Rainbow Lorikeet (Photographed at Riverbank's Zoo, Columbia,South Carolina,USA)

The Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. The taxonomy is disputed, and it is often split into several species (see Taxonomy).
Rainbow Lorikeets have been introduced to Perth, Western Australia,Auckland, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Description :
The Rainbow Lorikeet is very colourful as its name explains. Almost every colour in the rainbow is used on the feathers of the rainbow lorikeet. They are not a huge bird with a Rainbow Lorikeets height ranging from 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 in) in size, with a wingspan of about 17 cm (6.7 in) and vary significantly in colouration between the numerous subspecies. Their eponymous markings of the best known subspecies moluccanus are particularly striking: A dark blue or violet-blue head and stomach, a bright green back, tail and vent, and an orange breast and beak. Several have darker scalloped markings across the orange or red breast and the Weber's Lorikeet is predominantly green.

Conservation:
Overall, the Rainbow Lorikeet remains widespread and often common. It is therefore considered to be of Least Concern by BirdLife International. The status for some localized subspecies is more precarious, with especially T. h. mitchellii, T. h. forsteni, T. h. djampeanus and T. h. rosenbergiii being highly threatened by habitat loss and the wild bird trade.

Cool Facts:
>> Rainbow Lorikeets feed mainly on pollen and nectar, and possess a tongue adapted especially for their particular diet. The end of the tongue is equipped with a papillate appendage adapted to collecting nectar from flowers. They are also frequent visitors at bird feeders that supply lorikeet-friendly treats, such as store-bought nectar, sunflower seeds, and fruits such as apples, grapes and pears.
>> In Australia, breeding usually occurs during spring (September to December), and mated pairs typically nest in eucalypt tree.

Rainbow Lorikeet (Photographed at Riverbank's Zoo, Columbia,South Carolina,USA)

The Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. The taxonomy is disputed, and it is often split into several species (see Taxonomy).
Rainbow Lorikeets have been introduced to Perth, Western Australia,Auckland, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Description :
The Rainbow Lorikeet is very colourful as its name explains. Almost every colour in the rainbow is used on the feathers of the rainbow lorikeet. They are not a huge bird with a Rainbow Lorikeets height ranging from 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 in) in size, with a wingspan of about 17 cm (6.7 in) and vary significantly in colouration between the numerous subspecies. Their eponymous markings of the best known subspecies moluccanus are particularly striking: A dark blue or violet-blue head and stomach, a bright green back, tail and vent, and an orange breast and beak. Several have darker scalloped markings across the orange or red breast and the Weber's Lorikeet is predominantly green.

Conservation:
Overall, the Rainbow Lorikeet remains widespread and often common. It is therefore considered to be of Least Concern by BirdLife International. The status for some localized subspecies is more precarious, with especially T. h. mitchellii, T. h. forsteni, T. h. djampeanus and T. h. rosenbergiii being highly threatened by habitat loss and the wild bird trade.

Cool Facts:
>> Rainbow Lorikeets feed mainly on pollen and nectar, and possess a tongue adapted especially for their particular diet. The end of the tongue is equipped with a papillate appendage adapted to collecting nectar from flowers. They are also frequent visitors at bird feeders that supply lorikeet-friendly treats, such as store-bought nectar, sunflower seeds, and fruits such as apples, grapes and pears.
>> In Australia, breeding usually occurs during spring (September to December), and mated pairs typically nest in eucalypt tree.