Public feeding of Rainbow lorikeets
Hi everyone,
Happy Friday! While we are always on the lookout for what the lorikeets are feeding on naturally, we are also asking you to report if lorikeets are being fed by the public in our study area, and if so we want to know what they are being fed.
We would love to hear from all of our members, so feel free to either make an observation on our iNaturalist project page, leave a comment on this journal post, or send @lozb97 a message through iNaturalist.
Stay safe and Happy Rainbow Lorikeet spotting!
Lauren, David, Maya, Holly
Comments
Geoengineering = use of technology and physical materials to manipulate weather; unregulated, and no data shared with general public of the health impacts felt by animals or people. It needs an open discussion, we all observe it but no one wants to bring it to the publics attention, we need accountability by parties allowing, using and producing products. We need regulation.
Please factor this in to any and all mass wildlife deaths, lets stop.pretending theres nothing to see.
Hello Lauren, David, Maya & Holly,
I became aware of your project last night whilst reading an ABC news article written by Miranda Saunders. I am aware I am supposed to be posting photographs of lorikeets feeding on what might be making them sick, however, I have no photographic evidence of what I think could be making them ill.
I was wondering if the potential toxins may stem from eating decomposing or rotting/toxic sugarcane, or still water containing such/similar toxins. Both Bundaberg and Grafton have processing mills which may contain sites where toxins might concentrate in plants/ground water/storage. Or could something like ethylene glycol (if it is used in sugar refining), which is used in food processing, harm lorikeets, even in trace amounts?
Helen
african tulip trees are currently in flowers and i have been told previously they make lorikeets ill and can kill them . has any research been done into this plant and its toxicity in birds that feed on it ?
Hi 👋 the symptoms, such as one curled foot and inability to fly, are the same as when my mother-in-laws house lorikeet suffered lead poisoning from an old hanging planter she had in the house. I am wondering if it may be a water source issue, or use of different building materials for housing in areas where affected lorikeets are found?
Lead oxide is used as a 'red lead' undercoat on bridges and other exposed steel structures, and in housing lead flashings (where roofs meet walls or chimneys) stop leaks, resist wind lift and corrosion.
Another side musing of mine was, are fuel emissions absorbed by trees that line highways considered? Is there a dangerous lead content in these, with traffic load these days?
Have you considered creating a google docs document where the group could collectively input information on plants and trees in bloom, and sightings of what the lori's are eating? I think this could be a great recourse to utilise.
Thanks for all your hard work always!
Thank you for your comment @emmaquest
Hi @helenmcateer Thank you for your letting us know about the sugar mills in Grafton and Bundaberg. There is potential that the birds could become intoxicated if they consumed products of fermented sugarcane. Have you seen any rainbow lorikeets feeding in or around these sugar mills?
Hi @kerynrose . Thank you for your comment, African Tulip is definitely on our list of potential suspects. As far as I am aware most of the research has focused on bees rather than birds.
Hi @julzfrancis Thank you for your comment, heavy metal poisoning is on our list as a potential cause of LPS. We have looked at lead levels in lorikeets affected by LPS and did not find concentrations high enough to contribute to the signs of LPS.
Thank you for your suggestion @n-lilyabba . At the moment we find iNaturalist a great platform to use for the project as it allows us to communicate with our project members, but we will keep the idea of a google docs document as a potential if needed.
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