Collared Lory
Encyclopedia
The Collared Lory is a monotypic species of parrot
in the Psittacidae family, and it is the only species in the genus Phigys. It is endemic to the islands of Fiji
. It is the only Fijian rainforest
bird to adapt to urban
landscapes and can be found in urban Suva
. Measuring 20 cm (8 in), it has bright red underparts and face with a purple crown and greenish upperparts. Males and females are similar in plumage
, although the latter have a paler crown.
Adult birds are around 20 cm (8 in) long and exhibit slight sexual dimorphism
. The male has bright scarlet cheeks, throat, breast, and upper abdomen. The crown is dark purple. The nape is lime green and red and some of the feathers on the nape are elongated. The wings, back, and tail are greenish. The lower abdomen is purple. The bill is yellow-orange, the feet pink-orange, and the iris
es are orange-red. The female is similar but with a paler crown that has a greenish hue posteriorly. Juveniles are duller with vague purple transverse striations on the upper abdomen and breast, and they have a brown beak and pale brown irises.
in 1800, and placed in the genus Phigys by English naturalist George Robert Gray
in 1870. It is a monotypic species of the genus Phigys. The species is sometimes considered to be in the genus Vini
.
The Fijian
name is Kula. The bird was prized throughout western Polynesia
for its vibrant plumage and the maritime trading networks based on "kula" feathers existed between Fiji, Samoa
, and Tonga
up until colonial times. Both the bird and its plumage are called "ula" in Samoan
and "kula" in Tongan
. Alternate common names include Fiji-Lory, Ruffled-Lory, and Solitary Lory. The last is a misnomer as the species isn't solitary.
is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s. It has adapted to human habitation and can be found in Suva
. It occurs on Fiji's larger islands, and on the Lau Islands
outwards to Lakeba
and Oneata. While the species is today restricted to Fiji, fossil evidence shows that it once occurred in Tonga
as well, and was extirpated by early human settlers.
), the Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) and the introduced and invasive African Tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata).
is a hollow in a tree, or sometimes in a hole in a rotting coconut
still attached to the tree. The clutch
size is two eggs in ccaptivity
, the size in the wild is unknown but presumed to be the same. Incubation is around 30 days, and the nestling stage lasts about 9 weeks.
and Taronga Zoo
s in the early 1940s. The species became tame readily in captivity but early attempts to keep birds alive proved difficult.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
in the Psittacidae family, and it is the only species in the genus Phigys. It is endemic to the islands of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. It is the only Fijian rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
bird to adapt to urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
landscapes and can be found in urban Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
. Measuring 20 cm (8 in), it has bright red underparts and face with a purple crown and greenish upperparts. Males and females are similar in plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, although the latter have a paler crown.
Description
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
. The male has bright scarlet cheeks, throat, breast, and upper abdomen. The crown is dark purple. The nape is lime green and red and some of the feathers on the nape are elongated. The wings, back, and tail are greenish. The lower abdomen is purple. The bill is yellow-orange, the feet pink-orange, and the iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
es are orange-red. The female is similar but with a paler crown that has a greenish hue posteriorly. Juveniles are duller with vague purple transverse striations on the upper abdomen and breast, and they have a brown beak and pale brown irises.
Taxonomy
The Collared Lory was first described by German naturalist Georg Adolf SuckowGeorg Adolf Suckow
Georg Adolf Suckow sometimes Adolph was a German physicist, chemist , mineralogist, mining engineer and naturalist....
in 1800, and placed in the genus Phigys by English naturalist George Robert Gray
George Robert Gray
George Robert Gray FRS was an English zoologist and author, and head of the ornithological section of the British Museum, now the Natural History Museum, in London for forty-one years...
in 1870. It is a monotypic species of the genus Phigys. The species is sometimes considered to be in the genus Vini
Vini
Vini is a genus of birds endemic to the islands of the tropical Pacific. There are five extant species of these small lorikeets ranging from eastern Fiji through Samoa, French Polynesia, and as far east as Henderson Island. All members of the genus have exceptional bright plumage, particularly the...
.
The Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
name is Kula. The bird was prized throughout western Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
for its vibrant plumage and the maritime trading networks based on "kula" feathers existed between Fiji, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
up until colonial times. Both the bird and its plumage are called "ula" in Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
and "kula" in Tongan
Tongan
Tongan can refer to:*Tongan people, a person from Tonga*Tongan language*Tong'an District, district in Xiamen, Fujian, China...
. Alternate common names include Fiji-Lory, Ruffled-Lory, and Solitary Lory. The last is a misnomer as the species isn't solitary.
Distribution and habitat
Its natural habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s. It has adapted to human habitation and can be found in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
. It occurs on Fiji's larger islands, and on the Lau Islands
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
outwards to Lakeba
Lakeba
Lakeba is an island in Fiji's Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers. It is fertile and well watered, and encircled by a 29-kilometer road. Its closest neighbors are Aiwa...
and Oneata. While the species is today restricted to Fiji, fossil evidence shows that it once occurred in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
as well, and was extirpated by early human settlers.
Behaviour
The Collared Lory is a fast and straight flyer with quick shallow wingbeats, and can be found in pairs or small groups. The call is a high pitched single or double shriek.Feeding
The diet of the Collared Lory consists fruit, seeds, nectar and blossoms. Trees favoured include the Drala (Erythrina variegataErythrina variegata
Erythrina variegata is a species of Erythrina native to the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, northern Australia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean east to...
), the Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) and the introduced and invasive African Tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata).
Breeding
The nestBird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
is a hollow in a tree, or sometimes in a hole in a rotting coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
still attached to the tree. The clutch
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
size is two eggs in ccaptivity
Captivity
Captivity or Captive may refer to:*Imprisonment or hostage, the state of being confined to a space from which it is difficult or impossible to escape**Captive company...
, the size in the wild is unknown but presumed to be the same. Incubation is around 30 days, and the nestling stage lasts about 9 weeks.
Aviculture
The Collared Lory was bred and exhibited in LondonLondon Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
and Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on 7 October 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman...
s in the early 1940s. The species became tame readily in captivity but early attempts to keep birds alive proved difficult.