We had a plethora of unusual lorikeets in our yard today!

Betrisher

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I was sitting doing my homework (studying Ancient Greek this year) when my son came flying into my room bellowing 'Quick Mum! There's all these tiny little green birds in the tree! I don't know what they are!' He said they were green with flashes of yellow and had red bands around their heads.

So we all trooped out and studied the big Lemon-scented gum tree in the corner of the yard. It's in blossom now and it's quite a magnet for all the blossom-feeders around (including bats). Today at three o'clock, there were the usual zillions of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, but we estimated there were also somewhere between fifty and a hundred little Musk Lorikeets as well.

Hooray!!!

Musk Lorikeets are rarely ever noticed by most people because they are birds of the treetops. They zot from tall treetop to tall treetop in search of nectar, which they collect from the flowers with their brush-tongues. All you would see of them on most occasions would be a green blur streaking across the sky and the fading sound of their high-pitched shrieks.

But not today! All the little darlings were bent on gobbling up as much nectar as they could get out of our gum blossoms. They crawled all over the tree and were close enough that we got a really good look at them. When they open their wings, you see a lovely flash of golden yellow which streaks the flanks of their bodies. They have a wide red band that goes from the lores across the eyes and down toward the neck. I've included a link to the Wikipedia article on them, but the picture doesn't do these birds justice. Flitting around in the afternoon sunshine, they look exactly like tiny jewels. While the Rainbows certainly live up to their name, the Musk Lorikeets seem to have a more vibrant green which shows up their other colours more vividly.

My kids and I spent nearly an hour gawping at the bounty of beautiful birds in our tree. Suddenly, *some*thing triggered the flock and they left as one in a swift, undulating flight and landed about a mile away in a very tall Eucalyptus tree in the next suburb. We could still hear them calling and shrieking at each other all that distance away! You can bet I'll be watching out for the Musk Lorikeets again tomorrow! Maybe hubby will be able to get a decent photo for me? :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musk_...h1yR8f62TD-28cdzwyuss2NhT3W-LfXnq0QT7Xol4BogA

PS. The scientific name of the Musk Lorikeet is _Glossopsittacus concinna_ from the Greek 'parrot-tongued' and the Latin 'elegant'.

cf. Rainbow Lorikeet: _Trichoglossus haematodus_ from the Greek 'hairy tongued' and the Latin 'blood red'.

The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)
 

Rozalka

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The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)
They changed because the classification was changed a bit. This what was rainbow lorikeet (T. heamotodus) now is in 3 species: coconut lorikeet (T. heamotodus), rainbow lorikeet (T. moluccanus) and Biak lorikeet (T. rosenbergi)
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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Yes. I know why it was changed. I just think the reason is silly! Most of the Rainbow Lorikeets exist on the eastern coast of Australia, far away from the Straits of Molucca for which they've been named. They should have renamed the Coconut Lorikeet and left the Rainbows as T.haematodus. IMHO. :)
 

Rozalka

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When they were one species, the name Trichoglossus heamotodus moluccanus had already existed for Swainson's lorikeets. Yes, they are far from Moluccas but I am sure somewhere has to bo a reason why they are called moluccanus... I think it is interesting but I don't know the etymology
 

Scott

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Fascinating, Trish! Where's a camera when needed?

Is this behavior seasonal aberration or just a one-off foray out of tree tops?
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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It's kind of seasonal behaviour because the Muskies migrate throughout their range. What's remarkable is that they clustered together in numbers big enough to be noticed. Locally, I only ever see them in groups of half-a-dozen or so and usually on their way to somewhere else. Our tree must be having a bumper year or something - Rainbow numbers are up as well. Sadly, the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos have moved on elsewhere. I'll look for them again in the spring.

PS. While we watched our lorikeets, a flock of wild corellas flew over, causing poor Rosetta to bellow her lungs out, saying 'G'day! G'day! 'ow yas goin' mate?' The rude buggers never even paused to speak to her. :(
 

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In looking into these little ones, I found this nice explanation!
[ame="https://youtu.be/6VtD8yiNqms"]Musk Lorikeet Encounter - YouTube[/ame]

I also came across this gem! Watching these two couples is a hoot!
[ame="https://youtu.be/C2nb-nw0S60"]Musk Lorikeets vs Rainbow Lorikeets - YouTube[/ame]
 

Rozalka

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I'll come back to rainbow lorikeets and their silly latin name...
Today during writing about Cacatua cockatoos on my fb webside I had to check the latin name for Moluccan cockatoo. It is Cacatua moluccensis. Rainbow lorikeet is Trichoglossus moluccanus. I know you know latin, I totally don't know it, expcept some parrot names. I wrote this because maybe you will understand something what's goin' on with moluccanus?
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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Moluccanus is in the nominative case, so it would imply 'a Moluccan parrot or a parrot like Molucca'.

Moluccensis is in the genitive, so 'a parrot of, or originating from Molucca'.

