Popular Lories and Lorikeets in the United States
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POPULAR LORIES AND LORIKEETS IN THE UNITED STATES Lories and Lorikeets are brightly colored parrots mins, minerals, and nutrients that, along with a variety from Australia and the South Pacific. For a long of fresh foods, take some of the challenge out of time they were not terribly popular in the feeding lories. Previously, those who kept United States, but that is now chang- lories had to rely on a variety of home- ing. Although their plumage is made powders and nectar formu- exceptionally beautiful these las while not knowing if the birds birds typically eat nectar, fruit were receiving any nutrition, and pollen. They are physi- let alone a balanced diet. ologically different from other popular parrots The second reason and their tongues are for the increased appeal uniquely designed of lories is the wide- with tiny papillae that spread availability of effectively gather walk-through the pollen and nec- aviaries featuring tar. This highly lories. These inter- specialized diet active exhibits are produces drop- popping up at zoos pings that are and theme parks runny and, if the all over the United bird is hanging on States. For a small the side of a fee, a visitor can cage, can be pro- purchase a cup of pelled many feet! nectar to feed the The lory diet in birds. Once in the captivity is differ- aviary, colorful ent from the diet of lories swoop down other psittacines as and alight on any well, and can be a available human sur- bit more expensive face. This provides and labor intensive. not only a bit of interac- Additionally, lories are tion with some very incredibly active and interesting birds, but also energetic, much more so a closer look at some of the than other parrots. As a most gorgeous birds in the result, they were difficult to world. Now, it seems almost maintain in the home and some- everyone knows what a lory is times challenging in an aviary. In and many have continued to find the last few years the trend of avoiding them fascinating. lories has changed significantly. While there are many reasons for this change, three fac- The other significant factor that has helped tors seem obvious. lories gain popularity and recognition is the Internet. The first reason for the increase in popularity is Widespread access to the Internet has caused the the creation of commercial diets created specifically once impossible-to-find information on keeping lories for the nutritional needs of lories. These diets simplify to now be right at one’s fingertips. There are numer- the feeding process and provide a balance of vita- ous websites detailing the different species, appropri- Above: Green-naped Lorikeet AFA WATCHBIRD • 29 and the breast is orange and does not have the dark tipped feathers seen on the Green-naped Lory. The collar is yellow-green. Several color mutations have been documented but they are extremely rare. The Swainson’s Lory is native to Australia and is often seen around parks and back yard bird feeders. The Edward’s Lory, T. h. capistratus, has become more common and possibly has the nicest temperament of the entire Rainbow group. The body is green. The head is green; the forehead, crown, and chin are blue, shaft streaked with a darker blue. The breast is yellow with a bit of orange edging, the abdomen is dark green and the collar is a greenish yellow. This bird is native to the lowlands of Timor. In Cardinal Lory Pair general, the Edward’s Lory seems to be less nippy and aggressive than the Green-naped Lory when ate diets, health concerns, and just about everything mature, making it rather desirable as a pet. else one needs to know about these birds. Numerous The remaining five species, including the web sites, chat groups, and mailing lists facilitate the Rosenberg’s or Biak Lory (T. h. rosenbergii), Blue- exchange of information. If one is able to separate the headed or Pale-headed Lory (T. h. caeruleiceps), and reliable information from the preferred advice of the Weber’s Lory (T. h. weberi) appear less frequently wannabe experts, the information is abundant and in this country. The Weber’s is the only lory of the rain- usually free. No longer is the art of keeping lories bow group that is not as brilliantly colored. It is mainly such a hit or miss ordeal. green and yellow. The slightly smaller Mitchell’s Lory, While the lory family is made up of ten separate T. h. mitchellii, has genera and fifty-three species, not all are available in almost completely the United States. There is, however, a great variety of disappeared from species for any lory connoisseur to select from. aviculture in the Some of the most commonly seen and kept United States and lories in the Unites States are those in the appropri- all that remains ately named Rainbow group, Trichoglossus haemato- here now is a frag- dus. The term “Rainbow” is a generic one and it refers ile population. to roughly twenty-three different birds. They are small Additionally, the and colorful lories that have adapted well to captivity wild population in and whose price does not put them out of reach for its native home on those watching their bird-buying budget. Of the vari- the islands of Bali ous Rainbow lories, eight exist in the United States and Lombak and three appear fairly often in aviculture. The nomi- appears to have nate species, the Green-naped Lory, T. h. haemato- diminished signifi- dus, is by far the most commonly seen lory in this cantly and the group. It is a small lory, about ten inches long and remaining popula- weighing 130 to 140 grams. Its body is green and the tion is in peril. forehead, crown and lores are blue, shaft streaked Forsten’s Lories with green. The back of its head is purple; the breast (T. h. forsteni) is red, with the feathers clearly edged in dark blue. were imported into The collar is greenish yellow. The Green-naped lory the U.S. periodi- is native to New Guinea and it is still quite plentiful cally in the past there. but have become Swainson's Lorikeet Another popular and commonly seen member of harder to find in this family is the Swainson’s or Blue-mountain Lory, T. recent years. Its status in the wild is believed to be h. moluccanus. Its head is dark blue to violet, shaft declining as well. There may be a few specimens of streaked with a lighter blue. The abdomen is dark blue some of the other Rainbow subspecies still in the 30 • Number 3 2004 United States, but they are almost unheard of and, with no apparent viable population, they are rarely seen. While not part of the group known as “Rainbow Lories,” two other members of the genus Trichoglossus have become quite popular in American aviculture. They are the Goldie’s Lorikeet, Trichoglossus goldiei, and the Iris Lorikeet, Trichoglossus iris. Both are small, colorful birds that breed readily and adapt well to life as a pet or in the aviary. The Goldie’s Lorikeet will remind you of a watermelon with its green streaked body, red forehead often as companion birds. They are not terribly noisy and have charming dispositions, which makes them well-suited for life with humans. Steadily disappearing from aviculture in the United States is the Scaly-breasted Lory, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus. It is a small, bright green bird with yellow scalloping on its breast and Violet-naped Lory pair bright orange under the wings. It comes from Australia and crown, and purple face. It is about seven inches and is about nine inches long, weighing about 75 long and weighs between 50 and 80 grams. It is native grams. It has a rather melodious voice, if any lory to the mountains of New Guinea, where it is still rather voice can be considered melodious. They are com- common. These diminutive birds make delightful com- monly kept in Australia, where several natural muta- panions and are considered by many to be a good lory tions have occurred. Although it is an easy bird to for a beginner. They are the complete lory spirit in a keep and breed, it lacks the popularity of its flashier small package but they are not known to be excep- cousins and has tionally good talkers. Not only do they make wonder- become harder to ful pets, but they also do well in mixed species find in North aviaries that have no other lories. They do not destroy America. the plants as badly as some of the larger lories, and Lories in the they live well with many types of softbills. genus Eos are The Iris Lorikeet is from Timor and is vulnerable quite popular in there, as the habit is rapidly disappearing. Iris aviculture. The Lorikeets are small, about eight inches long. They most common rep- Red Lory Babies have red crowns, a band of purple behind their eyes, resentatives of this yellow scalloping on their breast, and green bodies. genus are the Red Lory, Eos bornea, and the Blue- Iris Lories have a more varied diet than other lories. streaked Lory, Eos reticulata. The most commonly Often they are fed a seed mix suitable for small hook- seen Red Lories, E. b. moluccanus, are bright red bills along with fruit and nectar. They are one of the birds with some blue on their sides. The wings are red few lories known to aviculture that do well with some with some dark blue or black, the area around the vent seeds in their diet.