Rainbow Lorikeet

Trichoglossus moluccanus

A brush-tipped tongue laps nectar straight from blossoms. Screams into every eucalyptus at sunset with zero apology.

Population: Global population unquantified by IUCN/BirdLife; described as abundant in northern Australia, rare in Tasmania, with an overall decreasing population trend (per BirdLife DataZone 2024 assessment)
Habitat: Rainforest, coastal bush, woodlands, and well-treed urban/suburban areas, from sea level up to about 700 m elevation
Fun fact: The Rainbow Lorikeet has a specially adapted tongue tipped with brush-like/papillate structures that it uses to lap up nectar and pollen from flowers.
Range: Native and resident along Australia's eastern seaboard from northern Queensland to South Australia (extent of occurrence ~3,810,000 km²); introduced/naturalized populations established in Tasmania, near Perth (Western Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), and Hong Kong
Diet: Primarily nectar and pollen from flowering trees/shrubs (e.g. eucalyptus, Grevillea, Pittosporum), plus fruits, seeds, and occasional insects; has a specialized brush/papillate-tipped tongue for harvesting nectar and pollen
Size: 0.27 m

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