Wild Pied Variation of the Rainbow Lorikeet

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datmummy
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Wild Pied Variation of the Rainbow Lorikeet

Hi Everyone,

I thought I'd share these pictures with you, I'm not sure how common this is in the wild, but I was very excited when this bird came to visit us. It's a bright yellow rainbow Lorikeet. I think it's called a pied varitation, and can be acheived by avid bird breeders in captivity.

I'm not a photographer by any means, although I tried to capture this beauty as good as I could.

I hope you enjoy.

pacman
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a very interesting colouration, I have never seen anything like that

what city/town and state?

Peter

datmummy
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Hi Peter,

I'm near Coffs Harbour in NSW. The bird was hanging around for a couple of weeks, but I haven't seen it lately. Hopefully it's bright yellow colours hasn't led to its downfall to a bird of prey. I hope it comes back

clif2
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Thanks for showing us this unusual sighting and it seemed to be accepted by the others.

Regards

               Shane

Woko
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Does anyone find it sad that breeders are developing colours in birds like this one?

pacman
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I am a purist and prefer the natural colours rather than the man-created (I am aware of natural variations)

Peter

datmummy
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I thought this was a natural variation. I could only find out what it was called by looking up bird breeding websites. I'm not a breeder, and I do not support bird breeding, I just thought that this variation is very unusual. There are thousands of lorikeets here each afternoon and I enjoy them frollicking in my bird bath, and eating the necture from the eucalypt blossoms. I thought capturing and sharing this bird was a positive thing. I'm surrounded by thousands and thousands of acres of national park and forests so I presumed this bird was wild, please correct me if I'm wrong.

datmummy
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Hang on, don't correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm right. It's definitely a wild lorikeet with a pied colour variation. I don't agree with bird breeding, but mutations are a natural thing. Ever heard of Darwins theory of evolution? It's just lucky for me that this mutant came to visit my backyard. Being such a rare occurrence I thought I'd share it with the users of "Birds in Backyards." Considering the magnificent pictures and birds captured on film here, I didn't think this picture would be lost in a debate on bird breeding. How about everyone just enjoy the wonder of NATURE and NATURAL mutation or a rainbow lorikeet.  

ScottTas
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Thanks for sharing these photos. Natural or not, I've never seen any variations in Rainbow Lorikeets, so this is interesting to me. I'm sure no one meant offense to you for posting the photos. Inevitably there are some things which will get people debating, that's life I guess. I would guess this is most likely an aviary escapee. Perhaps you could put fliers up in case someone is missing it?

I've actually often wondered how it is that birds like Budgerigars have remained with only their true colours in the wild - there are so many other colours around in pet birds. But I guess they just either don't survive if they escape or other colours suffer greater predation in the wild etc... I must confess that I do find it sad that we meddle with these things, but that's human nature I guess. We wouldn't have dogs or cats either if we didn't (or feral cats?!! etc etc...).

Thanks again for posting the photos, we do like to discuss related issues sometimes. Please don't be offended by that.

Cheers,

Scott.

Woko
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Hi datmummy. There's no doubting rainbow lorikeets are stunners & to be enjoyed for themselves & I thank you for posting your delightful photos of them.

I thought you might have been raising the question in your original posting as to whether this bird was deliberately bred or a natural mutation. I don't have any problems with the bird being a natural mutation assuming that's what it is. I wouldn't have any control over that anyway. However, I feel very uneasy about birds being deliberately bred that way & see this as humans divorcing themselves from Nature, a process which is leading to all sorts of problems these days. Sometimes animals which are genetically manipulated by humans get into wild populations & pose the risk of interfering with natural selection.

 Anyway, thanks for triggering my thoughts on mutations, datmummy.

datmummy
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Hi Scott,

I'm not offended, just trying to redirect comments regarding the pictures, and reiterate that it is a wild bird. This birds behaviour does not indicate that it's an escapee from an aviary. Escaped birds are very easy to decifer from wild birds. There are slow, respond to food, allow you to walk up to it, and are often targeted (bullied) by other birds. This bird is flighty, aware, and interacting normally with it's fellow Rainbow Lorikeets. I'd suggest that you haven't seen a variation in a wild Budgerigar for the same reason you haven't seen a variation in a wild Rainbow Lorikeet.... because it's rare. If you research variations in Lorikeets you will also find that there are so many different colours in pet Lorikeets.

If this was an escaped aviary Rainbow Lorikeet, the resident Australian Hobby and Peregrine Falcon would've finished sooner. This beauty remained for the couple of weeks with the thousands of Rainbow Lorikeets that flocked to my backyard, interacting for breeding purposes. The Rainbow Lorikeets have now dispursed to nest and reproduce, I hope this bird has found a mate and passes on it's mutation.

This is one of the best examples of natural selection in the wild that I have ever seen. I hope that people can see these pictures for what they are.

icadsky
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I was excited to see your photo as I saw one very similar only this week in Hornsby Heights and I had been trying to identify it. It's front was entirely yellow, same yellow and green markings on its back to the one you photographed, with a similar coloured head. It, too, was in the company of a wild Rainbow Lorikeet and acted like a wild bird. I only wish I had had enough time to take a photo!

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