Black Lories
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The Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra) is endemic to Indonesia, inhabiting open habitat and lowland forests of Western New Guinea and surrounding islands. This lory is evaluated as Least Concern on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
Sub-species of the Black Lory
- Chalcopsitta atra atra: Nominate form of Western New Guinea - Mainly black.
- Bernstein' s Black Lories (Chalcopsitta atra bernsteini) - Distribution: Confined to the island of Misool (Indonesian province Maluku) in Western New Guinea, Indonesia
- Mamberiok Black Lories (Chalcopsitta atra spectabilis) - Distribution: Mamberiok Peninsula, North-western New Guinea
- Rajah Lories (Chalcopsitta atra insignis) - Distribution: Eastern Vogelkop, Western New Guinea, and Adjacent Amberpon Island, Onin, Bomberai Peninsulas - Have a reddish face, shoulder, thigh and underwings
Description
This lory averages 12" (30cm) in length. One of the rarities of the parrot world, a nearly 100% black bird. The under tail is red and yellow. Young birds have red feathers scattered throughout the plumage.
This species - along with its cousins, the Yellow-streaked C. sintillata sintillata another very beautiful lory with a dark green body set off by bright red forehead, lores (the region between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head), thighs, underwings and the underside of the tail. The green parts of the plumage are covered with electric yellow streaking; and the Duivenbode's C. duivenbodei which is mostly dark brown. The head is has a golden yellow ring around the face. The forehead is yellow. Underwings and thighs are bright yellow. There is a violet/blue patch on the lower back.
These three probably are among the best of pets. They crave human attention and love to rough house, but are also very gentle. Noise can be a factor, especially when excited, such as at feeding time, but their personalities greatly over come this negative. Handfed babies of all three species are in great demand as pets, but there is a shortage of female Duivenbode's, so when possible sex should be determined and hens held for breeding. In my opinion, any of these make one of the best of the larger lories for pets. (Description by Dick Schroeder - Owner of Cuttlebone Plus & Expert Breeder / Keeper of Lories).
- Pricing: All from New Guinea and all about the same price. $500 - $600 ea.
Black Lories as Pets
Black Lories are said to be amongst the gentlest and best natured of the lories. They are easily tamed. Their obvious drawback is the shrill cries they often emit. Not everybody can tolerate them.
Positive aspects of lory ownership ...
Lories are popular companion birds due to their intelligence, entertaining personality and stunning beauty. Most stay tame, even in maturity.
They are affectionate, curious, extroverted and clowny and exhibit some unique behaviors. Some like to wrap themselves up in a blanket for sleeping. At times, they can even be seen sleeping on their backs.
They are known for their playfulness. In their eyes, everything is a toy. They love toys that make noise, such as bells. They enjoy hanging on ropes and are quite "mechanical." They like "toys" that can be taken apart -- and they are GOOD at it! Lories are very active and require large cages (preferably flights) and lots of supervised out-of-cage time.
What makes them challenging to own ...
They are capable of aggressive behavior if their territory and possessions are not respected. Housing two lories together can result in injury, unless they are a bonded pair.
They are demanding in care requirements (especially diet preparations) and require a lot of attention. Daily baths or showers should be part of their grooming regimen.
Due to their diet which consists for the most part of fruits and nectar, their droppings are very runny and messy. Special adaptations around the cage are recommended. Carpet underneath a cage will be the poorest choice of all. Everything in the vicinity of the cage should be easy to clean. This being said, lories are very trainable and, with a little patience and know-how, can be taught to eliminate in a certain area on cue. This webpage will provide you with instructions.
Their voice ranges from loud, piercing whistles and metallic "pings" to soft, high-pitched warbles and chattering.
Caring for your Lory
Diet:
The bulk of their natural diet consist of nectar, flowers, fruits, pollen and seeds.
Part of their captive diet should be a good-quality commercial or home-made nectar. Please note that liquid nectar will need to be replaced several times daily - in fact, in warm weather it needs to be changed every 4 hours. The main causes of premature death in lories are infections caused by spoiled nectar and/or a poorly balanced, one-sided diet that doesn't meet the special nutritional requirements needed for good health. Excellent commercial formulas are available on this website.
Lories also love honey, pollen and fruits, such as apples, pomegranates, papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, figs, kiwi, as well as greenfood and some vegetables, including corn-on-the-cob. Another healthful addition to their diet are flowers, including pansies, nasturtiums, roses, hibiscus, marigolds, and dandelions. All fruits, veggies and flowers should be pesticide free. Organic is always best. (For non-toxic ways to control pests in the house or garden, please visit this webpage.)
During the breeding season, rusk or biscuit softened in milk are eagerly accepted by the parents for feeding the chicks.
