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A Commentary on
Rainbow Lorikeets
a Fact Sheet published by the Department of Conservation, February 1999

Abstract: A new compilation of evidence from a number of sources shows that the claims made by the Department of Conservation in various publications against the Rainbow Lorikeet are either exaggerated or incorrect. The evidence suggests that the Rainbow Lorikeet poses no threat to birds or humans by disease, that it is anatomically not adapted to live and breed in the NZ bush, that it poses no threat to native birds by competition for food or nest sites, that the bird poses no threat to the horticultural industry, and that by publishing false information on this matter the Department of Conservation has misinformed and mislead the Prime Minister, the Minister of Conservation and the public of New Zealand. The writer asks the Minister of Conservation to direct his Department to withdraw all misleading information and to correct the misinformation already broadcast about the Rainbow Lorikeet. He also suggests that the totally inappropriate and ridiculous classification of the Rainbow Lorikeet as an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act be withdrawn for the reason that the "evidence" which has been presented to the Chief Technical Officer is incorrect, and further asks that the Minister reconsider any moves to declare the bird unprotected under the Wildlife Act pending an independent review of the evidence presented in this commentary. The writer also suggests that a contemplated capture program of the Rainbow Lorikeet would be an unnecessary waste of taxpayer’s money and departmental resources, and that the time money and effort earmarked for this possibly unsuccessful program of destruction will be more wisely spent on constructive efforts at preserving predator free island environments for native birds.

Contents
1   Origins of the claims
2   Additional Claims
3   Smith's compelling scientific evidence
4   Fact sheet influence
5   Misleading information
6   Fact References

7   List of Included Documents
8   Additional references
9   Horticultural and ecological summaries
10  Video Clips
11  Newspapers
12  The Author

This DOC Fact Sheet written as public information claims that the Rainbow Lorikeet is a threat to NZ horticulture, that it is a threat to NZ native birds by competition for food and nest resources, and that it is a threat to birds and humans through disease.

Origins of the claims
The majority of information issued by DOC about the Rainbow Lorikeets can be traced to a report written about 1998 by Auckland DOC scientist Terry Greene entitled "Potential Impact of Rainbow Lorikeets Released in Suburban North Shore, Auckland" (Greene 1998). The report may have been written under the direction of the current Auckland Conservancy Threatened Species officer, Shaarina Boyd. Ms Boyd has studied Tuis, while Greene is known for his research on the Kakariki - neither is known for any published research on Rainbow Lorikeet. Greene’s report may have been inspired by a paper published in Eclectus of October 1997 entitled "Rainbow Lorikeets: An Avian Weed in the West" (Lamont 1997). Lamont appears to exhibits a personal antipathy towards Rainbow Lorikeets evident in the paper’s title (Lamont RBLWA). In the paper Lamont made a number of claims about the potential dangers of Rainbow Lorikeets in Perth, Western Australia, particularly the adverse effect by interference competition on a number of other bird species, but without showing any substantive evidence, and without making reference to easily available statistics. Greene in his paper added to these claims a selection of references from other Australian research and extended Lamont’s free interpretation of interference competition in birds to his own predictions and opinions as to the likely impact of Lorikeets in New Zealand, again apparently without showing substantive evidence.

Additional claims
Additional claims presumably based loosely on Greene’s earlier paper were released to the media by the Department of Conservation in February 1999 entitled ‘Rainbow Lorikeet Technical Information Media Package", without citing any author or references sources of the "technical information" provided. Many of the claims in this document distort claims made in Greene’s earlier paper, and introduce further erroneous data.

Smith’s ‘compelling scientific evidence’
The "Technical Information Media Package" was issued to the media with letter from the Minister of Conservation, Dr Nick Smith, entitled "Smith says Aussie Birds must Go". In his letter Dr Smith referred to "the compelling scientific evidence" presented to him, and cited some interesting enhancements on this evidence. It is not known whether Dr Smith checked the accuracy of the data provided to him by the Department of Conservation.

Fact sheet influence
The Department of Conservation also published in February the Rainbow Lorikeet Fact Sheet which is the main subject of this commentary. The Fact Sheet summarised and modified a number of previous claims about the bird derived from Greene’s paper but again without citing any author or reference sources. As the Department of Conservation is generally respected for its work with endangered species it is these "facts" which have been responsible for influencing the opinion of a trusting public against the birds. This has triggered severe condemnation of the Rainbow Lorikeet by all concerned with the future of native birds, particularly by a minority of Forest and Bird members who have escalated the level of controversy into a witch-hunt entirely on the information supplied by the Department. The same information promoted by DOC has been used as a basis for an article published in Forest and Bird magazine (The Curse of the Lorikeet, Forest and Bird, No 292, May 1999). The article, by respected conservation journalist Gordon Ell, has repeated the DOC claims (particularly those on interspecific competition) in the mistaken belief they had the backing of scientific evidence. The same errors have also been repeated publicly (NSTA, July 22 1999) with no attempt at independent verification of the DOC "facts".

