Rainbow Lorikeet: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Parrots and Toucans · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. Birdlife Australia's yearly bird count finds the rainbow lorikeet is the bird people spot most often in Australia.
2. Its tongue ends in a brush-like tip made for gathering pollen and nectar from flowers.
3. Every day at around 8 am and 4 pm, a huge, noisy crowd of lorikeets gathers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
4. Lorikeets lay one to three eggs, and the female alone incubates them for around 25 days.
5. Young lorikeets have a black beak that gradually brightens to orange as they grow up.

The quiz

1. Which bird is the most commonly observed in Australia?

• The rainbow lorikeet (correct)
• The kookaburra
• The galah
• The magpie

The Birdlife Australia census ranks it most commonly observed.

2. What is the lorikeet's tongue tip adapted for?

• Catching insects
• Gathering pollen and nectar (correct)
• Cracking seeds
• Drinking from streams

The tongue tip is adapted to gathering pollen and nectar.

3. At what times do lorikeets flock at Currumbin each day?

• Around 8 am and 4 pm (correct)
• Around noon only
• Around 6 am and 9 pm
• Around 10 am and 2 pm

The flock gathers twice a day, at around 8 am and 4 pm.

4. Who incubates the eggs?

• The male alone
• Both parents
• The female alone (correct)
• The whole flock

The female alone carries out incubation.

5. What colour is a young lorikeet's beak?

• Bright orange
• Pale yellow
• Blue
• Black (correct)

Juveniles have a black beak that brightens to orange.

More about the Rainbow Lorikeet

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries