Trichoglossus moluccanus

Rainbow Lorikeet at Garran, ACT

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Identification history

	Trichoglossus moluccanus	19 Oct 2020	Liam.m
	Trichoglossus moluccanus	19 Oct 2020	AdventureGirl

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User's notes

This pair of rainbow lorikeets inspected three separate tree hollows near Red Hill's main trail intersection, possibly evaluating nest sites. I read that there are several sub-species of this bird; can anyone tell me how to distinguish between them?

3 comments

Liam.m wrote:

19 Oct 2020

In ACT only one subspecies, which is the one you have photographed. Red collared lorikeet is the other subspecies resident in Australia but only found in the Kimberley, northern NT and the gulf of carpentaria. It differs from Rainbow lorikeets by having an orange collar rather than green a black belly, and a blue patch at the back of the neck. Coconut lorikeets (which are another subspecies) are rarely recorded in Australia, mainly in the Torres Strait, the only difference between them and rainbow is that they have a Black belly

AdventureGirl wrote:

19 Oct 2020

Thanks, Liam.m! Canberra's birdlife is new to me, and these were the first lorikeets I've even seen; glad to know I can't confuse any sub-species around here.

Liam.m wrote:

19 Oct 2020

All g, glad I could help

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