Lories and lorikeets
| Lories and lorikeets | |
|---|---|
,_Nelson_Bay,_NSW.jpg) |
|
| Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) at Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Superfamily: | Psittacoidea |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Subfamily: | Loriinae |
| Tribe: |
Loriini Selby, 1836 |
| Genera | |
|
Chalcopsitta |
|
Chalcopsitta
Eos
Pseudeos
Trichoglossus
Psitteuteles
Lorius
Phigys
Vini
Glossopsitta
Charmosyna
Oreopsittacus
Neopsittacus
Lories and lorikeets (tribe Loriini) are small to medium-sized arboreal parrots characterized by their specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar of various blossoms and soft fruits, preferably berries. The species form a monophyletic group within the parrot family Psittacidae. Traditionally, they were considered a separate subfamily (Loriinae) from the other subfamily (Psittacinae) based on the specialized characteristics, but recent molecular and morphological studies show that the group is positioned in the middle of various other groups. They are widely distributed throughout the Australasian region, including south-eastern Asia, Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Australia, and the majority have very brightly coloured plumage.
The usage of the terms "lory" and "lorikeet" is subjective, like the usage of "parrot" and "parakeet". Species with longer tapering tails are generally referred to as "lorikeets", while species with short blunt tails are generally referred to as "lories".
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Wikipedia