The On-line Monograph of The Lories and Lorikeets (Loriinae:Psittaciformes).

Lories and lorikeets are parrots (Psittacines) that belong to the subfamily Loriinae (Lor EYE i nay). There are 53 living species of these small- to medium-sized parrots. Lories, as this group is collectively referred to, are native to many small tropical island chains located in the south Pacific ocean (Fig. 1), such as Indonesia and Polynesia, and many species are also found on the bigger islands of Australia and, especially, New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya).

FIG. 1: A map of Oceania, where the lories originate. There are 53 existing species of lories and lorikeets that range from the island of Sulawesi and parts of Australia, in the west, to Henderson Island, located north of lonely Pitcairn Island, in the east. [Map courtesy of Denis Lepage.]

In their natural habitat, most Loriinae live in dense rainforests or mist forests, or on the edge of wooded areas near open savannahs. Some lories live at high altitudes or in mountainous regions where the night-time temperatures can get very cold. They are canopy-dwelling birds that rarely descend to the ground for any reason. Some Loriinae species are nomadic; their movements are probably dictated by the search for an adequate local food supply. Their fondness for certain cultivated crops, particularly apples, pears, corn, and sorghum, has been a problem on some islands where they cause some crop damage. However, in spite of this, lories are kept as pets by the local residents on many islands.

Most Loriinae are strong fliers; those lory species that are found on smaller islands can fly over open water from island to nearby island in order to forage, roost for the night, or to nest. Since wild lories typically nest in tree cavities or occasionally in hollow coconuts that are still attached to the tree -- limited resources -- they are capable of flying for long distances to locate a suitable nest site. Once an available site has been found, they will vigorously defend it from all potential rivals, especially other lories.

FIG. 2: A parrot hunter on the island of Halmahera uses live lories as decoys to lure wild birds to a branch smeared with gum made from breadfruit sap. The wild birds stick to the gum and are captured by the bird hunter. [edjau@vnet.ibm.comphoto.]

It is likely that one described species of lory is extinct so far, and subfossil evidence reveals at least two more extinct species of lories. Currently, there are at least 13 more species that are considered to be either endangered or vulnerable to extinction, particularly those species that are found exclusively on small islands. Many lory populations are under intense pressure from humans and their activities. The combined effects of habitat destruction for logging and agriculture; introduction of exotic pest species such as rats, domestic cats and dogs, mongoose and mosquitoes; accidental introduction of exotic diseases, such as avian malaria; and trapping for the pet bird trade (Fig. 2), are primarily responsible for the declining numbers of lories in the wild. To protect our wild lories, pet owners and lory breeders should take special care to purchase only domestically-bred lories as pets.

The main physical characteristics that make lories unique among the parrots include the structure of their tongues, which have long "papillae" (fuzzy appendages that resemble a pom-pom) that are located on the end of the tongue, forming a "U" shape. These papillae, which are erected when the bird's tongue is fully extended, gives lories their popular name, the "brush-tongued parrots." This brush tongue is specialized for collecting pollen from flowers. Another unique characteristic of the Loriinae is their beak structure -- particularly the upper mandible -- which is much narrower and has a more pointed tip than beaks seen in other parrot families. The weak ventricular (gizzard) muscles that are typical of all Loriinae, are perfectly suited for their unique diet, which consists primarily of nectar, pollen, flowers (including with the resident insects), fruits, and unripe grains -- all soft foods that are easily digested without much preliminary grinding. Favored foods of wild Loriinae are nectar and pollen found in the blossoms Grevillea spp., coconut palms, Eucalyptus trees, and umbrella trees (Brassaia actinophylla). The interdependence between lories and their food sources is well-developed. In fact, lories have filled the ecological niche of flower pollination that bats and bees (as well as some other insects) typically have filled in other locations; some lory species are the primary pollinators found on the small islands that they inhabit.

Lories are highly social creatures by nature. Wild lories are rarely seen alone; instead, they usually travel in pairs or in small groups, numbering up to eight or ten individuals. They are frequently seen feeding while in the company of other lory species, as well as other bird species, especially the honeyeaters [Meliphagidae], a passerine family that also possesses a "brush tongue" and similar dietary requirements. Lories and their companions are usually found feeding in tree-tops and bushes, where they blend in well with brilliantly-colored tropical flowers and fruits. This gregarious nature of lories is particularly pronounced when lories are not breeding. It is typical to see large flocks composed of several species -- hundreds of individuals -- roosting in a favored tree for the night.

Many people consider lories to be the most beautiful of all psittacines (SIT a seen z). Even though red-and-blue or red-and-green color combinations are typical, lories exhibit a wide variety of intense hues. Their colors range from stunning scarlets to glossy purple-blacks, from radiant yellows and fiery oranges to emerald greens, from subdued blue-greys and lime-greens to exquisite royal blues. Additionally, a healthy lory has glossy feathers which accentuate these stunning color patterns. When viewed under bright lights or in full sunlight, this healthy glow can give the plumage an iridescent quality. This lavish combination of gaudy colors, combined with the glossy feather texture is striking; these birds have been described as being cloaked in a riot of color. Female lories are as brilliantly colored as the males are. With rare exceptions, most species of Loriinae are not sexually dimorphic; males and females cannot be distinguished by comparing their plumage patterns or coloration, or by comparing other physical characteristics. Consequently, in these species, males and females can only be identified by using DNA sexing, feather sexing, or surgical sexing techniques.

Lories are very intense creatures and this is reflected in all that they do. They are very playful, curious, and acrobatic, affectionate, and extroverted. They particularly enjoy having an audience. Lories also enjoy sitting on their owner's shoulder and licking her ears or climbing around on (and swinging from) long hair or glasses. They will nibble on their owner's hands frequently and may occasionally nip when overly excited. Lories love to bathe and will usually do so on a daily basis. They also relish a trip into the shower with their owner.

Lories also exhibit many unusual and entertaining antics. Many lories will hang upside down from the roof of their cage for hours at a time (I refer tp this as the "bat bird syndrome"). They may also place all of their toys into their water or food dishes. Some lories will wrap themselves up in a washcloth before going to sleep, so they resemble a hotdog. Occasionally, lories will sleep on their backs with their feet straight up in the air -- a trick that has frightened more than one new lory owner.

Lories learn quickly and can be trained to perform tricks. They can be trained to fetch balls and other objects. They can be taught to drop money into "piggy banks," to drop small balls through basketball hoops, and to turn lights and televisions on or off. Additionally (and most importantly), lories can be potty-trained. With patience and consistency, they will quickly learn to relieve themselves into a garbage can, from a perch, or when held over a toilet or a piece of newspaper. All of my pet lories are potty-trained and they rarely have an "accident."

FIG. 3: Berry, a Red Lory, with one of his many toys. [Jennifer Ireland photo.]

Lories' favorite toys include bells, swings, "squeaky" cat toys, plastic or wooden rings that are suspended from the roof of their cages, ping-pong and practice golf balls, and baby toys. Other favored toys include toothbrushes, baby rattles, and balled-up paper. However, lories can be quite possessive about their toys and adult birds may not appreciate anyone (including their owner) handling their toys in their presence.

Even though lories can deliver a painful bite when they are frightened or angry, they should never be slapped or hit. Striking lories can make them distrustful and mean, and it will often take weeks or months to regain their trust. When lories become overly-excited, their behavior can get out of control. I have found that when this occurs, they respond well to brief "time out" periods. This "time-out" consists of placing the bird into a towel-covered cage that contains only one perch for a period of ten minutes. This time-out period is effective because it allows the bird to calm down in a quiet environment that presents very little social or intellectual stimulation. Additionally, most lories want to interact with their owners so, by depriving them of the one thing that they crave most (attention), a clear message is being received by the bird: behave or be bored.

