I am interested in any (as definite as possible) reports of mating in the wild between Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets. Single hybrids are likely to be regarded as aviary escapes, so of most interest are reports of (a) pairs formed of both species eg inspecting hollows and (b) hybrids being fed by one or other species.
In Canberra we had an example of (a) in the suburbs a few weeks ago, and I have a report of (b) in a backyard in Yass NSW, where 2 hybrids are still present.
There is an online account of a hybrid population with some Scaly-breasted admixture at Leopold near Geelong. A report of a hybrid population in Tasmania is at Australian Field Ornithology 2019, 38.
EBird has a category ‘Musk x Rainbow Lorikeet (hybrid)’. There is one record, from Yorke Peninsula SA from earlier this year.
I’d be grateful for any further information about this,
Geoffrey Dabb
