Musk Lorikeet

Moschuslori

The Moschuslori ( Glossopsitta concinna ) is a species of the family of parrots authentics. Moschusloris come as all members of the Moschusloris exclusively in Australia. In many parts of southeastern Australia and Tasmania on the Moschuslori is the most common Lori art. There are two subspecies.

Moschusloris are a small Lori - type and have the characteristic for this subfamily of authentics parrots, laterally compressed beaks. There are birds in the treetops region that rarely settle on the floor. They feed mainly on nectar and pollen and have adapted to this diet tongue. The located at the tip of the tongue papillae elongated serve herauszufressen pollen and nectar from flowers.

Appearance

Moschusloris reach a body length of 22 centimeters and weigh between 60 and 90 grams.

Male Moschusloris have a predominantly green plumage. On the underparts is paler and yellowish this. Striking is the face drawing. About forehead and reins extends to the nape a broad red band. The apex and the back of the head are blue. The neck and upper back are brownish gray with a hint of green. On the sides of the chest to find long yellow spring areas that are not visible but with closed wings. The under wing-coverts are yellowish green. The tail is green and has an orange -red color at the base of the inner webs on. The beak is very small and dainty. He is black with a coral top. The iris is orange. The legs are greenish- brown.

Females are similar to males but are paler colored overall. The blue spring area on the crown is somewhat less extensive.

Juveniles are again significantly matt colored than the females. Particularly striking is this weaker color on vertex, neck and upper back. The beak is still predominantly brown in them. Only the cut edges are already black. The iris is brown.

The flight of Moschusloris is very straight forward and fast. Here, a whirring wing-beat is heard. During the flight, they can hear a high-pitched, metallic scream that has the function of a contact call.

Distribution area

Moschusloris are located in the southeast of Australia. They come from the South East Queensland to Tasmania before and reach westward Kangaroo Iceland. The nominate concinna concinna Glossopsitta is limited to the Australian mainland. The subspecies Glossopsitta concinna Didimus is endemic in eastern Tasmania. The difference with the nominate form is merely that the blue spring range is less pronounced on the vertex. In females, this is almost absent.

Moschusloris nomadic in most regions of its range. Your walks are subject to a regular seasonal pattern. Since they are dependent as pollen and nectar eaters of flowering plants, the flowering time of plants is an important determinant of their migrations. In the urban environment is increasingly presents a firmly settled life of Moschusloris. This may be an adaptation to the year-round supply of food, which can be found in city parks and gardens.

Habitat

Moschusloris are birds of forested rural regions. Although they also occur in closed, dense mountain forests, but only in a low population density. They prefer wooded, open landscapes and utilize both gallery forests along watercourses and remaining tree islands on arable and pasture land. They have also adapted urban habitats and colonize gardens and parks.

Behavior

Moschusloris mainly live in small family groups or swarms. They are often associated with other types of Lori and the Swift Parrot. In the treetops, they are very well camouflaged because of their green plumage. They fall because they are very loud and move its agile behavior leaves and inflorescences. The close pair bond is visible even in the swarms.

Moschusloris are diurnal birds that leave their sleeping tree at sunrise. You are looking up in the midday hours after food, put a rest period during the hottest time of the day and look again in the late afternoon to forage. You return to the sunset back to their sleeping trees. The loud bickering over the best sleeps is widely heard.

Food

Moschusloris eat nectar, pollen, flowers, seeds, insects, fresh shoots and buds and half-ripe grains of corn, wheat and sorghum. However, the preferred food are the pollen and nectar of Eucalyptus flowers. Moschusloris occasionally take long hikes to get to this food source. They also feed on psyllids and scale insects, which they abpicken of the undersides of the leaves.

Reproduction

Moschusloris are cavity nesters that breed preferably in high-altitude caves in tribes or knotholes of eucalyptus trees. They prefer nests whose input is so small that they can squeeze through at the moment. Take advantage of a living tree as a nesting tree, they nibble the bark continuously at the entrance to the breeding cave, so the bark does not grow over the hole. The peak of the breeding season occurs during the period from August to January, but nests were already in other months are noted. The clutch consists of two eggs. These are slightly shiny and broadly elliptical. The eggs are in the cave on decayed wood. It broods alone the female. Incubation period is 23 days. The young birds leave with about seven weeks, the nest box. Most Moschusloris hatch from their second year.

Attitude in captivity

London Zoo held Moschusloris already in 1869. Welterstzucht The managed a private owner in 1903 in Germany. The first Australian breed in captivity, however, it was not until 1930.