It should be noted that even though lories generally will get along well with other bird species, they are very territorial and they can also become quite jealous. It is important to realize that territoriality is an inherent part of the nature of birds and this quality is particularly acute in adult lories that have mates. Lories have been known to attack other birds when given the opportunity, whether these birds are lories or other bird species. Mated pairs of lories are quite effective at defending their territories and they have been known to systematically kill other birds that are present in their aviaries. Thus, in order to avoid disaster, one should never keep breeding pairs of lories in mixed-species flights.

Jealousy -- another form of territoriality -- is usually seen in lories that have been lone pets for some period of time. One should never forget that a single adult lory will consider her owner to be her "mate," and will vigorously defend you (her mate) from all unapproved attentions from other humans and birds. Even though this may not appear to be a problem in most young lories, it is best to never allow pet lories to interact with other birds in an unsupervised environment, especially if the other birds are smaller than the lory. The best way to circumvent the problems associated with jealousy is to house each pet bird individually and to never allow any bird to enter another bird's cage.

FIG. 4: Lories enjoy bathing, as demonstrated by Rainbow Lory, Slice (left), and Duyvenbode's Lory, Faruk (right). [Faruk is one of the Lory chicks that my flock produced and that I handfed.] [Fred Wilson photo.]

Like all birds, lories must bathe frequently in order to properly maintain their plumage (Fig. 3). If a lory cannot bathe frequently, the plumage becomes tattered, damaged, and faded. All of the lories in my flock bathe at least every other day when provided with fresh water. As a result of this need to bathe frequently, any water that is provided in a bowl or shallow pan will become bath water and should be replenished on a daily basis.

In conclusion, while I believe that lories do make wonderful pets, I do not think that everyone should own a pet lory. Lories are demanding birds, both physically and emotionally. People that lack the skill or the time to deal with the intense and excitable personalities of this group of birds should avoid owning a pet lory. However, in my opinion, lories are fascinating creatures and the challenge of meeting their needs and demands is certainly well-rewarded.

Lories are expensive to feed. When a lory is fed correctly, they are more expensive to feed than a similarly-sized seed-eating parrot. The reason for this stems from their diet. Lories are nectivorous and frugivorous parrots; they eat nectar and pollen along with fruits and flowers. As previously mentioned, they have long papillae on the end of their tongues that are apparent only when the tongue is extended, resembling a brush. These papillae are specially adapted for collecting pollen from flowers. The ventriculus (gizzard) of a lory is not capable of grinding dry seeds. Thus, feeding these birds a diet that is comprised exclusively of seeds will result in many health problems, such as seizures or paralysis of their legs, probably due to dietary deficiencies. Eventually, an all-seed diet will kill a lory, either due to malnutrition or due to a crop impaction. A crop impaction results when the contents of the crop become hardened into a large lump which cannot then be removed, either by vomiting or by passing into the digestive tract. Needless to say, crop impaction is very painful for the bird and it represents a serious veterinary emergency. Without surgical intervention, the bird will certainly die of starvation or infection.

Another aspect of lory care that I cannot emphasize too much is the fact that liquid nectar will spoil when left out for long periods of time. Lories that eat spoiled nectar will sicken and can die. It is crucial that liquid nectar is removed from the birds' cage after four hours in warm weather, or after eight hours in cool weather, to avoid potential problems.

There are many different recipes for home-made lory nectar. Many avicultural sources indicate that most lory species require a diet that is high in carbohydrates and which also contains between 12-14% protein. Thus, most nectar recipes have similar ingredients because of these similar dietary requirements. However, it is not unusual for many loriculturists' nectar recipes to vary throughout the year, depending upon availability and freshness of various ingredients. For this reason, my own lory nectar recipe varies slightly each time that I prepare it. This doesn't seem to bother the birds, however. Lories are good eaters and rarely stop eating unless they are ill or have been severely stressed. Additionally, my flock appears to enjoy the seasonal variety that they are offered.

I prepare and serve my home-made nectar recipe to my flock of lories early every morning. This early morning feeding typically comprises about 75% of my lories' total daily food intake, yet they have finished eating their nectar before it sours in the heat of the afternoon.

There are also some fine commercially prepared nectar diets that are available. In my opinion, the very best diet that is commercially available in America is Nekton-Lori (available at good pets shops or directly from Gunter Enderle Enterprises, INC.; NEKTON-PRODUKTE; 27 West Tarpon Ave; Tarpon Springs, FL 34689. Phone: 727.938.1544 or Fax.: 727.938.1545 or by email). This dry powder is pale yellow in color and has a sweet smell, similar to dried bananas. The dry powder is mixed with cool or warm water in a ratio of one part Nekton-Lori to five parts water. This nectar is thought to be the most nutritionally complete of all the commercial lory diets that are available. I serve Nekton-Lori to my entire flock of lories each evening and I highly recommend it as a daily part of your pet lory's feeding schedule. [Other GOOD QUALITY commercially prepared lory foods are available in America and elsewhere in the world.]

FIG. 5: Lories enjoy flowers, as Swainson's (Rainbow) Lory, Chloe, reveals. When providing fresh flowers to your lories, be certain they are pesticide-free and non-toxic. [Kristina Warner photo.]

Lories also relish fruits and vegetables as a part of their daily diet. I have found that they are particularly fond of apples, pomegranates, papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, figs, and corn-on-the-cob. I have found that my lories also enjoy flowers, such as pansies, nasturtiums, roses, hibiscus, marigolds, and dandelions. They especially enjoy tearing up these flowers after all of the pollen and nectar has been consumed. Green foods and prepared foods are also well-accepted supplements. In addition to the previously mentioned food items, my flock also enjoys chickweed and dandelion greens as well as sprouted seeds, and small amounts of cooked rice with yoghurt mixed in. Lories are messy eaters, however. They will usually squeeze the juices from fruits and fling the peel away. They are also wasteful. Lories, like all parrots that I have kept, will waste at least one third of the solid food that they are provided with every day.

Over the past ten years or so, several dry diets have been developed for lories. The main selling point for these dry diets is the firmer droppings that result. These firm droppings are similar in consistency to those produced by seed-eating parrots, and are thus considered to be an advantage when keeping the lory in the house. However, a dry diet is intended to be a supplement to the regular nectar diet that is provided every day; one should never feed a lory exclusively on a dry diet. Some evidence has shown that these dry diets might cause future health problems for your bird. In the six or seven years since the dry diets have been widely available, it has been observed that many lories that were fed exclusively on a dry diet have very poor feather condition: dry, brittle feathers with pale or abnormal coloration. Additionally, there is some evidence that dry diets may detrimental to the proper functioning of the liver and kidneys of lories. Furthermore, there are several genera of lories, most notably the Chalcopsitta and the Charmosyna, that cannot physically tolerate the dry diet at all. Thus, if a dry diet is fed, the lory must receive daily servings of liquid nectar as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. My entire flock of lories steadfastly refuses to eat any dry diet, if given a choice. Even my Dusky lories, Pseudeos fuscata, that usually will eat anything, refuse to eat a dry diet after tasting it.

It is a misconception that lories do not require water. In fact, they will drink water every day, even when provided with an all-nectar diet. I give my lories fresh drinking water in large rodent water bottles that are cleaned and sterilized with bleach each week. This gives my birds access to a consistent and clean water supply, and it allows me to closely monitor their daily water intake.

FIG 6: One example of a cage used to house a single pet lory indoors. The upper cage, contructed of removable plexiglass panels, is the lory cage. It also includes a removable rack, top and side grates (for ventilation) and artificial lighting controlled by a timer on top of the cage. [Kim Rioux photo.]

Providing housing for lories is not a simple matter. This is due to the fact that, since these birds are fruit and nectar eaters, they produce loose droppings. An additional complication is that they are very active, which requires that lories be housed in larger cages than other comparably sized parrots. One advantage to owning a lory is that they are not very destructive when compared to other parrot species. This does provide the lory owner with a few extra housing options that are not recommended for other parrots.

