Why Camira locals are finding dead lorikeets in their backyards

Birds are dropping from the sky by the hundreds, leaving these Ipswich and Brisbane residents wondering what is going on. HERE’S WHY AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Rainbow lorikeets are dropping dead and falling from the sky in Camira and surrounding Ipswich and Brisbane suburbs, alarming nature lovers.

The RSPCA said about 500 birds had been brought in for treatment so far this year.

While the cause is unconfirmed, Brisbane’s leading urban wildlife expert has speculated a contagious paralysis syndrome was responsible.

Some residents have reported the colourful native birds are literally falling out of the sky into gardens.

“Is there an issue with lorikeets?” local resident Kayte posted on a community Facebook page. “They keep falling out of the sky and into my yard. It’s icky.”

Kayte told Springfield News she noticed the problem only this week.

“So far, I’ve found five birds dead,” she said.

Another Camira resident posted that they recently saw four dead lorikeets on local roads in one day.

“Thought it (was) strange because I had never seen more than one at a time,” they said.

A third questioned: “That’s weird? Poisoning or cats maybe?”

Darryl Jones from Griffith University.

Urban wildlife expert Darryl Jones, from Griffith University, said the lorikeets were most likely suffering from a contagious illness known as Lorikeet Paralysis Syndrome (LPS).

The illness causes the birds to become paralysed and unable to fly, often resulting in death.

Professor Jones said the debilitating condition was seasonal and relatively common across southeast Queensland.

While the exact cause of LPS was still not known, he believed it might be caused by a toxin in a plant the birds fed upon.

“It’s not due to people poisoning them, disease or starvation — which is good,” he said.

A rainbow lorikeet recovering from Lorikeet Paralysis Syndrome at the RSPCA Wildlife Animal Hospital.

RSPCA Queensland spokeswoman Emma Lagoon said the disease was responsible for thousands of rainbow lorikeets being admitted into its care each year.

“Our vets (at RSPCA Wildlife Animal Hospital) are seeing a high number of cases at the moment,” Ms Lagoon said.

“We’ve seen a total of 1727 lorikeets admitted this year to our hospitals.

“In the past, about 30 per cent of our lorikeet admissions have been due to LPS.

“So this year we expect around 500 birds have been affected (by LPS) that we’ve seen.”

Ms Lagoon urged people who noticed sick or injured lorikeets to take them directly to a local vet or the RSPCA.

“Most birds will recover, with supportive care provided, if the disease is not too far advanced when they come into care.”