Love nest: how a musk lorikeet fell for a red-tailed black cockatoo | Tasmania

After struggling to bond with members of their own flock, a matte black cockatoo and bright green lorikeet have become unexpected friends.

Greg Iron, director of Bonorong wildlife sanctuary in Tasmania, described their relationship as being “love at first sight” for Raphael, a musk lorikeet who was previously kept without a permit.

“He’s just obsessed,” he said, adding that George, the much bigger red-tailed black cockatoo was “probably a bit bewildered” at first.

“The second Raphael was in the enclosure … it was like ‘you’re the one’,” he said.

It didn’t take long…