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These vibrantly colored, cheeky parrots were my greeting party on arrival to Brisbane, Australia. Aptly named, their plumage is a brilliant mixture of greens, reds, oranges, yellows and blues, making them a true joy to paint. They are native to eastern coastal regions of the country from northern Queensland to Southern Australia. Unlike many other parrots, rainbow lorikeets do not eat seeds. A specialized “bristle brush” tongue allows them to feed on nectar and pollen from deep within native flowers including banksia, bottlebrush and grevilleas. The unprecedented bushfires that swept Australia in 2019 had a catastrophic impact on wildlife and habitat. A broad range of ecosystems from mountains to coastlines, including World Heritage-listed tropical and temperate rainforests—along with the species who live there—may not ever fully recover. This painting is a small tribute to Australia and the many conservation/restoration efforts that continue today.
