Red-collared Lorikeet
Trichoglossus rubritorquis
Large lorikeet. Very colorful, with a bright orange breast and neck, blue/black belly and head, and red bill. Very conspicuous, often observed calling loudly while flying overhead or feeding. Varied Lorikeet is much smaller and shorter-tailed; no range overlap with Rainbow Lorikeet, which has a yellow neck and red breast. Found in a wide range of habitats. In the evening and early morning can be seen roosting in very large, noisy flocks.
Identification
The red-collared lorikeet measures around 26 centimetres (10 in) long. The feathers of the head and throat are dark brown with blue shafts. There is an orange-red band on the back of the neck. The chest is orange with red. The base of the hindneck is dark blue. The wings are green. The bill is red. The legs and feet are grey-brown. The sexes are similar in plumage while the juvenile has duller plumage and a dark bill.<p>The red-collared lorikeet is distinguished from the rainbow lorikeet by the latter's green rather than red nape, the lack of a blue mantle and more yellow-green underparts. The two may both occur where their ranges abut east of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Taxonomy
Nicholas Aylward Vigors and Thomas Horsfield described the red-collared lorikeet in 1827. The species name is derived from the Latin words ruber "red" and torquis "neck".<p>Molecular analysis using mitochondrial cytochrome b showed the red-collared lorikeet is most closely related to a lineage that gave rise to the marigold lorikeet and sunset lorikeet of Indonesia. It is more distantly related to the rainbow lorikeet, the two distinct lineages colonising Australia independently. <p>No subspecies are recognised, and there is no regional variation.<p>"Red-collared lorikeet" has been designated as the official common name for the species by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). Other common names include orange-naped lorikeet and (incorrectly) blue bonnet.
- Scientific name
- Trichoglossus rubritorquis
- Authority
- Vigors & Horsfield, 1827
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Trichoglossus
Range and habitat
The red-collared lorikeet is found across northern Australia, from King Sound in Western Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It lives in woodland, open forest and rainforest, and has adapted to urban environments readily, being found in towns and cities. The species is sedentary, though follows food supply, such as banksias in flower in April and May on Groote Eylandt.
- Migration
- Nomadic movement
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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