Red-and-blue lory
Red-and-blue lory | |
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At Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Genus: | Eos |
Species: | E. histrio
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Binomial name | |
Eos histrio (P.L.S. Müller, 1776)
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The red-and-blue lory (Eos histrio) is a small, strikingly-colored
Taxonomy
There are two subspecies recognized, of which one is extinct:[4]
- E. h. challengeri Talaud Islands, presently only found on Karakelong
- †E. h. histrio (P.L.S. Müller, 1776) - formerly found on Sangir, Siau, and Ruang, now extinct
E. h. histrio is thought to have become extinct due to deforestation.[5] The subspecies E. h. challengeri, formerly thought to have existed on Miangas or Nenusa, was also previously thought to have been driven to extinction, with the populations on the Talaud Islands belonging to the subspecies E. h. talautensis.[5][6] However, the purported range of challengeri has never been established and is thus thought to be erroneous, so it was synonymized with E. h. talautensis by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022, thus "reviving" challengeri as an extant subspecies.[7]
Description
The red-and-blue lory is roughly 12 inches (30 cm) in length, including the tail. The species is sexually monomorphic, i.e. sexes are visually alike.[8]
The beak is short, sharply curved, and bright orange. The feathers nearest the cere (the area nearest the nostrils) are bright red. The crown of the head is intense purple. The back of the head is red, and the nape of the neck is intense violet. An indigo-violet stripe runs diagonally from the cere corner to the nape of the neck. The bird's plumage is mostly bright red. The rump and lower belly are a slightly deeper red. The breast has a broad band of deep blue. Extending the color from the nape, the bird's back is a deep violet purple. Wing and tail flight feathers - rectrices and remiges - are between red and red-violet. The wing covert feathers are black and red with black tips. The leg feathers are bluish-purple. The feet are medium gray, and the claws are black. The cere is very dark gray, and the irises of the eyes are dark brown.[3]
The red-and-blue lory's voice consists of short, harsh chattering screeches.[9] Their flight is said to be quick and straight.[10]
Distribution and habitat
The red-and-blue lory is now confined to the
The birds inhabit forests from sea level to about 1,500 meters above sea level. The population is only sustainable or viable on Karakelang, and their population on that island is fragmented into approximately four locations. This restricted range makes them very vulnerable to potential extinction.[9]
Ecology
These parrots are strictly arboreal, meaning they spend their lives in the trees. They do not forage on the ground.[3][8] The species eats a primarily nectar- and pollen-based diet, like most lories and lorikeets. It supplements its diet with occasional insects and fruit.[8][10] The red-and-blue lory is said to be raucous and noisy in the wild, but to be silent while feeding.[8]
Mature trees are needed for nesting, and logging sometimes selectively removes these trees, which constitutes a threat to the specie's survival.[9] Clutch size is 2 eggs, with a hatching time of 25–26 days.[8] Outside of the breeding season, the species forms social flocks, which congregate in palm plantations.[10] While the species is nonmigratory, they are said to fly between neighboring islands in search of food.[10]
Most
Conservation
The red-and-blue lory is currently classified as
Threats to the population include illegal trapping for the pet trade, insecticide spraying on coconut plantations, logging or habitat degradation, and exotic
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ a b c "Red-and-blue lory videos, photos and facts - Eos histrio". ARKive. Archived from the original on 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ^ "Parrots, cockatoos – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ ISBN 978-1408157251.
- ISBN 9780643096325.
- ^ "Subspecies Updates – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ a b c d e f Trust, World Parrot. "Red-and-blue Lory (Eos histrio) | Parrot Encyclopedia". www.parrots.org. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ^ a b c d e "Red-and-blue Lory (Eos histrio) - BirdLife species factsheet". www.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ^ a b c d "Lexicon of Parrots". www.arndt-verlag.com. Retrieved 2016-03-03.