Mini Portrait: Black Lory
Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra atra).
Usually, one associates the Lory genera with particularly brightly coloured birds. However, this does not apply to the Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra atra), which - as the name says - is predominantly completely black with a blue rump, black beak and red markings on the face, thighs and tail.
The Chalcopsitta genus consists of a total of 4 different species, to which are added 5 different subspecies, according to "Howard & Moore's Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World", Vol. I, from spring 2013 as well as the latest version 4.1 (August 2018), "Errata and Corrigenda to Volume I".
The colour pattern varies between the species' 4 different subspecies, which is especially seen in the Rajah Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra insignis), whose lores are tinged red, forehead and face black, and has lesser red bright on thighs; it is probably the subspecies that is most often seen, although this species always has been very rare in human care (read: captivity). According to another recent taxonomy, the 4th species, the Cardinal Lory (Cardeos cardinalis), which is completely red, has been separated from the genus Chalcopsitta and has now been assigned to its own genus, namely Cardeos.
Although The Black Lory is not brightly coloured, it is nevertheless worth getting to know, as it has a very lively and curious behaviour, and it moves everywhere in an aviary with lightning-quick movements.
This bird has a length of approximately 32 cm and comes from a number of islands in Oceania (nominate species: Western Vogelkop, Irian Jaya, Indonesia and adjacent islands Batanta, Misool and Salawati, Western Papuan Islands, Indonesia), where it prefers habitats up to 200 m, and can move into the outer areas of forests as well as clearings facing savannah with flowering trees and coconut palms.
As already mentioned, it is very rarely seen among aviculturists.
Like all Lories, it requires special care and husbandry, and it is not a bird for beginners.
In human care this species can be offered a diet consisting of nectar made from baby cereal (no lactose) honey and malt extract or molasses, mixed with clean water with the addition of wheat germ, made fresh once or twice daily, or a manufactured product bought in a store. Also, fresh fruit especially apple, orange and bananas and a few vegetables should be offered as well as corn, green leaves, hard-cooked eggs and carrots.
As a kind of enrichment, you can hang nectar bottles/-cups up around in the aviary, offer various chews (fresh, unpolluted branches, twigs, etc.) and a big bowl of water for bathing.
This species also uses a nest box to sleep year-round. When breeding, 2 eggs are laid that are incubated for approximately 25 days. The chicks fledge the nest after almost 75 days.
Jorgen Petersen
Conceived/Updated: 19.05.2019 / 10.01.2024
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