Rainbow Lorikeets

Rainbow Lorikeets have become common in some suburbs of Canberra in the last decade. We have a small flock that seems to be resident in the local area.

This evening I noticed two perched on plum trees in a local backyard. These trees are a favourite of the local Cockatoos, who eat the fruit (ripe and unripe), but this is the first time that I have seen RLs on these trees. However, the lorikeets weren’t eating the fruit but nibbling delicately on the leaves. I examined the leaves and they seemed to be ordinary deciduous leaves, with no honeydew from aphids or anything sugary on them.

Is it known that RLs will feed on leaves?

John Leonard