Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Emu Emu Society
Journal of BirdLife Australia
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MU > MU07062
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 108(2)

Importance of eucalypts in exploitation of urban parks by Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets

Justine Smith A and Alan Lill A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Wildlife Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Vic. 3800, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: alan.lill@sci.monash.edu.au

Emu 108(2) 187-195 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU07062
Submitted: 17 October 2007  Accepted: 16 May 2008   Published: 20 June 2008

Abstract

The abundance and distribution of Rainbow (Trichoglossus haematodus) and Musk (Glossopsitta concinna) Lorikeets in Melbourne have increased markedly in recent years. We studied the feeding ecology of the two species, and their interspecific aggressive interactions, in some parks in Melbourne in spring and summer to determine how availability of food might affect the success of this urban proliferation. The diets of both species were dominated by nectar or pollen (the two were not distinguished in this study) from 5–6 species of eucalypts. Feeding on native plants not indigenous to the Melbourne region accounted for 61% and 74% of feeding records of Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets respectively. Both lorikeets foraged mainly in the tree canopy (99% of records), mostly perching upright or hanging to reach their food. Nectar and pollen were readily available through spring and summer because five important eucalypt food-plant species flowered constantly and several other food-plant species flowered for a substantial proportion of the time. There was little use of lorikeet food resources by other species of bird, and lorikeets were only involved in 3.5 interspecific aggressive encounters at feeding sites per observation week. The feeding ecology of the lorikeets in spring–summer was broadly similar to that reported for Melbourne in winter and for non-urban habitats in northern and eastern Australia. Abundant nectar and pollen from ornamental eucalypts planted in the twentieth century and the apparently low level of competitive interactions with other bird species for these resources have probably been important in facilitating the recent increase in abundance and distribution of both lorikeets in Melbourne.


Acknowledgements

We thank Dale Tonkinson and Robin Adair for help with plant identification.


References

Adams L. W. (1994). ‘Urban Wildlife Habitats.’ (University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis, MN.)

Beer R., Frank S., and Waters G. (2001). Overview of street tree populations in Melbourne – turn of the 21st century. Horticultural Project Report, Burnley College, University of Melbourne.

Begon M., Townsend C. R., and Harper J. L. (2006). ‘Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems’, 4th edn. (Blackwell Publications: Malden, MA.)

Blair R. B. (2001). Birds and butterflies along urban gradients in two ecoregions of the U.S. In ‘Biotic Homogenization’. (Eds J. L. Lockwood and M. L. McKinney.) pp. 33–56. (Kluwer: Norwell, MA.)

Brooker M. I. H., and Kleinig D. A. (1994). ‘Field Guide to Eucalypts. Vol. 3: Northern Australia.’ (Inkata Press: Sydney.)

Brooker M. I. H., and Kleinig D. A. (1999). ‘Field Guide to Eucalypts. Vol. 1: South-eastern Australia.’ (Bloomings Books: Melbourne.)

Brooker M. I. H., and Kleinig D. A. (2001). ‘Field Guide to Eucalypts. Vol. 2: South-western and Southern Australia.’ (Bloomings Books: Melbourne.)

Cannon, C. E. (1984). The diet of lorikeets Trichoglossus spp. in the Queensland–New South Wales border region. Emu 84, 16–22.
Catterall C. P. (2004). Birds, garden plants and suburban bushlots: where good intentions meet unexpected outcomes. In ‘Urban Wildlife: More Than Meets the Eye.’ (Eds D. Lunney and S. Burgin.) pp. 21–31. (Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales: Sydney.)

Costermans L. F. (2000). ‘Native Trees and Shrubs of South-eastern Australia.’ (Reed New Holland: Sydney.)

Courtney, J. , and Debus, S. J. S. (2006). Breeding habits and conservation status of the Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna and Little Lorikeet G. pusilla in northern New South Wales. Australian Field Ornithology 23, 109–124.
Cremer K. W., Cromer R. M., and Florence R. G. (1978). Stand establishment. In ‘Eucalypts for Wood Production’. (Eds W. E. Hills and A. G. Brown.) pp. 81–135. (CSIRO: Canberra.)

Crome F., and Shields J. (1992). ‘Parrots and Pigeons of Australia.’ (Angus & Robertson: Sydney.)

Emison W. B., Beardsell C. M., Norman F. I., Loyn R. H., and Bennett S. C. (1987). ‘Atlas of Victorian Birds.’ (RAOU and Department of Conservation, Forests and Land: Melbourne.)

Fitzsimons, J. A. , Palmer, G. C. , Antos, M. J. , and White, J. G. (2003). Refugees and residents: densities and habitat preferences of lorikeets in urban Melbourne. Australian Field Ornithology 20, 2–7.
Gray M., and Knight J. (Eds) (2001). ‘Flora of Melbourne: A Guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne area.’ 3rd edn. (Australian Plants Society: Melbourne.)

Hasebe, M. , and Franklin, D. C. (2004). Food source of the Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus during the early wet season on the urban fringe of Darwin, Northern Australia. Corella 28, 68–74.
Higgins P. J. (Ed.) (1999). ‘Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol. 4: Parrots to Dollarbird.’ (Oxford University Press: Melbourne.)

Lamont, D. , and Burbidge, A. (1996). Rainbow Lorikeets: invaders in the suburbs. Landscope 12, 17–21.
Low T. (2002). ‘The New Nature.’ (Penguin: Melbourne.)

Lowry, H. , and Lill, A. (2007). Ecological factors facilitating city-dwelling in red-rumped parrots. Wildlife Research 34, 624–631.
Rogers F. J. C. (1993). ‘A Field Guide to Victorian Wattles.’ (La Trobe University Press: Melbourne.)

Shukuroglou, P. , and McCarthy, M. (2006). Modelling the occurrence of rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) in Melbourne. Austral Ecology 31, 240–253.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Stanford, L. , and Lill, A. (in press). Out on the town: winter feeding ecology of invasive lorikeets in suburban parkland. Corella 32(2),


Van der Ree, R. , McDonnell, M. J. , Temby, I. D. , Nelson, J. , and Whittingham, E. (2006). The establishment and dynamics of a recently established urban camp of Pteropus poliocephalus outside their geographic range. Journal of Zoology 268, 177–185.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Veerman, P. A. (1991). The changing status of the Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in south-east Australia: the role of wild and escaped birds. Australian Bird Watcher 14, 3–9.


Waterhouse, R. D. (1997). Some observations on the ecology of the rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus in Oatley, south Sydney. Corella 21, 17–24.


White, J. G. , Antos, M. J. , Fitzsimons, J. A. , and Palmer, G. C. (2005). Non-uniform bird assemblages in urban environments: the influence of streetscape vegetation. Landscape and Urban Planning 71, 123–135.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams, N. G. , McDonnell, M. J. , Phelan, G. K. , Keim, L. D. , and Van der Ree, R. (2006). Range expansion due to urbanization: increased food resources attract Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) to Melbourne. Austral Ecology 31, 190–198.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yau, D. P. (1982). Street trees of Melbourne. Arboricultural Journal 6, 95–105.


Young, K. M. , Daniels, C. B. , and Johnston, G. (2007). Species of street tree is important for southern hemisphere bird trophic guilds. Austral Ecology 32, 541–550.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |