Hi,
We have three bird houses with wireless cameras in them. One house is wooden and the other 2 are PVC round houses especially made for Rosella size birds. The wooden house has Rainbow Lorikeets in it and they had 2 eggs until last week when some critter got in and smashed the eggs. The Lorikeets immediately invaded one of the Rosella nests and smashed two eggs that the hen had just laid a few days prior. The two nests involved are about 25-30m apart so didn't think "territory" would be an issue. Last year the hen Eastern Rosella had two lots of eggs (6 & 5) with 6 out of the 11 surviving to fly away. We have noticed the extra Rosellas flying about the place now even after the bad bushfires around Port Macquarie at that time.
Is there a reason why the Rainbow Lorikeets took over the Eastern Rosella nest and smashed their eggs (a bit spitefull?) too and then drove the E/R hen away when she tried to return?
I have a "Flickr" page if anyone is interested in viewing the three nesting houses and our efforts to breed up the local eastern Rosellas.
Cheers and thanks to all for the contributors - very helpful site!!!
Graham
My breeding efforts can be seen here:-
Huh, interesting. I don't pretend to know the answer to your questions, but I know many parrots and other birds compete for nesting sites - perhaps this is a form of competition? I wouldn't have thought it was a direct retaliation from having their own eggs broken - sounds like anthropomorphism to attribute that kind of response - but perhaps losing their own eggs made them feel their own nest was insecure, and prompted them to start competing for other space? Very interesting, it would be great if you came back and updated this thread from time to time with your observations. Thanks for posting :-)
Hi Alex,
The Rainbow Lorikeet pair have moved back into their old wooden house and have one egg as of today(Sept 9) so will see what happens now. The eastern Rosella pair have not returned? Will monitor any changes and post it all on my Flickr page.
Cheers,
Graham
Hi, Unfortunately I have been ill with a brain tumour operation since posting and have not been able to reply to comments but all good now. This year i have three cameras up and working in nests-same as last year however after one pair of easterns had 6 eggs and the other pair 5 eggs something has raised the nest and killed one chick with 4 eggs missing? Could this be a small possum killijg the chicks and eating the eggs or perhaps a snake or lizard? Here is a link to my Flickr page to keep those that are interested up to date with what is going on.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/grace2790799/
Interestingly enough is I moved the rainbow Lorokeets nest a bit futher away and added some glass windows for better camera viewing but they have abanded the nest cancelling out the threat of them rainding the eastern Rosellas nests like last year. Would love to know what is killing the chccks and taking the eggs? Any nhelp- would be appreciated. Thanks
Hi gch. It's great to read that you're on the mend after your brain tumour operation. Extremely well done!
A small possum seems to me the most likely predator but a snake or lizard might fit the bill, too. I'm curious to learn what other BirdsinBackyarders have to say.
Agree with Woko.
Glad to hear that all went well. Best news!