Chapter 9 - LORILETS OR FIG PARROTS

This is one of the rarer Psittacine Birds whose othe^ name "Fig Parrot" is given because they feed on the fruit of tall wild fig trees of the jungle, also native berries in com­pany with Fruit Pigeons and other frugivorous birds. Lori-lets are mostly of a beautiful green shade, hence difficult to see in the trees. They are very quiet, with the main indi­cations of their presence being partly eaten figs which tumble down while they are feeding. Little is known about these birds, and in captivity they would probably require a diet of soft food with some fruit. A description of the few kinds are here given:

BLUE-BROWED or RED-FACED LORILET (Opopsitta coxeni). Habitat: Australia in Southeastern Queensland and Northeastern New South Wales. A short-tailed green Parrot 5 inches long, with large head and massive black beak. Yellow patches on sides of breast, with red tips on inner wing feathers. In the cock, ear coverts and part of face red. Forehead and lower cheeks are blue. The hen has less red on the face and on ear coverts. They nest in a hollow stump, and lay 2 white eggs.

RED-BROWED or BLUE-FACED LORILET (Opopsitta leadbeateri). Habitat: Australia in Northern Queensland. This is a small green Parrot 5 inches long, with large head and beak. A yellow patch is on breast and red tips on inner wing feathers. Adult cock has a small red patch on forehead and on side of face. Below the red cheek patch and around the eye is blue coloring. Adult hen has the red face replaced with blue. Immatures are duller and paler than adult hen. They nest in a hole in a tree about 40 feet from the ground and lay 3 or 4 white eggs. They breed from September to November.

MARSHALL'S LORILET (Opopsitta marshalli). Habitat: In Australia Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland and possibly extending to the Aru Islands and Southern New Guinea. This race has the usual large head and massive beak, with green body. The cock has a red forehead with a narrow yellow band behind it and red cheek patches with blue below them. In the hen, the forehead is blue, and cheeks buff with blue below them. Immature cocks are like the hen, but have some red on face.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here….