Musk Lorikeet drops by
Very occasionally, we’re lucky enough to see Musk Lorikeets in the gum trees around our house. Today was such a day:
They’re pretty little parrots, with a clearly-defined red mask around their eyes. Their predominant colour is green, with tinges of red, blue, and yellow.
The more boldly-coloured Rainbow Lorikeets are frequent visitors. It’s a treat when I hear the slightly different trilling call of the Musk Lorikeets, grab my camera, and am rewarded with a view like the ones in this post.
The lorikeets come to drink the nectar from the gum tree flowers. Here’s another view of the same Musk Lorikeet:
Common name: Musk Lorikeet
Scientific name: Glossopsitta concinna
Approximate length: 23 cm
Date spotted: 3 April 2023 (autumn)
Location: Allambie Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Posted on 2023/04/03, in Birds, Lorikeet, Parrot and tagged australia, birds, birdwatching, Musk Lorikeet, parrots, Sydney birds. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Sydney Birder 
Do they destroy the flowers when they take the nectar?
I don’t think they destroy the flowers. They have special brushes on their tongues to collect the nectar. I once got a good shot of the tongue of a Rainbow Lorikeet when it was feeding on a Banksia flower. Impressive to see!
Fascinating. We only have ring-necked parakeets here (Belgium). They escaped years ago and have bred profusely. Always a colorful addition to the garden though, if somewhat noisy!
Fantastic photos of these wonderful visitors!