Other food items include brewer's yeast, oat flakes, multi-grain flakes and small quantities of millet spray; oats, canary grass seed; some sunflower (sprouted). If a balanced nutrition can't be met, vitamin and mineral supplements may need to be provided.
Housing:
These lories are medium-noisy parrots whose shrill calls may annoy nearby neighbors.
Aviaries:
Spacious, long flights are preferred, with plenty of natural (non-toxic) vegetation. Breeding pairs need to be kept singly or at least during the breeding season, breeding pairs need to be kept in separate flights. Colony keeping is possible outside the breeding season. They need to be protected from low temperatures and draughts - even after acclimatization. A roosting box should be available at all times (including outside the breeding season).
Cages:
Lories are very active birds and require large cages. The minimum cage size for a single lory should be 36" H x 48" L x 24" W or to accommodate a pair the cage dimensions needs to be, at a minimum, 36" H x 60" L x 36" W. You have to remember that you need room for the many toys that lories so cherish, perches, food / water dishes, maybe a "birdy tent" -- as well as providing sufficient space for them to move around, exercise their wings. etc.
Care should be taken in cage design and placement since the birds have a tendency to squirt their waste matter, which is fairly liquid, behind them with some force. It is not recommended to place the cage behind a delicately decorated wall and on unprotected carpet. Easy-care flooring is recommended, as well as a washable wall. An acrylic panel custom-cut and placed over the wall would be a great way to protect it. The acrylic panel can easily be taken outside and hosed down. There are acrylic cages available, but lories love to climb and scramble about, so a standard, high quality powder coated cage is a better choice - as large as the space you have will allow.
In an outdoor aviary they are the easiest birds to maintain, as all of their waste can simply be hosed away, no seed hulls to sweep up or sticky, green and white droppings running down the side of the cage to scrub off. Lory droppings are mostly clear or beige. A word of caution about placing lories in mixed-species aviaries. Some lories can be very aggressive toward other birds, while others will mingle just fine. The worst is probably the Chattering Lory. They seem to take great pleasure in doing in other birds in their territory.
Training and Behavioral Guidance
Lories are known for their intelligence, and they are more than happy to entertain you with the tricks that have learned. They are capable of aggressive behavior if their territory and possessions are not respected and nippiness can occur if this behavior is not managed.
Consistent training and behavioral guidance is recommended so that you can enjoy a bird free of destructive and annoying habits. Behavioral challenges that lories and lorikeets present include:
- Excessive Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Heavy chewing is not a huge problem with lories per se. Most of them never really develop any major destructive issues in that area. However, it is recommended that the owner provide their lory with plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach a lory what items are "off-limits."
- Biting: Lories, as is the case with most parrots, are likely to discover their beaks as a method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage." It really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. If this behavior is unchecked, the lory is likely to be dominating the entire family, chasing and attacking their least favorite humans. Training is vital to stop this destructive behavior.
- Screaming: Their voice ranges from loud, piercing whistles and metallic "pings" to soft, high-pitched warbles and chattering. Many of them turn into excellent talkers; some having whole sentences in their vocabulary. With a little training they can be taught to communicate with words rather than using their shrill calls for the most part. However, their natural call / voice cannot be entirely eliminated; but their occurrence can be reduced. The owner has to understand that even with training, the lory voice can get quite loud, with a high pitched screech.
Training and behavioral guidance will help your pet be the kind of companion you want it to be ...
- AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Procuring your Parrot
- Bird Breeders
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- The 3 Key Elements to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy
- Housing Your Bird
- Bird Nutrition
- Parrot Products
The Black Lori by Rosemary Low, United Kingdom
© 1999 Lori Journal International
The Black Lori, Chalcopsitta atra, is the least colourful member of an otherwise very colourful genus. It is, in aviculture, therefore the least popular. This is regrettable for it is equally as interesting as the other members of the genus. It is certainly one of my favourites ones. I acquired my first atra in 1971 and, since then, there has been a period of only six years when this species has not been in my care. Today, I keep the subspecies C. amsignis, the care of which is identical in every respect. (The only difference, in my experience, is that the nominate race can be sexed fairly readily by the larger head of the male whereas, in C. aminsignis, head size and shape is not indicative of gender.) The Black Lori measures 31 cm and weighs about 250g. Males of the nominate race are the heaviest.
Distribution
The nominate race occurs in the westernmost part of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) - the Indonesian part of New Guinea. Specifically, they are found in the western Vogelkop, also on the islands of Misool (Maluku province), Batanta (Papua province) and Salawati (West Papua), off the coast. Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 4, gives this information under the heading of Habitat for Chalcopsitta atra: "Open habitats including coastal plantations, grassy savannah and forest edge; also mangroves. Nypa palm forest, freshwater swamp and dryland forest; even very open stunted forest on limestone."
