Beautiful Parrots

Having seen these exquisite birds in their natural habitat in the tropical north of Australia, ROSEMARY LOW explains why the varied lorikeet is always a pleasure to observe

- Rosemary Low

THE varied lorikeet (Psitteuteles versicolor) is a truly beautiful little bird. Unknown in aviculture outside its native country, there is something quite special and unique about this bird: one of Australia’s seven lorikeet species. Whenever I have the pleasure of seeing the species, I find it difficult to avert my gaze.

Measuring 19cm (7½in), this bird’s intricately patterned and multi-coloured plumage is quite unlike that of other lorikeets. Apart from the scarlet forehead, the colours are soft and delicate. The yellow shaft streaks to the feathers of the nape, cheeks and underparts, repeated almost invisibly on the upperparts, are a unique feature. The plumage is set off by the snow-white cere and prominent white bare skin of the eye ring, features not shared by any other lory except, strangely, the purple-bellied (Lorius hypoinochrous).

Taxonomists have not been able to decide to which genus this species belongs but, for convenience, it is usually placed in Psitteuteles. I suspect it is distinctive enough to belong in a genus of its own.