1. Horticulture

2. Competition with other species

3. State of Victoria Information sources

4. Supporting Documents

5. Other References

6. Email

The State of Victoria covers an area of 227,000 square kilometres (about 15% smaller than the area of New Zealand).
The Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haemotodus moluccanus) extends over most of the southern half of the state, becoming rarer in inland areas.

Horticulture

The Shepparton district of North Victoria is an important fruit growing area, growing a wide variety of pip and stone fruit.

Reports from Wildlife officers and the Northen Fruit Growers Association indicate that Rainbow lorikeets are not a problem in the area, maximum flock sizes being only 20 to 30. Important native bird pests are Ravens, Silver eyes, and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, and the Musk Lorikeet when it occurs in large flocks. The worst non-native pests are Blackbirds and Starlings. Blackbirds and Starlings in particular can cause considerable damage to cherries. Most large growers of more valuable crops such as cherries use nets to protect against Blackbirds and Starlings.

Permits to cull the Rainbow Lorikeet where it is a pest of crops may be granted on application to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. A total of 9 permits have been issued statewide over the last 5 years. A total of 120 birds were shot as a result of these permits.

Competition with other Species

The range of the Rainbow Lorikeet in Victoria extends throughout the southern half of the state. In this range the Rainbow Lorikeet co-exists in mutual competition with the following parrots and honeyeaters, all of which overlap in resource requirements either of food (nectar and pollen) or nest sites (suitable nest holes) with it:

Parrots:          Resource Overlap
3 Species        Lorikeet nectar, pollen, nest sites
1 Species        Swift Parrot nectar, nest sites
16 Species        other Parrot nest sites

Honeyeaters:    Resource Overlap
2 Species          Wattlebird nectar
1 Species          Friar Bird nectar
2 Species          Miner Bird nectar
18 Species         Honeyeater nectar

Rainbow lorikeets were common in Melbourne around 1900, and have recovered their population in recent decades, probably because the increased planting of flowering trees is providing more food for honeyeaters and lorikeets. No references could be found that interspecific competion between Rainbow Lorikeets and any other species for food or nest sites is anything other than normal, apart from one anecdotal account of Rainbow Lorikeets taking over Starling and possibly Eastern Rosella nest holes, and that populations of Eastern Spinebills, a small honeyeater have increased, possibly due to climate.

 STATE OF VICTORIA INFORMATION SOURCES

Debra McAlister, Admin Officer, phone 00613-5833-5944, fax 00613-5833-5299

Debra McAlister provided data (enclosed) showing the number of damage mitigation permits issued over the last 5 years in Victoria.

David Trickey, Wildlife Officer, phone 00613-5833-5944, fax 00613-5833-5299

I contacted these officers to clarify claims made in the Rainbow Lorikeet Technical Information Media Package published by the Department of Conservation about February 1999, that Rainbow Lorikeets were a significant pest to soft fruit in Northern Victoria.

I called David Trickey in March seeking information on damage to horticultural crops in the area of Tatura, the NRE office close to the fruit growing district of Shepparton, North Victoria.

David Trickey said in the phone conversation:
That the Sheparton area of North Victoria is an important fruit growing area about 400 sq km, and grows a wide variety of pip and stone fruit. That RBLs are not a problem in the area, but that Musk Lorikeets can be. Flocks of 500 to 1000 Musk Lorikeets are seen but RBLs occur in maximum flock sizes of 20 to 30. That it is probably too cool for RBLs to thrive in this area. That apart from the Musk Lorikeet, other major native flying pests are Ravens, Silver eyes and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. That the worst non-native pests are Blackbirds and Starlings, mainly a pest of cherry crops.

Norm Mitchelmore, Executive Officer, phone 00613-5821-5844

I called Norm Mitchelmore on recommendation from David Trickey seeking information from growers on damage to horticultural crops in the fruit growing district of Shepparton, North Victoria.

Norm Mitchelmore said in the phone conversation:
That RBLs are not a problem, never noticed them much in the area, but Ravens, Silver eyes, Musk Lorikeets, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Blackbirds and Starlings damage crops with Ravens and Sulphur Crested cockatoos causing most of the damage. That on the occasions when large flocks of Musk Lorikeets come down through the Murray and Gulbin River valleys they can cause up to 50% of the total bird damage. Blackbirds and Starlings in particular can cause considerable damage to cherries. Most large growers of more valuable crops such as cherries use nets to protect against Blackbirds and Starlings.

Simon Kennedy, Wildlife Officer, phone 00613-5430-4444, fax 00613-5430-4982

I sent an email (enclosed) to Simon Kennedy in June seeking information on Lorikeets and Honeyeaters which he was studying. He replied (enclosed) giving details of the increase in nectar eaters in Melbourne.

Simon Kennedy said later in the phone conversation:
That the figures for the increase in Honeyeaters along with the Rainbow Lorikeet increase from the Perth census was interesting. That the habit of the Tui of taking over a large tree for the whole day and keeping every other bird was the same habit as the larger Australian Honeyeaters. That in his study area the Musk, Purple Crowned and Little Lorikeet all smaller than than the Rainbow Lorikeet all feed alongside smaller Honeyeaters quite happily. Musks very occasionally show some aggression to the small Honeyeaters, the Purple Crowned and Little Lorikeet never show aggression. The large Honeyeaters will show aggression to small Honeyeaters, but it depends on the amount of nectar about, for example the large aggressive Friar Bird will chase away the smaller birds, but not if there is plenty of nectar.That often there are enough flowers for a dozen species of nectar eaters to exist in a few hectares, but at other time the large honeyeaters more or less exclude everything else, leaving Friar Birds, Red Wattle Birds and nothing else. That he would forward contacts for census reports and others in Melbourne to me.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Letter from D McAlister, 9 March 1999
Email to S Kennedy, 26 May 1999
Email from S Kennedy, 8 June 1999

OTHER REFERENCES
Forshaw, J.M., Australian Parrots, Lansdowne Press 1981
Pizzey, G., A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Collins 1982
HANZAB, Handbook of Australian, NZ, and Antarctic Birds Vol 4, Oxford 1999

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