Habitat & Range
These lorikeets live in portions of coastal Australia and on nearby islands. They are one of 12 genera of lories and lorikeets. The genus Trichoglossus includes eleven species and numerous subspecies. The rainbow lorikeet is widespread throughout northern and eastern Australia; the scarlet-breasted lorikeet is found on the Lesser Sunda Islands; the coconut lorikeet is native to New Guinea and north Queensland, Australia.
All species live in a variety of lowlands including secondary coastal forests, primary forests, coconut groves, plantations, savanna and mangroves.
Lorikeet species tend to form monogamous pairs, mating for life. Pairs groom one another while resting. They live in noisy flocks that can include several species and range in size from several pairs to hundreds depending on the abundance of food. They are very active and vocal, screeching as they fly through the canopy and chattering as they feed.
IUCN Status: Least Concern (coconut and rainbow), Vulnerable (scarlet-breasted)
Threats to Scarlet-breasted lorikeets include trapping for the pet trade and habitat loss. Because their range on the Lesser Sunda Islands north of Australia is small, habitat loss is a particular concern.
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