Coconut Lorikeet

About the Coconut Lorikeet

The coconut lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus), also known as the green-naped lorikeet and Swainson’s lorikeet, is a parrot in the family Psittaculidae. Several species of lorikeets now recognised as distinct were once lumped together under Trichoglossus haematodus; together they form the "rainbow lorikeet" species complex.

Trichoglossus haematodus as circumscribed today is largely restricted to Melanesia (except Fiji) and a few nearby regions. It is found from Maluku province of easternmost Indonesia across the lowlands of New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to New Caledonia. Depending on the precise delimitation of species in the "rainbow lorikeet" complex, T.haematodus might barely reach Australian territory in the Torres Strait.

Coconut lorikeets typically measure around 25–30 cm (10–12 in) in length and weigh around 109–137 g (3.8–4.8 oz), but much variation exists between subspecies. The bill is orange-red, and the head clear blue fading to brown at the neck. It has a more or less extensive yellow collar and green upperparts. The breast is red, in some subspecies with more or less pronounced blue-black barring, and the belly... Wikipedia →