The distinction is tiny, but it is a distinction. :)
 
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Cardinal

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The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)
They changed because the classification was changed a bit. This what was rainbow lorikeet (T. heamotodus) now is in 3 species: coconut lorikeet (T. heamotodus), rainbow lorikeet (T. moluccanus) and Biak lorikeet (T. rosenbergi)

There are many more species , not just 3. Scarlet breasted and Red collared being two others but I think there are a few more too. I can dig the details if interested.
 

Cardinal

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Currently I have none, but I have the capacity to adopt a minimum and maximum of two budgies - preferably a bonded pair or two males.
I was sitting doing my homework (studying Ancient Greek this year) when my son came flying into my room bellowing 'Quick Mum! There's all these tiny little green birds in the tree! I don't know what they are!' He said they were green with flashes of yellow and had red bands around their heads.

So we all trooped out and studied the big Lemon-scented gum tree in the corner of the yard. It's in blossom now and it's quite a magnet for all the blossom-feeders around (including bats). Today at three o'clock, there were the usual zillions of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, but we estimated there were also somewhere between fifty and a hundred little Musk Lorikeets as well.

Hooray!!!

Musk Lorikeets are rarely ever noticed by most people because they are birds of the treetops. They zot from tall treetop to tall treetop in search of nectar, which they collect from the flowers with their brush-tongues. All you would see of them on most occasions would be a green blur streaking across the sky and the fading sound of their high-pitched shrieks.

But not today! All the little darlings were bent on gobbling up as much nectar as they could get out of our gum blossoms. They crawled all over the tree and were close enough that we got a really good look at them. When they open their wings, you see a lovely flash of golden yellow which streaks the flanks of their bodies. They have a wide red band that goes from the lores across the eyes and down toward the neck. I've included a link to the Wikipedia article on them, but the picture doesn't do these birds justice. Flitting around in the afternoon sunshine, they look exactly like tiny jewels. While the Rainbows certainly live up to their name, the Musk Lorikeets seem to have a more vibrant green which shows up their other colours more vividly.

My kids and I spent nearly an hour gawping at the bounty of beautiful birds in our tree. Suddenly, *some*thing triggered the flock and they left as one in a swift, undulating flight and landed about a mile away in a very tall Eucalyptus tree in the next suburb. We could still hear them calling and shrieking at each other all that distance away! You can bet I'll be watching out for the Musk Lorikeets again tomorrow! Maybe hubby will be able to get a decent photo for me? :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musk_...h1yR8f62TD-28cdzwyuss2NhT3W-LfXnq0QT7Xol4BogA

PS. The scientific name of the Musk Lorikeet is _Glossopsittacus concinna_ from the Greek 'parrot-tongued' and the Latin 'elegant'.

cf. Rainbow Lorikeet: _Trichoglossus haematodus_ from the Greek 'hairy tongued' and the Latin 'blood red'.

The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)

Hmm! Lucky you! Wish I could trade places with you. Would kill to see 3 species of Lorikeets from the back yard. Here in India, I have seen 3 species of Parrots on the same day, only on 3 or 4 occasions in my life. Mostly it is just 1 (no prize for guessing which), occasionally 2 and 3 very rarely and 4 will be once in a blue moon :)
 

Rozalka

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The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)
They changed because the classification was changed a bit. This what was rainbow lorikeet (T. heamotodus) now is in 3 species: coconut lorikeet (T. heamotodus), rainbow lorikeet (T. moluccanus) and Biak lorikeet (T. rosenbergi)

There are many more species , not just 3. Scarlet breasted and Red collared being two others but I think there are a few more too. I can dig the details if interested.
I know - in the rainbow lorikeet species complex are 7 species but leaf, red collared, scarlet breasted and marigold lorikeets were seperated ealier than rainbow, coconut and biak lorikeets.
 

Rozalka

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I was sitting doing my homework (studying Ancient Greek this year) when my son came flying into my room bellowing 'Quick Mum! There's all these tiny little green birds in the tree! I don't know what they are!' He said they were green with flashes of yellow and had red bands around their heads.

So we all trooped out and studied the big Lemon-scented gum tree in the corner of the yard. It's in blossom now and it's quite a magnet for all the blossom-feeders around (including bats). Today at three o'clock, there were the usual zillions of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, but we estimated there were also somewhere between fifty and a hundred little Musk Lorikeets as well.

Hooray!!!

Musk Lorikeets are rarely ever noticed by most people because they are birds of the treetops. They zot from tall treetop to tall treetop in search of nectar, which they collect from the flowers with their brush-tongues. All you would see of them on most occasions would be a green blur streaking across the sky and the fading sound of their high-pitched shrieks.

But not today! All the little darlings were bent on gobbling up as much nectar as they could get out of our gum blossoms. They crawled all over the tree and were close enough that we got a really good look at them. When they open their wings, you see a lovely flash of golden yellow which streaks the flanks of their bodies. They have a wide red band that goes from the lores across the eyes and down toward the neck. I've included a link to the Wikipedia article on them, but the picture doesn't do these birds justice. Flitting around in the afternoon sunshine, they look exactly like tiny jewels. While the Rainbows certainly live up to their name, the Musk Lorikeets seem to have a more vibrant green which shows up their other colours more vividly.

