BirdingNZ.net

Spotted a lone Rainbow Lorikeet at the Pungerehu community swimming pools yesterday. Almost certainly an escapee, however it was fully flighted and quite wary, so I suspect it has been out for a while.

I have reported it to MPI Biosecurity so hopefully the owner will be found. I am not aware of any previous records around the region (probably because it is so underbirded) but would be interested to know if anyone else has had a similar sighting.

Cheers,

I spotted a pair of rainbow lorikeets at Waitara river mouth on 13 Oct and again 13 Nov. Very wary, flying between the banks of the river from East Quay and into the small wetland area.

"The main reasons that efforts are made to eradicate rainbow lorikeets in New Zealand is to eliminate any potential threat to horticulture, and to reduce the risk of parrot-specific diseases that they may carry infecting native parrots, including kakapo. Rainbow lorikeets also compete with other nectar-feeding species; in Auckland, they excluded tui from nectar feeders. They can occur in large flocks, and elsewhere damage apples, grapes and other soft fruit. Feral rainbow lorikeets in Auckland out-competed other species for nest holes. They may be kept in secure aviaries and cages, but it is illegal to release rainbow lorikeets to the wild."

http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species ... w-lorikeet

Don't forget Eastern rosellas and Rainbow lorikeets are both unprotected Australian birds, they can be pests to orchards and attack kakarikis & kick them out of nest holes.

So either eradicate both Eastern rosellas and Rainbow lorikeets or let them roam freely.