Collared lory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Collared lory |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Genus: | Vini |
| Species: |
V. solitaria
|
| Binomial name | |
| Vini solitaria (Suckow, 1800)
|
|
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The collared lory (scientific name: Vini solitaria) is a colorful parrot. It lives only on the Fiji islands. This special bird is the only Fijian rainforest bird that has learned to live in cities. You can even spot it in Suva, a big city in Fiji!
This lory is about 20 cm (7.9 in) long. It has bright red feathers on its belly and face. Its head has a purple top, and its back and wings are green. Both male and female collared lories look very similar. Females just have a slightly lighter purple on their heads.
Contents
About the Collared Lory's Name
The collared lory was first described in 1800 by a German scientist named Georg Adolf Suckow. Later, it was placed in a group called Phigys. But in 2020, after studying its genes, scientists moved it to the Vini group.
In the Fijian language, this bird is called kula. Its bright feathers were very valuable in ancient times. People in western Polynesia, like Samoa and Tonga, traded these feathers. The bird and its feathers are called "ula" in Samoan and "kula" in Tongan. Other names for this bird include Fiji lory and ruffled lory. Sometimes it's called the solitary lory, but that's not quite right. These birds actually like to be in groups!
What Does the Collared Lory Look Like?
Adult collared lories are about 20 cm (7.9 in) tall. Males and females look a bit different, but not much.
The male has bright red cheeks, throat, and chest. Its upper belly is also red. The top of its head is dark purple. The back of its neck is lime green and red. Some feathers on its neck are longer. Its wings, back, and tail are green. The lower part of its belly is purple. The beak is yellow-orange, its feet are pink-orange, and its eyes are orange-red.
The female looks much like the male. However, her purple head is lighter. It also has a greenish tint at the back. Young birds are not as colorful. They have faint purple stripes on their upper belly and chest. Their beaks are brown, and their eyes are light brown.
Where Collared Lories Live
Collared lories live in warm, wet lowland forests. They have also learned to live near people. You can find them in the city of Suva in Fiji. They live on Fiji's larger islands. They are also found on the Lau Islands, including Lakeba and Oneata.
Long ago, these birds also lived in Tonga. But early human settlers caused them to disappear from there. Now, they are only found in Fiji.
How Collared Lories Behave
The collared lory is a very fast flyer. It flies straight with quick, shallow wingbeats. You can often see them in pairs or small groups. Their call is a high-pitched single or double shriek.
What Collared Lories Eat
Collared lories eat different kinds of food. Their diet includes fruits, seeds, and nectar. They also enjoy eating blossoms from flowers. They especially like trees like the drala (Erythrina variegata). They also eat from coconut palms and the African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata).
How Collared Lories Raise Their Young
Collared lories make their nests in hollows inside trees. Sometimes, they use a hole in a rotting coconut that is still on the tree. In zoos, they usually lay two eggs. We think they lay the same number in the wild. The eggs hatch after about 30 days. The baby birds stay in the nest for about 9 weeks.
Collared Lories in Zoos
The collared lory was kept and shown in zoos a long time ago. They were in London and Taronga Zoos in the early 1940s. These birds became quite tame when kept by people. However, keeping them alive was hard at first.
This species was first successfully bred in the UK in 1941. This was done by the Marquess of Tavistock. He later became the 12th Duke of Bedford. He even received a special medal for this achievement!
Not many zoos have this species today. But you can still see them in some places. These include Weltvogelpark Walsrode, ZooParc de Beauval, Loro Parque, San Diego Zoo, and Kula Eco Park.
 | Kyle Baker |
 | Joseph Yoakum |
 | Laura Wheeler Waring |
 | Henry Ossawa Tanner |
