. Both firmly that they should not be treated as same city. (Colac is the center ofa pros­ were practicing aviculturists and ama­ separate "mono-typic species." perous dairy farming area 92 miles teur ornithologists that also enjoyed the Although the discussion about the west of Melbourne, the capital city of bush country and the vast outback Rainbow Lorikeet and the Red-collared Victoria.) We have much larger num­ countryside of Australia. Their com­ Lorikeet in the above paragraph may bers of Rainbow Lorikeets, a highly bined experiences eventually resulted seem pedantic, or overly academic, it is a mobile species, when the flowering in the excellent paperback book - brief introduction into the way ornitholo­ eucalypts are in full bloom compared Australian Parrots: A Field and Aviary gists and taxonomists can, and do, dis­ with the numbers that arrived annually Study published by the Avicultural agree. (Ab, for the simple life of an avi­ when we first came here to live. In Society of Australia in 1985. From their culturist!) Stan Sindel, a widely experi­ January of this year (2003) when experiences, in both aviary and the enced Australian aviculturist who spends checking the bird life on the local tree­ wild, Hutchins and Lovell believe the a lot of time studying parrots in the wild lined golf course at the end of the street Rainbow Lorikeet T. h. moluccanus, writes: "The Red-collared Lorikeet is where we live I heard the Rainbows which is distributed from Cape York another subspecies of the numerous and long before I saw them. They were Peninsula in Northern Australia right highly successful species Trichoglossus feeding in various native trees includ­ down the east coast through to Eyre haematodus. Although closely allied to ing a Coast Banksia Banksia integrifo­ Peninsula in South Australia is, despite the Rainbow Lorikeet, its isolation from fia, the accompanying photographs the similarity to the well-known Red­ this subspecies and other members of the show the Banksia flower in different collared Lorikeet T. h. rubritorquis, genus has allowed it to evolve with dis­ stages, from "untouched by lorikeets" from the Kimberley division of Western tinct color patterns" (1987). to "well utilized by lorikeets."

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the afa WATCHBIRD 41 2. In her excellent book Encyclopedia species has increased its distribution in 5. The November 2002 issue of of the Lories (which features a superb South Australia during the past fifty Australian Aviculture, monthly journal painting of a pair of Red-collared years. He has confirmed that the of the Avicultural Society of Australia Lorikeets on the front cover) Rosemary Rainbow Lorikeet, which was common (ASA), featured an item extracted from Low writes: "Most residents of areas in the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula north­ a Gold Coast, Queensland, newspaper where this species is common (in wards to about Strathalbyn in the 1950s, which claimed that the Rainbow Australia) take it very much for grant­ has now extended its range across the Lorikeet was "rapidly disappearing ed. Yet it must be one of the world's Adelaide Plains due to urban develop­ from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, most common birds which is colorful ment. This movement has increased Currumbin, where they had been a spe­ and easily seen; a feeding flock, or on through the Barossa Valley with continu­ cial attraction for 55 years." The feed­ coming in to roost, is a spectacle which ing observations further north, making a ing by visitors (more than 500,000 a would be difficult to surpass. ... My distribution extension of some 100 miles year) of bread soaked in a honey mix­ own first view of these lorikeets in the over the past five decades. ture in hand-held dishes to wild wild, along with musks, took place in Hutchins, through his involve­ Rainbow Lorikeets (and Scaly-breasted an Adelaide park on a fine April day. I ment as one of the South Australian Lorikeets) was a popular activity that was totally spellbound. It amazed me coordinators for the New Atlas of had - over the years - become synony­ that local people were walking by with­ Australian Birds, a major project of mous with both the Sanctuary and the out giving the feeding birds as much as Birds Australia (i.e. Royal Australasian Gold Coast holiday resort. Suffice to a glance! I was speaking at a conven­ Ornithologists Union), has followed say that Currumbin Sanctuary has tion being held in the nearby university, this movement with interest. become an icon of Australian Fauna - a and it was with great reluctance that I (Note: Some American readers of "must-see" for visitors - especially tore myself away from this wonderful AFA Watchbird may have visited the overseas parrot enthusiasts! scene! I still find flocks of this sub­ Barossa Valley when visiting Australia. species (moluccanus) mesmerizing It is well known for its delightful vine­ 6. Following publication of the item from the point of view of color, noise yards and wineries in one of the world's above (No.5) a member of the ASA and activity" (1998). great wine producing countries.) wrote from his home in Tamworth, New I was at that same convention South Wales (famous for its annual and, by pure coincidence, went into the 4. The official launch of the Third Country & Western Festival) as follows: same adjoining parkland (which sur­ [Revised] Edition of Australian Parrots "I read the item about the decline of rounds the River Torrens) during the for Southern Australia, which I organised Rainbow Lorikeets at Currumbin same break in proceedings. I noticed for the publisher, was held in Melbourne Sanctuary on the Queensland Gold Coast Rosemary, who was mesmerized. She last year at the October monthly meeting with much interest. I'd think readers of didn't notice me, as she was too busy of the Avicultural Society of Australia. Australian Aviculture might be interested photographing Rainbow Lorikeets to be Prior to the meeting I spent several hours to know that they have moved from aware of my presence! The area fre­ in the company of the author, Joseph Currumbin and are doing very well in quented by the lorikeets and other Forshaw. Upon hearing a flock of Tamworth where I live. They first arrived species including Rose-breasted Rainbow Lorikeets flying overhead he in the early to mid-1980s when there was Cockatoos is alongside the River commented on how they had increased a severe drought on the coast. Initially Torrens only a few minutes walk from III Melbourne. [This edition of they were seen in isolated pairs (at first the center of Adelaide. Australian Parrots is a must for all parrot thought to be aviary escapees) and they The Adelaide Zoo, in Frome aficionados - especially if your interest is have increased over the years to the Road, Adelaide, is also adjacent to the the Australian species. S. L. D.] extent that it is not uncommon now to River Torrens. This is a superb zoo with One enjoyable place for seeing see a flock of 100 plus birds at one time. an excellent collection of Australian free-flying Rainbow Lorikeets is in the Initially they would arrive in September native birds housed in well-designed, grounds of the Melbourne Zoo and the and be gone by the end of January attractively landscaped aviaries. Free­ surrounding parklands known as Royal (maybe they didn't like country music!). flying Rainbow Lorikeets are another Park. The abundance of native gum trees, However, from about 1990, they have highlight of this small well-planned especially in the extensive parkland area, made Tamworth a permanent home and zoo, which is about a ten-minute walk has obviously attracted greater numbers every day they can be seen outside our from the center of the city. over the years. The zoo is ten minutes by kitchen window in a jacaranda tree no car from the Central Business District, is more than 5 meters away. Over fifty have 3. When discussing the Rainbow a delightful oasis on the fringe of the city, been observed in the tree at different Lorikeet with Barry Hutchins of and although the bird display is not over­ times. (In the early days the Rainbow Adelaide last year he mentioned that this ly large is well worth a visit. Lorikeets were accompanied in similar

