Lorikeet

The word "lory" comes from the Malay lūri, a name used for a number of species of colourful parrots. The name was used by the Dutch writer Johan Nieuhof in 1682 in a book describing his travels in the East Indies. The spelling "laurey" was used by English naturalist Eleazar Albin in 1731 for a species of parrot from Brazil, and then in 1751 the English naturalist George Edwards used the spelling "lory" when introducing names for five species of parrot from the East Indies in the fourth volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Edwards credited Nieuhof for the name. The choice of the terms "lory" and "lorikeet" is subjective, like the use 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".

Traditionally, lories and lorikeets have either been classified as the subfamily, Loriinae, or as a family on their own, Loriidae, but they are currently classified as a tribe. Neither traditional view is confirmed by molecular studies. Those studies show that the lories and lorikeets form a single group, closely related to the budgerigar and the fig parrots (Cyclopsitta and Psittaculirostris). A comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the Loriini published in 2020 led to major changes in the generic boundaries. The reorganisation involved the resurrection of four genera: Charminetta, Hypocharmosyna, Charmosynopsis and Glossoptilus, as well as the erection of three entirely new genera: Synorhacma, Charmosynoides and Saudareos. One genus disappeared, as the collared lory, which had previously been placed in the monotypic genus Phigys, was found to be embedded in the genus Vini. The extinct New Caledonian lorikeet, although not sampled, was assumed to be a member of the genus Vini on plumage and biogeographic grounds. The tribe Loriini now contains 61 species divided into 12 genera. }} }} }} |2= }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Image !! Genus !! Living species |- | ||Oreopsittacus || * Plum-faced lorikeet, Oreopsittacus arfaki |- | ||Charminetta || * Pygmy lorikeet, Charminetta wilhelminae |- | ||Hypocharmosyna || * Red-fronted lorikeet, Hypocharmosyna rubronotata * Red-flanked lorikeet, Hypocharmosyna placentis |- | ||Charmosynopsis || * Blue-fronted lorikeet, Charmosynopsis toxopei * Fairy lorikeet, Charmosynopsis pulchella |- | ||Charmosyna || * Striated lorikeet, Charmosyna multistriata * Josephine's lorikeet, Charmosyna josefinae * West Papuan lorikeet, Charmosyna papou * Stella's lorikeet, Charmosyna stellae |- | ||Vini || * Duchess lorikeet, Vini margarethae * Meek's lorikeet, Vini meeki * New Caledonian lorikeet, Vini diadema (possibly extinct) * Red-chinned lorikeet, Vini rubrigularis * Palm lorikeet, Vini palmarum * Red-throated lorikeet, Vini amabilis * Collared lory, Vini solitaria * Blue-crowned lorikeet, Vini australis * Ultramarine lorikeet, Vini ultramarina * Stephen's lorikeet, Vini stepheni * Kuhl's lorikeet, Vini kuhlii * Blue lorikeet, Vini peruviana |- | ||Neopsittacus || * Yellow-billed lorikeet, Neopsittacus musschenbroekii * Orange-billed lorikeet, Neopsittacus pullicauda |- | ||Lorius || * White-naped lory, Lorius albidinuchus * Yellow-bibbed lory, Lorius chlorocercus * Purple-naped lory, Lorius domicella * Chattering lory, Lorius garrulus * Purple-bellied lory, Lorius hypoinochrous * Black-capped lory, Lorius lory |- | ||Psitteuteles || * Varied lorikeet, Psitteuteles versicolor * Purple-crowned lorikeet, Psitteuteles porphyrocephalus * Little lorikeet, Psitteuteles pusillus |- | ||Chalcopsitta || * Dusky lory, Chalcopsitta fuscata * Cardinal lory, Chalcopsitta cardinalis * Brown lory, Chalcopsitta duivenbodei * Black lory, Chalcopsitta atra * Yellow-streaked lory, Chalcopsitta scintillata |- | ||Glossoptilus || * Goldie's lorikeet, Glossoptilus goldiei |- | ||Trichoglossus || * Musk lorikeet, Trichoglossus concinnus * Mindanao lorikeet, Trichoglossus johnstoniae * Iris lorikeet, Trichoglossus iris * Ornate lorikeet, Trichoglossus ornatus * Yellow-cheeked lorikeet, Trichoglossus meyeri * Sula lorikeet, Trichoglossus flavoviridis * Blue-streaked lory, Trichoglossus reticulatus * Blue-eared lory, Trichoglossus semilarvatus * Red lory, Trichoglossus borneus * Black-winged lory, Trichoglossus cyanogenius * Red-and-blue lory, Trichoglossus histrio * Violet-necked lory, Trichoglossus squamatus * Pohnpei lorikeet, Trichoglossus rubiginosus * Scaly-breasted lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus * Coconut lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus * Biak lorikeet, Trichoglossus rosenbergii * Rainbow lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus * Red-collared lorikeet, Trichoglossus rubritorquis * Olive-headed lorikeet, Trichoglossus euteles * Marigold lorikeet, Trichoglossus capistratus * Leaf lorikeet, Trichoglossus weberi * Sunset lorikeet, Trichoglossus forsteni |- |}

Lories and lorikeets have specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar and soft fruits. They can feed from the flowers of about 5,000 species of plants and use their specialized tongues to take the nectar. The tip of their tongues have tufts of papillae (extremely fine hairs), which collect nectar and pollen. The multi-coloured rainbow lorikeet was one of the species of parrots appearing in the first edition of The Parrots of the World and also in John Gould's lithographs of the Birds of Australia.

drinking]] The ultramarine lorikeet is endangered. It is now one of the 50 rarest birds in the world. The blue lorikeet is classified as vulnerable. The introduction of European rats to the small island habitats of these birds is a major cause of their endangerment. Various conservation efforts have been made to relocate some of these birds to locations free of predation and habitat destruction.

A "Lory" famously appears in Chapter III of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice argues with the Lory about its age.