Thousands of rainbow lorikeets are unable to fly and vets don’t know why

Thousands of rainbow lorikeets have been found suffering paralysis across northern NSW, with vets racing to find the cause of the disease amid fears it is spreading further south.

Wildlife rescue service WIRES three weeks ago received calls about the birds being unable to fly, appearing unbalanced and sometimes, as the disease progressed, dying after being unable to breathe.

Thousands of rainbow lorikeets are turning up paralysed in northern NSW.Credit: WIRES

The wildlife service has established a drop-off centre for the birds in Grafton, where vets are working to provide immediate assessment, triage and treatment.

Many residents are finding the rainbow lorikeets by their homes or at the bases of trees.

Since the centre opened on Tuesday, it has received 270 affected birds. But vets fear the number of affected lorikeets could be much higher, possibly in the thousands.

The disease, which vets say is lorikeet paralysis syndrome, primarily affects wild rainbow lorikeets. As the disease progresses, birds lose control of their limbs and beaks entirely.

Eight lorikeets being treated in a box together. WIRES wildlife vet Dr Tania Bishop says they enjoy one another’s company.Credit: WIRES

The cause of the disease remains unknown. Scientists believe when a heavy rainfall event occurs, it destroys the bird’s regular food source. The lorikeets, pushed to eat an alternative food source, ingest a toxin formed on a plant due to extreme rain and heat – thought to be a bacteria or fungus.

At this stage, the science does not point to the disease being caused by an infection.

If vets are able to administer aid quickly, the birds may recover. Credit: WIRES

WIRES wildlife vet Dr Tania Bishop fears disease outbreaks could become more common as climate change worsens, and extreme weather events become more frequent.

The last outbreak occurred in 2021, in northern NSW and southern Queensland, after a La Nina weather event brought heavy rainfall over much of the state.

Bishop said the sick lorikeets are assessed, given fluids to rehydrate, and a lubricant is spread on their eyes. The disease makes it difficult for the birds to blink, and dry eyes can be incredibly painful.

Most of the time the vets can treat the birds, which are then given to a carer for rehabilitation before they are released into the wild. However, some rainbow lorikeets are too sick for vets to save.

Bishop said there are concerns that the disease has spread further south into the Coffs Harbour region, where an estimated 300 birds have already been affected. WIRES is likely to send aid to the area in the coming days.

There are also reports that the disease could be impacting birds in Ipswich.