Rainbow Lorikeets will usually mate for life.
In other words, they keep the same partner each year and if they can find a suitable nest hollow, they will breed together and create a new generation of lorikeets.
Most parrots are monogamous (have one partner) and will stay mated with that partner until one dies. The surviving bird will then go on to find another partner.
Life means the lifespan of one of the birds. It’s inevitable that one of the pair will eventually no longer be around, and the surviving Rainbow Lorikeet is not going to remain a single bird for long.
Rainbow Lorikeets are prolific breeders in the wild, and any single bird is going to be on the lookout for a partner of the opposite sex. Beause there are no shortage of Rainbow Lorikeets, single birds are not likely to remain single for very long at all.
Even young Rainbow Lorikeets will not have any trouble finding a partner of the opposite sex within a short time.
These lorikeets live in large flocks, so socialize with each other all day, every day.
Male Rainbow Lorikeets will put on display of sorts, either to try and woo a new partner, or to maintain the bonds with his existing female partner.
The male lorikeet display involves dilating his pupils, lifting his wings, bobbing up and down and moving about to gain the attention of his desired female!
If all goes to plan, this display will sometimes result in copulation.
The fact that Rainbow Lorikeets exist in high numbers throughout much of their range in Australia means they gather and live in large flocks, and any birds on the look out for a new partner will be able to find one in short time.
That new pairing of male and female Rainbow Lorikeet will then bond, preen each other, engage in various types of pair bonding activities, and generally spend their days together foraging for food and flying. At night they will roost next to each other in a tree with the flock.
The Rainbow Lorikeet pair will, at a time they’ve decided to nest, locate appropriate potential nesting hollows together until they find one they’re happy with.
Rainbow Lorikeet pairs only require small hollows, and these are easier to find than large hollows required by bigger parrots like cockatoos.
The bonded Rainbow Lorikeet pair will spend time going in and out of their new chosen hollow before the female lays her eggs.
