Lories and lorikeets

Etymology

The usage of the terms "lory" and "lorikeet" is subjective, like the usage of "parrot" and "parakeet". Species with longer tapering tails are generally referred to as "lorikeets", while species with short blunt tails are generally referred to as "lories".

Taxonomy

Traditionally, lories and lorikeets have either been classified as the subfamily, Loriinae, or as a family on their own, Loriidae, but they are currently classified as a tribe. Neither traditional view is confirmed by molecular studies. Those studies show that the lories and lorikeets form a single group, closely related to the budgerigar and the fig parrots (Cyclopsitta and Psittaculirostris).

Two main groups are recognized within the lories and lorikeets. The first consist of the genus Charmosyna and the closely related Pacific Ocean genera Phigys and Vini. All remaining genera, except Oreopsittacus are in the second group. The position of Oreopsittacus is unknown, although one study suggests it could be a third group next to the other two.

Species

Classification of parrots in the subfamily, Loriinae:

Genus Chalcopsitta

Black lory, Chalcopsitta atra

Brown lory, Chalcopsitta duivenbodei (also called Duyvenbode's lory)

Yellowish-streaked lory, Chalcopsitta sintillata

Cardinal lory, Chalcopsitta cardinalis

Genus Eos

Black-winged lory, Eos cyanogenia

Violet-necked lory, Eos squamata

Blue-streaked lory, Eos reticulata

Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio

Red lory, Eos bornea

Blue-eared lory, Eos semilarvata

Genus Pseudeos

Dusky lory, Pseudeos fuscata

Genus Trichoglossus

Ornate lorikeet, Trichoglossus ornatus (also called ornate lory)

Sunset lorikeet, Trichoglossus forsteni (also called scarlet-breasted lorikeet)

Leaf lorikeet, Trichoglossus weberi (also called Flores lorikeet)

Marigold lorikeet, Trichoglossus capestratus

Coconut lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus

Biak lorikeet, Trichoglossus rosenbergi

Rainbow lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus

Red-collared lorikeet, Trichoglossus rubritorquis

Olive-headed lorikeet, Trichoglossus euteles (also called Perfect lorikeet)

Citrine lorikeet, Trichoglossus flavoviridis

Mindanao lorikeet, Trichoglossus johnstoniae (also called Johnstone's lorikeet)

Pohnpei lorikeet, Trichoglossus rubiginosus (also called Ponape lory)

Scaly-breasted lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

Genus Psitteuteles (sometimes classified in the Genus Trichoglossus)

Varied lorikeet, Psitteuteles versicolor

Iris lorikeet, Psitteuteles iris

Goldie's lorikeet, Psitteuteles goldiei

Genus Lorius

Purple-bellied lory, Lorius hypoinochrous

Black-capped lory, Lorius lory (synonym Stresemann's lory, Lorius amabilis)

White-naped lory, Lorius albidinuchus

Yellow-bibbed lory, Lorius chlorocercus

Purple-naped lory, Lorius domicellus (synonym blue-thighed lory, Lorius tibialis)

Chattering lory, Lorius garrulus

Genus Phigys

Collared lory, Phigys solitarius

Genus Vini

Blue-crowned lorikeet, Vini australis

Kuhl's lorikeet, Vini kuhlii

Stephen's lorikeet, Vini stepheni

Blue lorikeet, Vini peruviana

Ultramarine lorikeet, Vini ultramarina

†Sinoto's lorikeet, Vini sinotoi (extinct)

†Conquered lorikeet, Vini vidivici (extinct)

Genus Glossopsitta

Musk lorikeet, Glossopsitta concinna

Little lorikeet, Glossopsitta pusilla

Purple-crowned lorikeet, Glossopsitta porphyrocephala

Genus Charmosyna

Palm lorikeet, Charmosyna palmarum

Red-chinned lorikeet, Charmosyna rubrigularis

Meek's lorikeet, Charmosyna meeki

Blue-fronted lorikeet, Charmosyna toxopei

Striated lorikeet, Charmosyna multistriata

Pygmy lorikeet, Charmosyna wilhelminae (also called Wilhelmina's lorikeet)

Red-fronted lorikeet, Charmosyna rubronotata (also called red-spotted lorikeet)

Red-flanked lorikeet, Charmosyna placentis

†? New Caledonian lorikeet, Charmosyna diadema (possibly extinct, 20th Century?)

Red-throated lorikeet, Charmosyna amabilis

Duchess lorikeet, Charmosyna margarethae

Fairy lorikeet, Charmosyna pulchella

Josephine's lorikeet, Charmosyna josefinae (also called Josephine's lory)

Papuan lorikeet, Charmosyna papou (also called Papuan lory)

Genus Oreopsittacus

Plum-faced lorikeet, Oreopsittacus arfaki (also called Whiskered lorikeet)

Genus Neopsittacus

Yellow-billed lorikeet, Neopsittacus musschenbroekii (also called Musschenbroek's lorikeet)

Orange-billed lorikeet, Neopsittacus pullicauda (also called Emerald lorikeet)

Morphology

Lories and lorikeets have specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar and soft fruits. They can feed from the flowers of about 5,000 species of plants and use their specialized tongues to take the nectar. The tip of their tongues have tufts of papillae (extremely fine hairs), which collect nectar and pollen.

The multi-coloured rainbow lorikeet was one of the species of parrots appearing in the first edition of The Parrots of the World and also in John Gould's lithographs of the Birds of Australia. Then and now, lories and lorikeets are described as some of the most beautiful species of parrot.

Diet

In the wild, lorikeets feed on nectar and pollen from plants and flowers. Occasionally they have been observed feeding on meat.

Conservation

The ultramarine lorikeet is endangered. It is now one of the 50 rarest birds in the world. The blue lorikeet is classified as vulnerable. The introduction of European rats to the small island habitats of these birds is a major cause of their endangerment. Various conservation efforts have been made to relocate some of these birds to locations free of predation and habitat destruction.

In literature

A "Lory" famously appears in Chapter III of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice argues with the Lory about its age.