Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

1. Predomitly green plumage with distinctive yellow “scales” on the breast and belly

2. Bright coral-red bill and orange-red eyes in adults

3. Noticeably shorter tail than the Rainbow Lorikeet, giving a more compact look

Scaly-breasted Lorikeets are nectar and pollen specialists, using their brush-tipped tongues to feed from eucalypts, melaleucas, bottlebrushes, and other flowering trees. Their diet also includes fruit, seeds, and occasionally insects and larvae. They are swift, direct fliers, often moving in small groups and sometimes forming larger flocks at abundant food sources. Their calls are high-pitched, chattering, and less harsh than those of Rainbow Lorikeets.

Breeding occurs mainly from May to February in the north and July to November in the south, with two broods possible per season. Nests are placed in tree hollows, usually high above the ground (5–3 m), lined with wood dust. The female incubates 2–3 eggs for about 23–25 days, and both parents feed the chicks, which fledge about 6–8 weeks after hatching. Juveniles remain duller in colour until they mature.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeets inhabit coastal and adjacent tableland regions from Cape York in northern Queensland south to the Illawarra district of New South Wales, with introduced populations around Melbourne. They favour open, lightly timbered areas, eucalypt forests, melaleuca thickets, riverine woodlands, and even urban parks and gardens. While abundant and mostly sedentary in the north, they are less numerous and more nomadic in the south, often moving in response to flowering events. These lorikeets are highly arboreal and often gather in small, noisy flocks, sometimes mixing with Rainbow Lorikeets.