I have been watching a kookaburra nest for about a month now and have seen 2 Rainbow Lorikeets regularly entering the hollow, they land in the opening and generally reverse in, the Kookaburra chick is quite mature and very vocal so I would have thought this would be the last place the lorikeets would consider nesting. Just thought this was interesting, but maybe its common?
Hmmm, interesting, have you seen the Kookaburra chick? Just a nasty idea, the nest might belong to the Lorikeets, and the Kooka could have gone into the nest to eat their eggs and chicks? Very intersted in what others think? Thanks for posting.
M-L
Yes I've seen the kookaburra chick, it still hasn't left the hollow and the adults are constantly going back and forth feeding it (it never shuts up and can be heard 150 mtrs away) but the lorikeets didn't seem worried, this went on for several weeks but I must admit I haven't noticed them this weekend but I have been busy. Something else I noticed with some wagtails nesting on our ariel. We watched therm raise 3 chicks and as soon as they left the nest the adults started fussing around the nest again and now the hen is back sitting on the nest as if she has new eggs. Is it normal for willy wagtails to raise more than 1 clutch of eggs in a season???
Willy Wagtails ,like most other birds, depending on the living conditions in the season, raise up to 4 broods. Looking at my resident Wrens they have lost two sets of young, possibly eaten by a Kookaburra. They are now building a new nest in a different location.
M-L
Hi cfolbigg. Some years ago Willie Wagtails raised 3 broods in the one nest on top of our pergola post. (Not at the same time, mind you, but in the same season).
Rainbows are very persistant and aggressive birds - no doubt they will be in that hollow as soon as the kookaburras are out. I have seen them digging out at the base of trees to breed instead of using a hollow!
I too have Kookaburra's and rainbow lorikeets nesting together. The baby lorikeets have left the nest and the baby Kookaburra is just starting to show himself.