Wrapped in a Rainbow

The hues of the lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet eyeing the camera, Atherton Tablelands, FNQ. © Bronwen Scott

With those vivid colouring-book hues, Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) should stand out like beacons. But when a bird lands in a tree, the green disappears among the leaves, the purple among the shadows, and the red and yellow are neutralised by reflected light. If it weren’t for the chatter and shrieks — and the deluge of discarded flowers — you might never know it was…