Ornate lorikeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ornate lorikeet |
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| At Nashville Zoo, USA | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Saudareos
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| Species: |
ornata
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| Synonyms | |
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Psittacus ornatus Linnaeus, 1758 |
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The ornate lorikeet (Saudareos ornata), also called the ornate lory, is a type of colorful parrot. It belongs to the Psittaculidae family, which includes many parrots. This bird lives only in the Sulawesi islands in Indonesia. You can find it in forests, woodlands, mangrove areas, and even on farms. It's quite common in its home.
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How the Ornate Lorikeet Got Its Name
The ornate lorikeet was first officially described by a Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus in 1758. He wrote about it in his famous book, Systema Naturae. He gave it the scientific name Psittacus ornatus.
Linnaeus learned about this bird from an earlier description by George Edwards in 1751. Edwards had described and drawn the "Lory Parrakeet." Linnaeus thought the bird came from "America," but Edwards had said it was from the "East Indies," which is actually the island of Sulawesi.
Changing Its Scientific Group
The ornate lorikeet used to be placed in a group (called a genus) named Trichoglossus. However, in 2020, scientists studied the genes of lorikeets. Based on their findings, the ornate lorikeet was moved to a new genus called Saudareos. This helps scientists better understand how different bird species are related.
What the Ornate Lorikeet Looks Like
The ornate lorikeet is a mostly green parrot. It is about 25 cm (10 inches) long. The top of its head, above its eyes, is a pretty purple-blue color. Its face below its eyes is red.
There is also some red on the back of its head and yellow right behind its eyes. Unlike some other lorikeets, it does not have a collar of color on the back of its neck. From its chin down to its chest, it has cool stripes and bars of red and blue. Its belly is green with some scattered yellow markings.
The bird's beak is orange-red, and its eyes have dark orange centers (irises). The skin around its eyes is dark grey, and its legs are grey too.
Behavior
Ornate lorikeets usually hang out in pairs or small groups. Sometimes, you might even see very large groups of them flying together. They also sometimes join up with other types of birds, like the yellow and green lorikeet, to form mixed flocks.
