First there was "Corroboree - The Trade Show" (and what a great event it is!)
Then there was "Corroboree - The Movie!" (LA, 2008)
And now there is "Corroboree - The Rainbow Lorikeet!" (Melbourne, 2011) He is right now flying around the parks and beaches of Port Melbourne!
Corroboree the Lorikeet is named after the North American Aussie Specialist trade show held this year in Melbourne. Many important moments in his life coincided with the event.
On Saturday 29th October just before registration, I was taking a run down the beach in Port Melbourne. I noticed a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets in their nest tree squawking and looking down at the ground. There was baby Corroboree sitting at the base of the tree. Not at all where he was meant to be!
We didn't have time to look after him*, but I couldn't leave him there to be attacked by dogs or run over. So I scooped him up (to raucous protest from him and his parents) and took him home. A quick examination showed him to be healthy, uninjured, but too young to fly or leave the nest. I hastily rigged up a temporary nest hollow, drove him back down to the beach, hoisted it up his nest tree and popped him inside. I crossed my fingers, dressed for the Welcome Function and rushed in to register for Corroboree.
Rainbow Lorikeets, and many of our parrots, nest in hollows inside large old trees. Rainbows prefer hollows over 5m (15ft) high, about 80cm (30inches) deep, and 13cm (5inches) in diameter, set at a 45degree angle. Pretty specific, hey? But in Port Melbourne there aren't too many hollows like that left, so they have found ways of using the planted Palms along the beach! They chew a hollow just under the fronds of the Palm, but probably can't excavate deep enough for their liking. So the young lorikeets are always in danger of falling out prematurely (which is probably what happened to Corroboree).
The nest hollow I created was made from a length of plumbing pipe, with a few additions to help it drain and to help him climb out. It looks odd, but it was as close as I could get. I figured he only had another week or two before he could fly, so it would just have to be adequate for a short time. All he needed was a safe, warm place off the ground, where his parents could feed him. But would they? Luckily we had experience from a year ago with a baby lorikeet we kept in care. His parents found him within 2 days, and visited him every day after that.
I put up a note on the tree so passersby would understand and hopefully not interfere. In our experience, people are great - very caring and helpful if they know what's happening.
As soon as Corroboree, the event, finished we went down to check on his progress. We watched, tears of happiness flowing, as both parents landed on the temporary hollow, went inside, and then re-appeared. Everyone sounded happy and healthy. Later we saw Corroboree poke his head out of the hollow, look around, and then go back inside. All was going really well.
But Corroboree's trials were not over. On 16th November a man climbed up a ladder and took down the hollow. A couple passing by saw this, and having read my sign, asked what he was doing. He told them it was his bird and he was taking it home (!!!! how dare he??!!!) They argued, grabbed the hollow (with Corroboree in it) and took him to the local vet. The vet called me the next morning, told me what had happened and released him, healthy and hungry, back to our care*.
We couldn't risk putting the hollow back at the beach, so kept him here for 2 days. By this time he was almost fully fledged (ready to fly) and seemed really healthy. Every day we put him outside in his little cage so he could have some sun. Sunlight helps growth and is crucial for young birds. There was an unexpected bonus though - his parents found him within 20 minutes of his first visit outside!! They sat on his cage, kissed him through the bars and generally fussed all over him. The whole family sang and carried on like it was Christmas. It was beautiful. I've put the video on You Tube
>From this time, little Corroboree became very determined to get out. He tried flying several times in the house. We gave him a bit of flapping practice and also gave him flowers, which he learned to eat very quickly. He became so distressed at being kept in that we put him outside in his hollow. We thought that if he wasn't ready to fly, he wouldn't. Well, he was ready! He waited in the hollow until he heard his parents fly over, then he called them and took off.
It was one of the proudest moments of our lives! He flew strongly to a big tree in the next street about 60metres away - a huge first effort for a baby. He sat up there and called, and a group of 3 adult Lorikeets came and played with him. But he didn't beg food from them and they didn't offer it. They left, and shortly afterwards came his parents. We can tell because his behaviour changed - he begged for food (rather persistently) and they gave him several beaks-full.
We think he stayed in that tree overnight, and left the next morning. Roger thinks he heard him call the day after (its funny how you get to know their individual calls). Every time we hear a family of Rainbows fly over we think of him! We have no way of tracking him now. But he's had a lucky start to life - let's hope he stays lucky!
Maybe all the positive energy at Corroboree The Trade Show kept this little guy going!
Thanks so much for your concern and good wishes.
Janine & Roger
* Janine is a registered and licensed wildlife foster carer. Putting a baby bird back in their nest to be cared for by their parents is the first and best option according to wildlife care practice. Contrary to popular belief, Australian birds don't seem to reject their offspring if they've been handled by humans.
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JANINE DUFFY Director Marketing ECHIDNA WALKABOUT PO Box 370 Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207 AUSTRALIA
E: janine@echidnawalkabout.com.au Web: www.echidnawalkabout.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)3 9646 8249 Mob: +61 (0)427 808 747 Fax: +61 (0)3 9681 9177
OPERATIONS & GROUP enquiries contact: Roger Smith Director Operations A.B.N. 72 716 985 505
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