42 First Quarter 2003 Photo by Graeme Hyde Photo by Graeme Hyde numbers by Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, however the latter have not been een for several years.)"

References Australian Aviculture. Monthly journal of the Avicultural Society of Au tralia, Melbourne, Australia. Brown, P. New 1I1u tration of Zoology, Containing Lefi; theflower of {he Coasl Bank 'fa Tree Fi fty Coloured Plates of New, Curious before the lories arrived. Above; the same and Non-De cript Birds, with a few flower after the lories. Below; afeeder is Quadrupeds, Reptile and Insects, Sll armed for by the wild lorie . together with a Short and Scientific De cription of ame. White, London, England: 1776. Cayley, N. W. Au 'tralian Parrot. Their Habits in the Field and Aviary. Angus & Robertson, Sydney, Au tralia: 1938. For haw, 1. M. Parrots of the World - Third [Revi ed] Edition. Lansdowne Editions, Willoughby, Au tralia: 19 9. Forshaw, J. M. Australian Parrot - Third [Revised] Edition. Alexander Editions, Robina Township, Australia: 2002. For haw, J. M. Personal Communication, October 2002. Hutchins, B. R. & Lo ell, R. H. Australian Parrot : A Field and Aviary Study. The A icultural Society of Australia, Melbourne, Au tralia: 1985 . Hutchins, B. R. Pcr 'onal Communication, October 2002. Low, R. Hancock House Encyclopedia of the Lories. Hancock Hou e, Blaine, USA: 1998. Pizzey, G. A Separate Creation. Currey O'Neil, South Yarra, Australia: 1985 . Sindel, S. Australian Lorikeet . Singil Press, Austral, Australia: 1987. Stanbury, P & Phipps, G. Australia' Animals Discovered. Pergamon Press, Sydney, Australia: 1980. Below le.fl; a wild parent feeds a Warden, M. Rainbow Lorikeets in American youngster 011 the grass. The baby is Avicultur . The A. F. A. Watchbird, fitllyferathered andpving but still Volume XXIX, No.2: 2002. .:. under the care olits parenls. BelOlv right: A co lOl~fi tl RainbOlv LOIY of the T. h. moluccanu subspecies. Photo courtesy of Pet & Aviary Birds magazine --~~~~~----~~~--~~--~-,~~~--~~~--

the afa WATeRBIRD 43