Black Lorikeet
| Black Lorikeet | ||||||||||||
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Black Lorikeet ( Chalcopsitta atra ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Chalcopsitta atra | ||||||||||||
| ( Scopoli , 1786) |
The Black Lorikeet ( Chalcopsitta atra ) is a kind of actual parrot from the genus of the Glossy Lorikeet ( Chalcopsitta ).
features
The black lory reaches a size of 32 centimeters. The color of the plumage is mainly brownish-black. Depending on the incidence of light, the plumage can shimmer purple-blue. The plumage on the head and neck is deep black, whereas it is velvety black on the mantle and wing cover. The upper tail-cover and the rump are blue-black in color, which distinguishes the Black Lori from all other Lori species. The feathers on the lower tail cover look a bit washed out. The underside of the tail is glossy red with a broad yellow tip. The inside and outside flags of the wings are colored shiny brown-black. The wax skin, beak, claws and feet are black in color.
The young birds can be recognized by their white circles under the eyes and white wax skin. They also have a dark brown iris.
Subspecies
- Chalcopsitta atra atra ( Scopoli , 1786), the nominate form .
- C. atra bernsteini ( Rosenberg , 1861), can be identified by their deep orange-red leg and head plumage from C. a. atra can be distinguished. This subspecies is endemic to the Indonesian island of Misool . In addition, this species is slightly larger than the nominate form at 34 centimeters.
- C. atra insignis ( Oustalet , 1878), a distinctively colored subspecies sometimes referred to as Rajah Lorie . It differs from the nominate form and C. atra bernsteini by its dark red hood and lower wing plumage, isolated red feathers on the neck, belly and flanks. The head plumage is also colored gray-blue.
Of the fourth subspecies C. atra spectabilis described by van Oort in 1908 , only the male holotype from the northwestern Irian Jaya , shot by Léon Laglaize on March 13, 1876 and deposited in the Rijksmuseum Leiden , is known. The zoologist Ernst Mayr suggested that it was a hybrid form ( Chalcopsitta insignis x Chalcopsitta scintillata ) or an intermediate breed. The subspecies is generally not recognized.
voice
The call of the black lory is a high-pitched screech or chirp. There is no other kind of Lori whose scream is so loud; the scream, however, is not as loud as that of the white rump or all-color loris .
Distribution and existence
The distribution of the Black Lorikeet is in Indonesia . The inhabited area extends from Irian Jaya in the west to Vogelkop and the Onin peninsula. It is also found on the islands of Batanta , Misool and Salawati . The IUCN Red List lists the Black Lorikeet as "Least Concern".
Habitat and way of life
The black lory inhabits the lowlands. The species seeks open habitats such as coconut plantations, savannahs, the edges of wetlands, open grasslands and narrow, scattered eucalyptus groves. It has also been spotted in mangrove forests and bog areas . Sometimes the black loris are seen in a large flock on flowering trees foraging.
Reproduction
Little is known about their mating behavior in the wild, but males have been spotted breeding between April and December. In captivity, the eggs are incubated for 25 days and the female and male take turns incubating. There are usually 2 eggs laid. The young birds fledge after 74 days.
source
literature
- Mike Parr and Tony Juniper (1998): Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World (Helm Identification Guides) , Yale University Press New Haven and London, ISBN 0-7136-6933-0
- Peters, JL (1937): Checklist of Birds of the World , 3, p.143.
Web links
- Chalcopsitta atra inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.1. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2013.