Chapter 7 - LORIKEETS AND LORIES

These birds are found only in the Australian region and among the many South Seas Islands.

The Lory and Lorikeet are differentiated by the former having a short broad tail, while the latter has a long pointed one. The Lorikeets are smaller than Lories. They both pos­sess the most brilliant colors of all the Psittacine Birds, and are the only ones which have brush-tipped tongues instead of the smooth tip of the other Psittacines. The Lorikeets are about 6 to 8 inches long, and the Lories from 7 to 12 inches.

These birds are recommended for the experienced fan­cier only. They are rather expensive and, although not diffi­cult to keep, a fancier who has kept birds will better under­stand their wants. The amusement they will give you is well worth the expense. Lorikeets especially are real bird come­dians, constantly active, clambering around the cage netting, twisting around their perches, swinging from a branch up­side down, and doing other acrobatics. Their voices are squeaky and shrill, and they are swift fliers, so be careful when entering their aviary. These birds do not talk except perhaps for the Chattering Lory, which may say a few words. Both species seem to display more intelligence than other Psittacine Birds. They are difficult to sex, but the cock is usually a little brighter in coloring.

GENERAL CARE

Both species have very liquid droppings, hence if kept in a two-foot square cage, newspaper with sand, peatmoss or sawdust on the bottom should be changed every evening. These birds don't thrive so well in a cage, however, and if you can give them a larger enclosure, it would suit them better. They enjoy frequent bathing every sunny morning, and should be given a large enough flower pot saucer in which to do this. This non-glazed pottery is very satisfactory for small birds, as they won't slip around in them too much when splashing.

FEEDING

In the wild, these birds live on blossoms and flower nec­tar (which their brushy tongue enables them to secure), soft fruits like bananas, paw-paws, mangos and berries. Never feed Lories or Lorikeets on seeds even if they will eat them. Many fanciers have found out to their chagrin, that sooner or later a seed diet will bring on paralysis of the legs, or fits which will prove fatal.  Sunflower is a soft seed, and a very few grains may be given to them as part of their regular diet.  Their system cannot properly handle other hard seeds.

Poryphyry-Crowned  Lorikeet
Lorikeets have long, pointed tails and are usually smaller than the Lories,
which have short, broad tails.   Both make amusing, acrobatic and
intelligent  pets.

In captivity a varied diet may be given them. This may consist of brown or wild rice boiled in milk with brown sugar or honey added, boiled corn or a piece of fresh corn on cob. Fruits are good when fed with something more solid like mashed potatoes (white or yams). Soaked raisins, grapes, cher­ries, berries, fresh fruits in season, canned fruit salad and canned baby foods are good.

Soaked in milk or in honey thinned with water, you may give fruit cake, sponge cake or whole wheat bread, which incidentally may be buttered, also dried dates or figs soaked in hot water. Fresh greens should be supplied daily, such as dandelion, chickweed, lettuce, green celery stalk, sprouted seed, etc. If you have a garden and can give them some fresh flowers such as Morning Glory, Four-O'Clocks, etc., they will extract the nectar from them. It is particularly advisable in feeding these two species that a small daily pinch of a vitamin-mineral food concentrate be added on their food. In winter give a few drops of cod liver oil, and hang up a strip of bacon. When breeding or moult­ing, a pinch of fish or bonemeal should be added daily. Fresh water should always be before them. Some fanciers make their own nectar of honey or maple syrup thinned with water, and placed in a small side dish. If you want to really tame them, offer a tablespoon full of milk. They will hold the spoon with a foot while drinking. The large variety of nu­tritional items are given because most fanciers don't know what to feed these birds, and many haven't even heard of them.

BREEDING

Lories and Lorikeets aren't too difficult to breed if the proper accommodations are supplied them. An enclosure 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 6 feet high will do for up to three pairs. One pair to a pen is better. Fresh tree branches should be placed at either end. In keeping any bird in an aviary, it is better not to place any perches in the center; thus more space will be available for flight from one end to the other.

For a nest, a hollow log or plywood nest box such as is used for Shell Parrakeets (see chapter on them) will be found suitable. In the concave nest bottom, place a thin layer of either damp peatmoss, sawdust or turf with roots up. These birds like nest boxes to sleep in also. Two to five eggs will be laid in a clutch, depending on the species. The young are reared with regurgitated food. If you should have to feed the young by hand, use a medicine dropper. In hand-feeding you may vary a nestling's diet with honey thinned with water, plain milk, or canned baby foods thinned out with milk or water. When hand-raising nestlings, a small pinch of a min­eral concentrate may be mixed in the formula. When they become older oatmeal or pablum moistened with water may be fed with a toothpick.

