Blue-parted Lorikeet

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Blue-parted Lorikeet
Blue-parted Loris in front of a nesting box

Blue-parted Loris in front of a nesting box

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Parrots (Psittaciformes)
Family : True parrots (Psittacidae)
Subfamily : Loris (Loriinae)
Genre : Glossopsitta ( Glossopsitta )
Type : Blue-parted Lorikeet
Scientific name
Glossopsitta porphyrocephala
( Dietrichsen , 1837)
Distribution area of ​​the blue-headed loris
Resting blue-headed loricula

The Blue- parted Lorikeet ( Glossopsitta porphyrocephala ), also called Porphyry Lory , is a species of parrot native to Australia. It belongs to the genus of musk loris and is the most colorful of the three species assigned to this genus. No subspecies are distinguished, although the species occurs in two separate populations. Blue-parted Loris are protected by law in Australia.

Blue-parted lorises also inhabit southwest Australia and are the only species of loris found there. Like all other Lori species, they feed mainly on nectar and pollen. However, they are able to colonize arid and semi-desert regions. Their behavior is similar to that of the dwarf musk loris , but, unlike them, not only use tree tops, but also lower-lying branches and flowering bushes. Their preferred food crops are flowering eucalyptus trees . Their nomadic way of life is mainly due to the fact that they largely leave a region after the eucalyptus trees have blossomed. Blue-parted lorises usually appear in small flocks, but can form larger swarms when there is a larger food supply. They are then often associated with musk loris and dwarf musk loris.

Appearance

Blue-parted Loris reach a body length of 16 centimeters and weigh between 37 and 50 grams. They do not exhibit gender dimorphism.

The basic color of the body plumage is green. What is striking, however, is the high-contrast head drawing. The forehead is orange-yellow and turns red to the reins and eyes. The parting is dark purple. The ear cover is orange-yellow. The rest of the head is feathered bright green. The throat, chest, and belly are pale blue. The flanks, the under tail-cover and the thighs are feathered yellowish green. The sides of the chest have yellowish spots, but these cannot be seen when the wings are closed. Like the musk lorikeet and the little lorikeet are the neck and upper back bronze brown with a green tinge. The rest of the plumage on the top of the body is bright green. The wing bow is blue. The hand wings are dark green. The outer flags of the hand swing springs are lined with very narrow pale yellow. The under wing-coverts are crimson. The tail is green on top. On the underside it is dark olive yellow. The outer control feathers are narrow orange-red lined inner flags at their base. The beak is black. The iris is brown. The legs are gray.

The forehead of young birds is still pale yellow. The reins are yellow-orange. The vertex has only single purple-reddish to purple-black feathers, otherwise it is still green. The beak is still brownish black.

The flight of the blue-headed loris is quick and straightforward. If they cover greater distances, they often fly at a considerable altitude. If, on the other hand, they are startled, they often fly very low and change flight directions quickly. The latter is probably a behavior with which they try to irritate birds of prey.

distribution and habitat

Blue-parted Loris have a disjoint distribution area. They are found in both the southwest and southeast of Australia. However, there is no evidence that they occur in southern central Australia. The populations are separated here by a strip of very arid habitat about 400 kilometers wide. In the east of their range they overlap with the range of the other two musk lory species, the dwarf musk lory and the musk lory. In the southwest of Australia, however, they are the only species of Lori that occurs there.

Within their range, they occur in almost all tree-covered habitats that provide them with sufficient flowering and fruit-bearing trees and bushes. It is also the only species of Lori to inhabit the arid Mallee areas . They also occur in arid and semi-desert regions. They are less common in coastal areas. They are mainly native to inland Australia. Blue-parted loris are very nomadic birds whose erratic migrations are determined by the food available.

Reproduction

Blue-parted Loris are cave-breeders that prefer to breed in knotholes and tree hollows of eucalyptus trees. Trees that are close to water are preferred as nesting trees. Blue-parted Loris breed in loose colonies. Sometimes there are two or more nesting holes for blue-crowned lorises on a tree.

The breeding season falls between August and December. Under particularly favorable conditions, blue-headed lorises occasionally start breeding in May or it extends until January. The clutch lies in the nest box on wooden mulm . It consists of three to four eggs. The incubation period is 20 days. The young birds leave the breeding cave when they are around 20 days old. They are fully fledged after two or three more weeks.

Keeping in human care

Blue-parted loris were exported to Europe relatively late. The first documented evidence dates back to 1910, when a large load of Australian birds was brought to Great Britain, including four blue-headed lorises. An Australian owner succeeded in demonstrating the first breeding in 1936.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Forshaw, p. 297.
  2. ^ Forshaw, p. 293.
  3. ↑ Robiller, p. 103.
  4. ^ Forshaw, p. 293.
  5. ↑ Sindel and Gills, p. 187.
  6. ↑ Sindel and Gills, p. 183.
  7. ^ Forshaw, p. 294.
  8. ^ Forshaw, p. 294.
  9. ^ Forshaw, p. 300.
  10. ^ Forshaw, p. 300.
  11. ↑ Robiller, p. 104.
  12. ↑ Sindel and Gill, p. 188.
  13. ↑ Sindel and Gill, p. 190.

literature

Web links

Commons : Blue- parted Lorikeet ( Glossopsitta porphyrocephala )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files