Rainbow Lorikeet and Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo — Sydney's Iconic Parrots

Two parrots define the sound and colour of Sydney's streets and harbour suburbs more than any others.

Rainbow Lorikeet

The Rainbow Lorikeet is among the most visually striking birds in Australia. The plumage runs through blue, green, orange and red — and when a flock descends on a flowering eucalyptus, the combination of bird and blossom is genuinely extraordinary.

Lorikeets are nectivores. The hairy tip of the tongue is specifically adapted for extracting nectar and pollen from native flowers — a specialisation that explains why they appear wherever eucalypts and banksias are in bloom. In Sydney's northern suburbs, that means they are present year-round in good numbers.

Getting close enough for a photograph requires patience rather than speed. Move slowly, avoid sudden movements, and wait. The birds are accustomed to people in suburban Sydney and will often stay put if approached carefully.

Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo

The sulphur-crested cockatoo is harder to miss than the lorikeet. A large, white bird with a vivid yellow crest and a call that announces its presence from some distance. Flocks of sulphur-crested cockatoos in full voice in a stand of eucalypts are one of the more memorable sounds of the Australian bush.

They are common throughout Sydney's northern suburbs, harbourside parks and the bushland bordering the national parks. Along the Northern Beaches coastal drive, both species appear regularly in the street trees and reserves between headlands.