Lorito Chico

Identificación

Measuring 15 cm (5.9 in) in length, the male and female are similarly coloured, although the latter is a little duller. The crown, lores and throat are red, the nape and shoulder bronze-coloured and the remainder of the plumage green. The belly is paler and yellow-green. In adults, the bill is black and the iris golden in colour.: 119  Immature individuals have a paler orange face and a brown iris and bill.

Taxonomía

The little lorikeet was first described by ornithologist George Shaw in 1790 as Psittacus pusillus. Its specific epithet is the Latin pusilla "small". Other common names include tiny lorikeet, red-faced lorikeet,: 119  gizzie, slit,: 31  and formerly a local indigenous term gerryang.

Nombre científico

Psitteuteles pusillus

Autoridad

(Shaw, 1790)

Orden

Psittaciformes

Familia

Psittaculidae

Género

Psitteuteles

Distribución y hábitat

The little lorikeet is found in eastern and southern Australia, from the vicinity of Cairns southwards through Queensland and New South Wales from the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range eastwards to the coast, through most of Victoria and southeastern South Australia. It also occurs in Tasmania although it is uncommon there.: 31–32  They are found in forest, especially in the vicinity of flowering or fruit-bearing vegetation.: 90

Migración

Nomadic movement

Comportamiento

The little lorikeet is gregarious and often flocks with rainbow, musk and purple-crowned lorikeets.

Conservación

Tendencia poblacional

stable