Red-collared Lorikeet

Red-Collared Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus rubritorquis, is a larger size lorikeet (28cm to 32cm in length).
It has a blue head, orange chest, indigo blue lower abdomen and lower neck, a prominent red collar at nape of the neck, yellow/green thighs, green wings and a long tapering green/yellow tail. The eyes are a vivid orange and the beak is bright red.


March 2000
We have one pair of red-collared lorikeets that are just coming up to breeding age, about two years old. These two will argue and fight with any other lories and will not tolerate any lory on the wire between their aviary and the others on either side.
Favourite activities around humans are picking through hair (looking for bugs, lice, nits, maggots etc..), cleaning out ears and preening eyebrows. Testing soft ear parts, nose parts and skin blemishs is a speciality. They will remove glasses and get underneath jumpers of other loose clothing.

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June 2000
A second pair of red-collars were bought last week, these are about a year to 15months old and appear to be a male and female although we are told they are from the same parents. They do not appear to be closely bonded but still enjoy each others company for some load and boisterous playing.

September2000
Our first pair of Red-collars have hatched two eggs 7 September 2000, both chicks seem strong and healthy.
These images are of the babies at 4 days old and 3 weeks old . Both are plump and well fed by their parents.

November 2000
The two baby red-collars were removed from their parents after 6 weeks as the male had started to feather pluck both babies. Only a few feathers on the head and back were plucked on each but we decided to hand rear them for the last few weeks until they fledge. Both look excellent, well fed and in good health. Although they refused food for a couple of days after removing them form the nestbox (to their very own woolen blanked lined plastic bucket) they soon developed a healthy appetite for honey sweetened Complan.

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October 2000
Another pair of red-collars were bought this month, a male and female, although they are from the same parents.

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December 2001
Our one pair of breeding Red-collars produced three more sets of two babies throughout 2001. The first pair born in April 2001 were abandoned and killed after 3 weeks. This was after damp nestbox material was replaced with fresh wood shavings. The lesson learned here changed our procedures in dealing with damp nestboxes and nestbox ventilation issues.
After one set of infertile eggs the next two were born in June 2001 followed by another pair in October 2001. By December two more eggs are laid and fertile. We now remove babies from this pair for hand raising at about three weeks old although the last pair were left for six weeks.
Images below show the first pair in the nestbox just a day after they hatched.
Further images are of the second pair.

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Page owner: <dgd@kcbbs.gen.nz>
Last modified: 2 January 2002.