Home Topics Wildlife Woah, check out ‘Sprinkles’ over here

Woah, check out ‘Sprinkles’ over here

Colour mutation in a rainbow lorikeet. Image credit: Jayde Parrey

This shot was taken by Jayde Parrey at her home in North Rothbury, in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.

“In January I got a few photos of what I believe is a pied mutation rainbow lorikeet,” Jayde says.

Related: See this incredible colour mutation in a black cockatoo

“This particular rainbow lorikeet has visited me twice now. It has always been with other rainbow lorikeets and happily feeds, drinks, talks, plays and flies with them.”

According to avian expert Professor Bob Doneley from the School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, all signs point to the bird being a pied mutation of a rainbow lorikeet.

“The colour of the beak indicates its an adult,” bob says, “but I can’t tell which sex.”

Bob says the most likely explanation for the pied mutation is that the bird has escaped from an aviary, or, far less likely, it’s a fluke natural occurrence.

However it came to be, let’s hope Sprinkles visits Jayde again.

Related: Australia’s white animals

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