months old the under wing coverts are dull brick red. At this stage they can Black and Rajah Lories easily be confused with Bernstein's Lory Ca. bernsteini which has the under wing coverts just tinged with by Rosemary Low red or vinous and a small area of red on lares and at the bend of the wing. In the , Black Lory the rump is faintly tinged with blue but in adults of bernsteini and insignis it is deep blue. halcopsitta atra has long been one they have never become tame. Their off­ In captivity, Black and Rajah Lories Cof my favorite birds and has spring, hand-reared and parent-reared, are nectar- and fruit-eaters. Unlike the been underrated as an avicultural sub­ are very confiding, however, and quite Yellow-streaked, the birds in my care ject. One of the reasons people choose delightful in every way. show little enthusiasm for vegetables, to keep lories is because they are Among the lories, few take longer to even fresh corn. Pear, apple and cactus exceptionally colorful birds. So why mature than wild-caught Chalcopsitta fruits are their favorite. I give branch­ choose a black species? species. They do not breed before four es laden with seed-bearing cones of For me they have two outstanding years and their plumage takes longer to Casuarina exquisitijolia as often as attributes: intelligence and, in females, attain full brilliance. The Rajahs which possible to all the lories. It is a natural the potential for great affection and came to Palmitos Park in 1988 had food of some species and nearly all cap­ gentleness towards their human friends. quite dull red on thighs and forehead tive lories welcome its appearance, even Add to this all the other wonderful until 1994. The brilliance ofthe plumage if only to chew the bark and needles. characteristics of lories in general, and in these areas has increased greatly The young ones destroy everything the result is a very desirable bird, pro­ during the past year. As so often hap­ and become very excited when they see vided that you can overlook its one fault pens in , captive-bred young me bearing branches. - a very harsh voice. Lories have a spe­ color up more quickly and three year Black and Rajah Lories can be very cial appeal for me and I find it hard to old birds are nearly as brightly col­ prolific, producing three nests ofyoung understand why more people do not ored as their parents. per year. I advocate that the pair should keep them. The usual explanation is that The nominate Black Lory Chalcopsitta be allowed to rear at least one young­ their care is too demanding. This is atra atra has no brilliant colors to dis­ ster annually. Indeed, one of our pairs not true in terms of how many minutes play. It is not entirely black, as the is so prolific that I leave the young per day need be devoted to each pair underside of the tail is muted red and one with them for several months after but they usually need to be fed twice yellow. Its length is about 12 in. and its it has left the nest. I prefer this method daily. weight about 230g to 240g. The males of giving them a rest as I never like to Black Lories have been in my care I have had in my care have been notice­ remove a lory's nest-box. It is too continuously since the 1970s, so this is ably larger, with a bigger head and important for them as a roosting site. I one of the species which I know very beak and a much more assertive per­ leave young lories of many species for well. I kept and bred them in my own sonality. The Rajah Lory is slightly more months with their parents and have collection in the UK; then, during the time slender in build and I have not discemed never had a case of aggression with the I was curator at , , any difference in male and female larger species - only with the smaller ones two pairs produced about three lots of body size. Indeed, for a long time I (and then mild because the young one young annually. During the past six years, believed the male of one of our breed­ was removed at the very first sign). I rec­ I have also had the beautiful subspecies ing pairs had been wrongly sexed as a ommend leaving young with the parents insignis, the Rajah Lory, in my care in female because the female's first six for at least five weeks after they have the breeding center at Palmitos Park, clutches (over a period of 16 months) left the nest because they learn impor­ Gran Canaria. Both pairs currently have were infertile! I recently weighed four tant aspects of behavior from their par­ young; one pair bred for the first time young ones: eight months, 200g; 10 ents. This wilJ, I believe, help to ensure in 1992 and the other pair in 1993. months, 209g; 30 months, 209g and their own success as parents. Last year We are unlikely to see any more 11 months, 233g. Possibly these weights I left a single Black-capped Lory Lorius wild-caught Black or Rajah Lories. It is represent three females and one male. lory nythrothorax with its parents while certainly easier to appreciate captive-bred The Rajah is, in my eyes, one of they reared the youngster of the next birds, especially those which have been the most beautiful of all lories. The nest. If I wanted a bird for breeding, this kept in close association with people, glossy vinous purple-black of the body would be the one I would choose. as they quickly become tame. In con­ scarlet forehead, lores, thighs, under wing Black and Rajah Lories lay two eggs trast, mature wild-caught birds can coverts and bend of the wing, and the which hatch after 24 or 25 days. The remain aloof for years. Some wild­ yellow and red underside to the tail, give chicks weigh 6g on hatching and have caught birds, no doubt trapped younger, it an exceptional beauty. One absolute­ longish (but not thick) white or gray become quite fearless. However, from ly must see it in sunlight to appreciate down. They are banded with 7.5mm my comparatively limited experience of the unusual beauty of its body plumage. internal dimension rings at 16 or 17 days. wild-caught Rajah Lories, they are more It is not black. Immature birds nearly The rate ofdevelopment is appraximat

afa WATCHBIRD 35 For example, two chicks from diffe:-~nt ing food which I take to them in the early pairs were both banded on day 16 morning for the next couple of weeks when one weighted 64g and the other or so. I don't spoon feed them, but offer 80g, yet a chick reared from an aban­ it in a small dish, alongside the nectar. doned egg was banded at 17 days They always take the rearing food first. when it weighed only 35g. I should state Incidentally, this consists of a mixture here that I have closed banded parent­ of Milupa baby cereal, wheat hearts reared lories of many species and have (wheat germ cereal) the commercial never experienced a problem. In my food Nekton-Lori and papaya blended opinion, it is vitally important that all lory with bottled water. breeders identify their young in this way. Young leave the nest at between 10 and Until d1ey are three years old most of 11 weeks. The age of hand-reared birds our young ones are exhibited in a large at independence varies enormously, aviary ofvarious lory species in the park. from only 45 days, up to about 13 After this age problems of aggression weeks, depending on the method of would occur. This aviary is a tremendous weaning and the individual bird. One attraction for its color and constant reared alone, especially if it is a female, activity. I find it impossible to pass it by will be clinging and affectionate and not without being held spell bound by the in a hurry to wean. I never try to rush lories antics and wonderful colors. For their weaning. When they are moved most of the half million annual visitors from the hand-rearing room to a sus­ to the park this aviary is their introduction pended cage outside, it is a mistake for to lories. I wonder how many go away the hand-feeder to suddenly cut off and decide that they would like to find the attention they have been used to. out more about these colorful and They are very sensitive at this stage and playful parrots - and perhaps decide to really appreciate the warm hand-rear- keep a pair for themselves? '+

Fami~y ofBlack Lorie5 at Loro Parque, Tenerife. Note the conspicuous white ~ye Young Black Lory, rxngs which is (ypical ofyoung btrds (in agedfive weeks the background), hatched at Loro Parqlle

Two year old Rajah Lories hatched in the breeding center at Palmitos Park, Gran Canaria. Note the red, blue and yellow in the plumage of 36 September/October 1995 these colorful birds.