A few species of Lory and Lorikeet are here described:

BLUE MOUNTAIN or SWAINSON'S or RAINBOW LOR­IKEET (Trichoglossus novae-hollandae or h. moluccans) Habi­tat: New Guinea to Celebes, and in Eastern Australia from Cape York to Victoria, also Tasmania.

This may be one of the prettiest of the Lorikeets. The head and throat are a brilliant purplish-blue. Nape of neck greenish-yellow, abdomen blue. Under tail-coverts yellow at the base and green at tip. Under wing-coverts are red with mottled red breast. Feet slate grey, bill red with yellow tip. Truly a rainbow-colored bird. Length 12 inches of which 5%" are tail.   Sexes very similar, with the hen a little paler.

In the wild, they associate in small flocks, but do migrate periodically in Australia, flying at great heights in huge flocks when blossoms of Honeysuckle and Gum Trees are open.

The hen lays 3-4 eggs, and they often have been bred in captivity. The young in first plumage have the breast yel­low with hardly any tinge of red, also the greenish-yellow band of the adult is scarcely visible. Swainson's is mainly an aviary bird.

RED-COLLARED LORIKEET (Trichoglossus h. rubritor-quis). Habitat: North Australia. This pretty species has a bright orange breast and a red collar.

STELLA'S LORIKEET (Charmosyna papou stellae). Hab­itat: Southeast New Guinea. This is said to be the loveliest of all. The body is bright red, with a black patch on the neck tipped with blue. Wings and upper back are green, abdomen dark blue. The tail feathers are long delicate filaments o* green, red, orange and yellow. The sexes may be told aparc, as the rump in the cock is scarlet and blue, while in the hen it is yellow and blue. This species is difficult to obtain, and is extremely rare in collections.

Among the Lories, the following may be mentioned:

RED-FRONTED LORY (Chalcopsitta sintillata chlorop-tera).  Habitat:   Eastern New Guinea.

YELLOW-BACKED LORY (Domicella garrula flavopal-liata). Habitat: Moluccas. This species is a shining scarlet with a beautiful golden-yellow patch on its back.

BLUE-CROWNED LORY (Vini australis). Habitat: Sa­moa, with another race in the Fiji Islands. 7 inches. — Body green, with cheeks, throat and middle abdomen red. The crown is blue, lower abdomen dark purple. Bill and feet are orange-red.   This very common bird lives in flocks.

PURPLE-CAPPED LORY (Lorius domicella). Habitat: Ceram and Amboyna.

There are ten members of this Genus, having a rounded tail with the two middle feathers longer than the others. Its length is twelve inches, and it is one of the most beautifully colored birds known. Most of the body feathers are scarlet, WHICH DO NOT FADE IN CAPTIVITY like many other red-feathered birds. The breast has a gold band. Wings are green with blue on the edges and under wing-coverts. The tail is red, having a band at the tip which is dark purple-red above, and golden-red below.  The cap on the head is deep purplish-black.

The brush on the tongue of this species is less developed than other Lories, and is less dependent on a liquid diet. They are usually found in small parties of six or so, where they may be seen eating the soft fruits of the various kinds of wild figs.

Purple Caps usually lay 3 to 4 eggs on the bare wood in some hollow branch, although a nest box as described for the larger Parrakeets would be more appropriate in captivity.

This bird makes just about the perfect bird pet, being most remarkable for its gentle and affectionate disposition. It also can be taught to talk. This together with its gorgeous plumage, makes it much in demand as a pet. They become very attached to their owner. They will do a dance and bang their bill on the surface where they are resting in accom­paniment to their owner hitting his knuckles on a table in front of them. They are remarkable ventriloquists in throw­ing their voices to the opposite side of a room.

BLACK-CAPPED or TRI-COLORED LORY (Lorius lory) Habitat: New Guinea.

This is a close relative of the Purple-Cap, although it does not have a yellow gorget, and the entire abdomen is blue, throat red, wings green and black cap. It also makes an affectionate colorful pet.

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