Purple-crowned Lorikeets Glossopsitta porphyrocephala have been resident in Seaholme (Long. 144o50'E Lat 37o52'S), between Williamstown and Altona (to the west of Melbourne), Victoria since I arrived in the area in April 1996. Between April and June 1996 flocks of up to 20 birds were regularly recorded feeding in the flowering gum trees that line the railway track. At this time other flocks were noted on the shores of Cherry Lake, near Altona civic hall, in Altona town centre, in fact wherever there were winter flowering eucalypts. Subsequently only pairs or small parties of up to six birds have been seen.
At dusk on 26 June 1996, two Purple-crowned Lorikeets were seen circling over Seaholme station, just above tree height, prior to roosting. Their chosen roost was one of the metal pipes from which the railway's overhead electric cables are supported. The pipes have a square cross-section with sides of c. 5 cm. They are c. 2.5 m long of which 1 m is horizontal while the portion closest to the supporting stanchion slopes down at a 45o angle. Along a 2 km section of the Altona branch line of the railway, between the Millers Road level-crossing and east to the Kororoit Creek bridge are 36 stanchions from which the overhead electric cables are suspended. Since the first observation in June 1996 and until the end of the year Purple-crowned Lorikeets had been observed flying to roost, either singly or in pairs (but never more than two birds to a pipe), in 11 of the pipes. Other pipes may have been used during this period but unless the birds were seen entering, leaving or were heard calling from inside the pipe they would easily have escaped detection. Each observed roosting site was within 200 m of a flowering gum tree.
Purple-crowned Lorikeets were able to fly directly into the pipes. If a pair approached a pipe together the second bird would almost hover at the mouth of the pipe before it too darted inside. They were also seen to climb into and out of the pipe from a perching position on top.
There are no previous references to Purple-crowned Lorikeets roosting in hollows, whether natural or man-made although this would seem natural for a hole-nesting species. Forshaw & Cooper (1981) note they roost in the 'dense foliage of tall trees'.
Evidence of the Purple-crowned Lorikeets using these metal pipes for nesting is circumstantial and inconclusive i.e.,
1) Birds were regularly recorded (i.e. on more than 5 occasions with observation dates covering more than one week) at four pipes;
2) Purple-crowned Lorikeet activity at the same four pipes was noted at times other than dawn and dusk suggesting the pipes were not solely being used for roosting. However, regular and frequent trips suggesting the adults were feeding young were not recorded;
3) At four pipes (including three from above) single Purple-crowned Lorikeets were recorded flying to the pipes which they either entered or perched on top of and shortly after left accompanied by a second bird that had been in the pipe. Such behaviour has been noted in captive breeding birds when the male escorts the brooding female when she leaves the nest to feed (Forshaw & Cooper 1981);
4) Calls, sounding like those made by young birds but possibly only the calls of adult birds muffled by the pipe, have been heard coming from six pipes (including three from above). At Seaholme station soft calls were heard coming from a pipe two hours after sunset. However, all my sightings have been of adult Purple-crowned Lorikeets with extensive purple foreheads and well marked orange cheeks. I have no records of juvenile Purple-crowned Lorikeets.
Various parrot species make use of nest boxes e.g. Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster in Tasmania (pers. obs.) and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos Calyptorhynchus banksii in western Victoria (M. Fendley pers. comm.) and nest in other man-made structures e.g. , Eastern Rosellas Platycerus eximus under rooves and Crimson Rosellas P. elegans in a steel girder (Carter 1996) but, if confirmed, this could be the first record for Purple-crowned Lorikeets nesting in a man-made structure.
Carter, M. 1996. Nesting Rosellas Playcerus spp.: Innovative site selection and notes on repeat breeding and other behaviour. Aust. Bird Watcher 16(8): 344-348.
Forshaw, J.M. & W.T.Cooper. 1981. Australian Parrots. Lansdowne Editions.
At dusk on 26 June 1996, two Purple-crowned Lorikeets were seen circling over Seaholme station, just above tree height, prior to roosting. Their chosen roost was one of the metal pipes from which the railway's overhead electric cables are supported. The pipes have a square cross-section with sides of c. 5 cm. They are c. 2.5 m long of which 1 m is horizontal while the portion closest to the supporting stanchion slopes down at a 45o angle. Along a 2 km section of the Altona branch line of the railway, between the Millers Road level-crossing and east to the Kororoit Creek bridge are 36 stanchions from which the overhead electric cables are suspended. Since the first observation in June 1996 and until the end of the year Purple-crowned Lorikeets had been observed flying to roost, either singly or in pairs (but never more than two birds to a pipe), in 11 of the pipes. Other pipes may have been used during this period but unless the birds were seen entering, leaving or were heard calling from inside the pipe they would easily have escaped detection. Each observed roosting site was within 200 m of a flowering gum tree.
Purple-crowned Lorikeets were able to fly directly into the pipes. If a pair approached a pipe together the second bird would almost hover at the mouth of the pipe before it too darted inside. They were also seen to climb into and out of the pipe from a perching position on top.
There are no previous references to Purple-crowned Lorikeets roosting in hollows, whether natural or man-made although this would seem natural for a hole-nesting species. Forshaw & Cooper (1981) note they roost in the 'dense foliage of tall trees'.
Evidence of the Purple-crowned Lorikeets using these metal pipes for nesting is circumstantial and inconclusive i.e.,
1) Birds were regularly recorded (i.e. on more than 5 occasions with observation dates covering more than one week) at four pipes;
2) Purple-crowned Lorikeet activity at the same four pipes was noted at times other than dawn and dusk suggesting the pipes were not solely being used for roosting. However, regular and frequent trips suggesting the adults were feeding young were not recorded;
3) At four pipes (including three from above) single Purple-crowned Lorikeets were recorded flying to the pipes which they either entered or perched on top of and shortly after left accompanied by a second bird that had been in the pipe. Such behaviour has been noted in captive breeding birds when the male escorts the brooding female when she leaves the nest to feed (Forshaw & Cooper 1981);
4) Calls, sounding like those made by young birds but possibly only the calls of adult birds muffled by the pipe, have been heard coming from six pipes (including three from above). At Seaholme station soft calls were heard coming from a pipe two hours after sunset. However, all my sightings have been of adult Purple-crowned Lorikeets with extensive purple foreheads and well marked orange cheeks. I have no records of juvenile Purple-crowned Lorikeets.
Various parrot species make use of nest boxes e.g. Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster in Tasmania (pers. obs.) and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos Calyptorhynchus banksii in western Victoria (M. Fendley pers. comm.) and nest in other man-made structures e.g. , Eastern Rosellas Platycerus eximus under rooves and Crimson Rosellas P. elegans in a steel girder (Carter 1996) but, if confirmed, this could be the first record for Purple-crowned Lorikeets nesting in a man-made structure.
Carter, M. 1996. Nesting Rosellas Playcerus spp.: Innovative site selection and notes on repeat breeding and other behaviour. Aust. Bird Watcher 16(8): 344-348.
Forshaw, J.M. & W.T.Cooper. 1981. Australian Parrots. Lansdowne Editions.