Plumage
When I kept Black Lories in the 1970s I was often asked by visitors: ‘Are they parrots?’ People found it hard to associate black plumage with a parrot. In fact, in sunlight it is evident that this species is not truly black: it has a plum-coloured sheen. Some young adult birds and all immatures have scattered red feathers, usually on the head. One Black Lori developed these scattered red feathers after it had been in my possession for two years, and lost them two years later. A Black Lori bred at the San Diego Zoo in the early '70s was almost entirely red in nest feather but moulted out black. The possibility exists that it was plucked in the nest, causing red feathers to appear, but this is not certain. It may be that the Black Lori evolved from a red bird and that these red feathers are an atavistic feature. Of course, C. aminsignis has much more red in its plumage and, to my eyes, is one of the most beautiful parrots in existence. You need to see a mature bird in sunlight to appreciate its beauty.
Trade
My first Black Lories were privately imported in 1971. Until that year only the occasional specimen had been imported into Europe; they were rare and expensive. It was not long before dealers started to bring in this species from Singapore and the price came down. Most of these binds were extremely nervous and took several years to settle down in captivity. They were nearly all wild-caught adults and did not adapt well to confinement. Losses during the first few months were high. Not many people persevered with them and interest in this Lori was low.
In the late 1980s a few European dealers were foolish enough to flood the market with lories as the price in Asia was very low. During this period, from 1987 to 1990, 2808 Black Lories were recorded was being exported from Indonesia, but of course not all of them came to Europe. I would be surprised if even eight of them were alive today. This is a very wasteful trade with high mortality and a lot of suffering for the birds involved. Fortunately, commercial importation of this species into the EC was banned in 1991.
First breeding attempts
My first three birds were all females, although I could not be sure of this. I remember making a journey of several hours to acquire a male, only to reject the bird at a glance because it had a severe candida infection. This was common in newly imported birds and became serious if left untreated.
Finally, in 1975 I obtained from a friend a bird whose mate had died. I knew at once (before the days of surgical sexing) that I at last had a male. Its larger size and more massive head made both my birds look very feminine. The newcomer was housed with one of my birds and the first breeding occurred in 1977. This was the first time the species had been bred in England since EJ Brook was successful in 1909.The first clutch was laid during the second week in May, but did not hatch. The first egg of the second clutch was probably laid on July 9. On August 5 I heard a chick which could have hatched one or two days previously. On the following day work commenced on rebuilding the adjoining block of aviaries. A screen was erected so that the Black Lories could not see what was going on — but there was much disturbance which often brought the female out of the nest. However, she always returned in a matter of minutes. Two chicks could be heard in the nest. Both fledged but, sadly, one died soon after.
Diet
They were reared on the usual nectar mixture which consisted of glucose, malt extract, condensed milk and Farex baby cereal (later replaced by Milupa). Some wheat germ cereal was added during the nearing period. Occasionally ripe pear was taken; fresh corn on the cob was refused. In those days, of course, there were no commercial diets for aries. On this homemade nectar mixture they thrived. I have to say this is more than can be said for some commercial Lori mixtures. In my experience, one well-known product does not suit Chalcopsitta species. I ceased to use it after I lost two adult C. adnsignis and, at about three weeks old, a parent-reared C. scmntmllata chick. It is interesting that the Yellowstreaks have reared a chick in the two successive years on a diet of Nekton Lori, or Nekton and my own mixture, both being given each day during the second year. My own mixture now consists of malt extract and honey, with smaller amounts of CéDé Lori food and Complan. The Complan cannot be fed during warm weather unless the food is changed after about four hours, as the skim milk content turns the nectar sour. I do not recommend the Cédé as 100% of the nectar offered, as it is too thick. (It might be reformulated soon.) Here I would like to point out that on my nectar mixture of the 1970s the first pair of Duyvenbode’s Lories, C. duivenbodei, which neared young in the UK (in 1983, and still with Bob Gnantham) are still rearing young. They have been on this food for at least 22 years.Whereas some Lori species, and this includes Stella’s, Charmosyna papou goliathina, and Greennaped Lorikeets, Trichoglossus h. haematodus and Dusky Lanes, Pseudeos fuscata, seem to thrive on various kinds of nectar, I do not believe that this is true of the Chalcopsitta species. This is, in part, because the latter take a larger proportion of their diet as nectar so if the nectar is not correct, they will not thrive. Black Lories take, in addition, fruit such as pear (not too hand or too soft), apple, and sweet oranges (preferably soft Satsumas) but grapes* and pomegranates are the preferred fruits. Soaked raisins* and sultanas are also relished. They are seldom interested in green foods or vegetables other than raw carrot. (*AvianWeb Note: Raisins have the potential of toxicity if fed in too high a quantity. Caution is advised. It is also recommended not to feed more than one grape to a LARGE parrot a day. Less for smaller birds. Some birds have developed renal failure because of grapes. )
Breeding data
The clutch size is two -- invariably, in my experience. The incubation period is 24 days, although the first egg usually hatches after 25 days. Only the female incubates but most males spend long periods in the nest with the female. Newly hatched chicks weigh about 6g. They have whitish or pale grey down, dark brown beak and dank feet. Chicks are ringed at about 17 days with 7.5mm rings. From about this age the nest litter will need to be changed at least a couple of times a week, depending on whether there are one or two chicks. Nest inspection should take place from a service passage and not by entering the aviary. Males can be loud and aggressive when there are young in the nest and entering the aviary will result in unnecessary confrontation. Also at this time, the wisdom of the use of notary feeders will be realised! Young spend ten or 11 weeks in the nest. Although there have been reports of aviary-bred birds breeding at the age of two years, it is more realistic not to expect eggs from a female until it is four years old.
