Monday 12 January 2009

Parrot Month at 10,000 Birds

10,000 Birds is loaded with parrotlicious goodness this month. Why? Not only are parrots gorgeous and fascinating birds but many of them are also in serious trouble from habitat modification, over-collection and hunting. Read about them and ponder the fate of this wonderful group of birds.

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Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus), a nectar-eating parrot from northern and eastern Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomons and New Caledonia. Two subspecies occur in Australia. This is the nominate subspecies (T. h. haematodus) from the east. The red-collared form (T. h. rubritorquatus) is found across the Top End.

ETA: Rainbow lorikeets are not endangered in Australia. But they will endanger your car's paintwork if you leave it under a tree where they're feeding. Sticky stuff, lorikeet poo. I speak from experience.