Misleading information
This commentary will introduce evidence to show that the claims made in the Fact Sheet against the Rainbow Lorikeet are not "scientifically compelling" as the Minister believed but are either exaggerated or incorrect, that the Rainbow Lorikeet poses no threat to native birds by disease or competition, that it poses no threat to the horticultural industry, and that by publishing false information on this matter the Department of Conservation has misinformed and mislead the public.

References
The following text examines the incorrect claims in the Fact Sheet, citing reference material from the list of published works listed at the end of this commentary, and from the accompanying research reports. These reports (coded RBLNT, RBLQL, RBLWA, RBLSA, RBLTA) summarise information from correspondence undertaken by the author with Australian government officers and authorities in the field of horticulture, wildlife conservation, and pest control, and with Australian academic authorities in the field of ornithology. In all cases these summaries include references to a published sources or included copy documents, and the references are listed at the end of each report. Due to the shortage of time much of the data is in the form of file notes taken during telephone conversations with Australian authorities. In the case of these oral reports full contact details including telephone and fax numbers are included for verification of data where thought necessary.

In the body of the commentary, where no reference to published works or summaries is given the observations, opinions and conclusions are those of the author. These have been limited in order to reduce any accusation that his conclusions show bias or a disregard for scientific accuracy.

This commentary and the accompanying research summaries have been viewed by Dr Brian Gill, Ornithologist at the Auckland Museum, who has assisted the author with a number of helpful comments.

List of Documents included with this commentary

Department of Conservation documents
Anon , The Rainbow Lorikeet Fact Sheet, DOC Feb 1999a
Greene T, Potential Impact of Rainbow Lorikeets Released in Suburban North Shore, Auckland, DOC internal report 1998
Anon , Rainbow Lorikeet Technical Information Media Package, DOC, 1999b
Smith, N, Smith says Aussie Birds must Go, letter 18 Feb 1999a
Smith , N, Aussie Lorikeets Join Unwanted List, letter 15 July 1999b
Shipley, J, Reply to children regarding Rainbow Lorikeets, Letter 6 April 1999
Stanislawek , W, Disease Investigation of Rainbow Lorikeets, MAF letter 25 Feb 1999
Houghton , G, Subject: Prosecution Wildlife Act, DOC internal letter 24 Jan 1999
Anon , Extract from lorerad.doc, Auckland Conservancy, April? 1999c

Additional references
Arnold, K, Honeyeaters, Email 12 June 1999
Caterall, C, Urban Nectar Eaters, Email 11 June 1999
Menkhorst, P, Urban Nectar Eaters, Email 15 June 1999
Geering, D, Urban Nectar Eaters, Email 11 June 1999
Oliver, D, Urban Nectar Eaters, Email 11 June 1999
Reid, J, Urban Nectar Eaters, Email 11 June 1999
de la Motte, K , Curator, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore, Faxed enquiry to, 9 July 1999a
de la Motte, K , Curator, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore, Email reply, 9 July 1999b

The author

Rex Gilfillan was born at Takapuna in 1939 and educated at Takapuna Grammar and Auckland University before working in Europe and North America. In 1972 he founded his own business designing and manufacturing electronic equipment which now employs 25 staff in New Zealand, with a further 25 staff in a joint venture company in China. His business has sponsored the Kaka at the Auckland Zoo for many years. His home in Birkenhead is set in 1.3 acres of native bush.

He has had a lifetime interests in conservation matters, and a passion for all birds, and counts among his more memorable experiences a six months tour of national parks in America observing wildlife, several birdwatching tours of Australia, a trip to the Sub Antarctic Islands Auckland and Campbell Islands, and a trip to observe the rare Rarotongan fly catcher.

He has previously assisted the Department Of Conservation by eradicating the Norway rat from Saddle Island in the Hauraki Gulf at his own expense, and planted over 400 trees on Tiri Tiri Island.

He is a member of the following conservation organisations:
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Society of New Zealand (life member)
The Auckland Institute and Museum (life member)
World Wildlife Fund (life member)
Greenpeace
The Royal NZ Forest and Bird Society (life member)

A covering letter    Letter to Ministry of Agriculture    Letter to Dr Smith    Birkenhead Poster

DOC's Fact Sheet     Rainbow Lorikeets-unwanted Organism     DOC's Budget-shooting and trapping

THE RAINBOW TRUST, PO BOX 34-892 BIRKENHEAD