My kids and I spent nearly an hour gawping at the bounty of beautiful birds in our tree. Suddenly, *some*thing triggered the flock and they left as one in a swift, undulating flight and landed about a mile away in a very tall Eucalyptus tree in the next suburb. We could still hear them calling and shrieking at each other all that distance away! You can bet I'll be watching out for the Musk Lorikeets again tomorrow! Maybe hubby will be able to get a decent photo for me? :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musk_...h1yR8f62TD-28cdzwyuss2NhT3W-LfXnq0QT7Xol4BogA

PS. The scientific name of the Musk Lorikeet is _Glossopsittacus concinna_ from the Greek 'parrot-tongued' and the Latin 'elegant'.

cf. Rainbow Lorikeet: _Trichoglossus haematodus_ from the Greek 'hairy tongued' and the Latin 'blood red'.

The bloody smarty-emu taxonomists have changed the Rainbow Lorikeet's name recently and re-named the species as 'moluccanus'. Considering the bird's distribution is heftiest *away* from the Straits of Molucca, I refuse to use it! So there!

Betrisher :)

Hmm! Lucky you! Wish I could trade places with you. Would kill to see 3 species of Lorikeets from the back yard. Here in India, I have seen 3 species of Parrots on the same day, only on 3 or 4 occasions in my life. Mostly it is just 1 (no prize for guessing which), occasionally 2 and 3 very rarely and 4 will be once in a blue moon :)
You also are lucky. I've never seen wild parrots.
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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I guess I am lucky! On any day, I might see little corellas, galahs, sulphur crested cockatoos, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, eastern rosellas, pale-headed rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, scaly-breasted lorikeets, musk lorikeets, little lorikeets, king parrots or (rarely) crimson rosellas.

I don't have to travel far to places where I can see gang gang cockatoos and glossy black cockatoos.

You'll all just have to pop over and visit, once this awful virus is gone. :)
 

Rozalka

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Recently I think I wanna more nad more to Australia.... maybe in 10-20 years....
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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You should come and visit! Most places in Oz aren't very big and fancy, except for the State capitals, of course. So if you want an outrageous night life or major shopping expeditions, you'd need to stay close to the coast. However, we have a massive variety of ecosystems to explore and they're all ancient and very specifically evolved to cope with being on the driest continent on earth.

Our birdlife is wildly varied, probably a reflection of the massively diverse plants and trees that exist here. Our wildflowers are unlike anything you'll see in Europe and they have a charm all their own. We have birds that range from the teenyweeny Weebill (a two-inch long variety of thornbill) right up to Old Man Emu, who traditionally will kick your dunny (outdoor toilet) down. We have amazing fish in our oceans and rivers (yes, including sharks, but even those are interesting) and we have thriving whale populations that visit us every season.

If you're a person who enjoys observing Nature, Australia is a great place to visit.

We have mountains for skiing, beaches for surfing, vineyards for wine appreciation. Our coastline is the largest in the world, our central desert the driest, our rainforest the most varied and our inland lakes the saltiest. We have vastly different varieties of most animal families, including frogs that bury themselves for years at a time, seahorses in which the fathers give birth, giant cuttlefish that change colour in an instant and six-foot-long earthworms (beat that!).

I've never met anyone who was sorry they came to Australia, so when COVID is over, come and see us! We'd love to have you! :)
 

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WOW! Now THAT'S a sales pitch! I'm sold. Sorry everyone, I'm moving down under lol!

But, seriously, I would love to go there someday.

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Rozalka

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You should come and visit! Most places in Oz aren't very big and fancy, except for the State capitals, of course. So if you want an outrageous night life or major shopping expeditions, you'd need to stay close to the coast. However, we have a massive variety of ecosystems to explore and they're all ancient and very specifically evolved to cope with being on the driest continent on earth.

Our birdlife is wildly varied, probably a reflection of the massively diverse plants and trees that exist here. Our wildflowers are unlike anything you'll see in Europe and they have a charm all their own. We have birds that range from the teenyweeny Weebill (a two-inch long variety of thornbill) right up to Old Man Emu, who traditionally will kick your dunny (outdoor toilet) down. We have amazing fish in our oceans and rivers (yes, including sharks, but even those are interesting) and we have thriving whale populations that visit us every season.

If you're a person who enjoys observing Nature, Australia is a great place to visit.

We have mountains for skiing, beaches for surfing, vineyards for wine appreciation. Our coastline is the largest in the world, our central desert the driest, our rainforest the most varied and our inland lakes the saltiest. We have vastly different varieties of most animal families, including frogs that bury themselves for years at a time, seahorses in which the fathers give birth, giant cuttlefish that change colour in an instant and six-foot-long earthworms (beat that!).

I've never met anyone who was sorry they came to Australia, so when COVID is over, come and see us! We'd love to have you! :)
During reading this, I reminded photos from Australia which my mum borrowed from her friend and there were raibow lorikeets in the trees. My mum thought they were fruits:D
The reason why I wanna there are just wild parrots... I know they are also in South America but I don't know why Australia is closer in my thoughts - maybe because I've also never been in English-spoken country (and it is stressfull to me)

Anyway at this moment it can be just a dream to me but I don't mean I won't be at all
 

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