Immature birds
On fledging the eyes are dank grey and the area of bane skin surrounding the eye is white (dark grey in adults). There are usually a few scattered red feathers on ear coverts (feathers covering the ears) and body. In birds kept outdoors, the peniorbital skin starts to turn grey (in patches) about four months after they leave the nest. In birds kept without exposure to sunlight, it might stay white.
Status in aviculture
Never numerous, my suspicion is that the Black Lori is in the process of disappearing from aviculture. It exists in small numbers in the USA, South Africa and in Europe. There are few sources by which to judge numbers reared. In the UK the Breeding Register produced spasmodically by the Parrot Society is the only source. Of course, not all breeders belong to the Parrot Society and not all PS members submit their results. Nevertheless, it provides an indication. Numbers reported bred are as follows:
| Year - Members Number | Stella's Reared |
| 198400 | 0 |
| 199135 | 22 |
| 199212 | 33 |
| 1993713 | 42 |
| 199822 | 44 |
The Black Lori has one major fault: its voice is loud and unpleasant. Otherwise, it is a delightful aviary bind, becoming very friendly. It is inquisitive, playful and intelligent. Hand-reared young are among the most affectionate and appealing parrots I have ever encountered. Breeding is not difficult if the birds are fed correctly.
Literature
- Low, R (1998): Hancock House Encyclopedia of the Lories. (189-195) Hancock House Publishers Ltd.
Taxonomy:
Family: Loriidae
Genus: Scientific: Chalcopsitta ... English: Glossy Lory ... Dutch: Glanslori ... German: Glanzloris ... French: Lori éclat
Species: Scientific: Chalcopsitta atra atra ... English: Black Lory ... Dutch: Zwarte Lori ... German: Schwarzlori ... French: Lori noir
Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: bernsteini, atra, insignis, spectabilis
Distribution: Occurs in the westernmost part of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) - the Indonesian part of New Guinea. Specifically, they are found in the western Vogelkop, also on the islands of Misool (Maluku province), Batanta (Papua province) and Salawati (West Papua), off the coast. ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
Sub-species:
Distribution: Confined to the island of Misool, Western New Guinea ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Family: Loriidae ... Genus: Scientific: Chalcopsitta ... English: Glossy Lory ... Dutch: Glanslori ... German: Glanzloris ... French: Lori éclat
Species: Scientific: Chalcopsitta atra bernsteini ... English: Bernstein's Black Lory ... Dutch: Bernsteins Zwarte Lori ... German: Bernsteins Schwarzlori ... French: Lori de Bernstein
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (scroll down to and click on no. 2 to view photo)
Distribution: Mamberiok Peninsula, North-western New Guinea ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Family: Loriidae ... Genus: Scientific: Chalcopsitta ... English: Glossy Lories ... Dutch: Glanslori ... German: Glanzloris ... French: Lori éclat
Species: Scientific: Chalcopsitta atra spectabilis ... English: Mamberiok Black Lory, Van Oort Black Lori ... Dutch: Mamberiok Zwarte Lori, Van Oort Lori ... German: Mamberiok Schwarzlori, Van Oort Schwarzlori ... French: Lori Mamberiok
Distribution: Eastern Vogelkop, Western New Guinea, and Adjacent Amberpon Island, Onin, Bomberai Peninsulas ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Family: Loriidae ... Genus: Scientific: Chalcopsitta ... English: Glossy Lories ... Dutch: Glanslori ... German: Glanzloris ... French: Lori éclat
Species: Scientific: Chalcopsitta atra insignis ... English: Rajah Lory ... Dutch: Rajah Lori ... German: Sammetlori ... French: Lori Rajah
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (scroll down to no. 3 for information and click on link to view photo)
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