Wheeling swiftly from tree to tree, flocks of lorikeet can be difficult to identify, but the purple crown of this bird is distinctive when the flock is feeding on flowers, particularly of eucalypts. They can be seen along treed roadsides or creeks, darting from the top of the canopy almost to the ground.

They are specialist nectar feeders and their range may change with newly planted nectar producing trees. They have a specialized brush tipped tongue and long narrow bills. They lay three to four eggs in a nest made of debris in small holes in trees.

Size: 15-17cm

Photo: Mark Trinham. Illustration: Mark Trinham.