A common sight … but still beautiful

It’s not hard to spot a Rainbow Lorikeet around our place. It wasn’t always this way though. They disappeared from Melbourne in the 1920’s but are now back in greater numbers than before settlement. Experts think this is due to the flowering gums from other parts of Australia that were planted by councils and gardeners in the 1970’s. The trees provide an excellent and more abundant food source than indigenous Victorian bush and the heat island effect of the city provides a warmer environment which the birds prefer.

Rainbow Lorikeets also need tree hollows to breed which are in short supply which leads ecologists to believe that most are probably breeding outside Melbourne. Maybe these two have snagged one of the few nesting spots around, that happens to be just outside our apartment.