They say birds of a feather flock together, but at a wildlife park in greater Hobart, a slightly unconventional friendship has proven the proverb wrong.

Since moving into the same mixed-species enclosure at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary about six months ago, a red-tailed black cockatoo and a musk lorikeet have become inseparable.

It’s a pairing no-one quite expected, including sanctuary director Greg Irons.

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen a relationship like that between species,” Mr Irons said.

Mr Irons said he was initially nervous about the friendship due to the pair’s size difference, with the team asked to keep an eye out for aggression.

As it turned out, that wasn’t what they would witness at all.

“It was affection that we were seeing,” he said.

A few hours after musk lorikeet Raphael was moved into the large enclosure with George the cockatoo, the smaller bird was nowhere to be seen.

“They’ve just been inseparable ever since.”

An instant bond formed

Mr Irons said both birds had shown no interest in rooming in with their own species.

Attempts to buddy up George with other cockatoos proved futile, with George instead favouring the attention of adoring visitors.

Raphael also had trouble fitting in when housed with the sanctuary’s lorikeets.

Mr Irons said the bond between the two different-sized birds was immediate.

“I’ve seen plenty that tolerate [each other], might interact but not showing signs of affection almost like they’re mates.

“Raphael’s probably more obsessed with George than the other way round, but I’ve seen George sneak over for a cuddle as well on a cold night.”

Pair now inseparable

The two best friends do spend time apart to eat and explore, but they are never separate for long.

“It’s never really more than five minutes before one will check in,” Mr Irons said.

He said Raphael has even been known to use his pal to protect him from rainy weather.

“Usually, Raphael will go and take shelter somewhere but he took shelter under the wing of George,” Mr Irons said.

“It’s those sort of little things … those moments where you don’t really know what is happening between them but for us it still feels really special.”

Friendship a win for conservation

Mr Irons said aside from the positive friendship the birds shared, the pair’s connection will have longer-lasting, positive implications for conservation.

“It’s all about connection, and connection with an animal leads to wanting to help and wanting to protect them.” he said.

“The amount of people who are just bamboozled, particularly when they’re just looking at the black cocky and the little musk lorikeet pops out and it’s almost like a jack-in-the-box.

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