There are several types of cages that lory owners provide for their pets. One cage type that is commercially available and that has proven to be popular is a cage made of acrylic. These acrylic "boxes" usually have an aluminum frame or a frame made of fine wood. An added feature for some of these cages is the incorporation of stainless steel bars or wire mesh for the sides or back of the cage, which can facilitate proper ventilation. Inside, hardwood perches and feeding bowls are mounted to the frame or to the wall of the cage and there should be a light on the top of the cage. These cages also have a removable tray on the bottom and a wire or acrylic grate that prevents the bird from getting into the tray. Most of these cages are mounted on top of a built-in cabinet, which allows for convenient and easily-accessed storage for various supplies. This cage can house your bird safely, allowing her an uncluttered view of the world outside. Acrylic cages are also very easy to clean; the surface can be wiped clean with a sponge five or ten minutes after it has been sprayed with warm water.

Another option is to build your own lory cage, often referred to as a "lory box." This cage consists of a "box" that is solid wood on three sides with sliding glass doors on the front and a wire mesh roof with a light on top. The insides of this box are either painted with an epoxy paint or covered with Formica, both of which are nontoxic and very easy to clean. This cage is designed to include a removable metal tray and a stainless steel rack, which make daily cleaning a fairly simple procedure. This is the cage design that I originally used to house my pet lories, and I found that it worked very well.

The third option available is to house your bird in a stainless steel parrot cage with an polycarbonate or acrylic plastic sheet that fits neatly around the outside of the cage, thus containing "the mess." I do not recommend this housing method for pet lories, however, because the welds of the cage itself can rust unless the cage is thoroughly cleaned and dried at least once a week.

While lories can get quite loud, particularly the larger species, such as the Lorius spp., especially the Yellow-backed Chattering and Black-capped lories, most species rarely become "screamers." Lories frequently are at their loudest in the morning shortly after sunrise, and in the evening shortly before the lights are turned off. At these times, they can rival amazons in the consistency and quality of their noise output. Generally, however, lories will amuse themselves with soft mutterings, trills and whistles. Their typical calls range from loud, piercing whistles and metallic "pings" to soft high-pitched warbles and chattering.

Lories are master mimics, also. They are particularly fond of sounds such as ringing telephones, sirens and car alarms, microwave "beeps," dripping faucets, squeaky drawers and doors, electronic pagers, and video games. These birds will reproduce these sounds with amazing precision, much to the amusement of house guests. Lories also imitate many other sounds with life-like clarity; seeming to collect sounds like some people collect stamps.

Even though most lories can and will talk, their voices are often quiet and high-pitched or raspy and low-pitched. Their words are often not as distinctive as those produced by African Greys and Amazon parrots (an example of a talking Red Lory's voice).

The most gifted talkers are the larger species; the Yellow-backed Chattering and the Black-capped lories. The quality of their voice varies, but short phrases and individual words are frequently delivered with life-like clarity. Of course, lories are similar to other talking birds because they prefer to say those things that the people around them say most often and with the most passion. Thus, one should avoid teaching the bird to say obnoxious or offensive expressions since these phrases will be repeated frequently and with great zeal (and sometimes with great volume).

As previously mentioned, most species of lories and lorikeets have personalities that make them well-suited to be pets. However, some species make better pets than others, particularly when one considers the price, availability, and rarity of these birds. Here, I list those species that are most popular as pets (the prices are for hand-fed birds that are less than a year old as advertised by breeders in the United States) and their minimal cage dimensions (please click on each picture to view a larger image);

GOLDIE'S LORY (Glossopsitta goldiei):
Originates in Papua New Guinea.
Description: pale lime-green underparts with darker green streaks; upper parts are dark green; forehead and nape are scarlet and the cheeks are purple; neck is streaked with light green; the beak is black, eyes are orange.
Length: 7 inches (similar size to a lovebird).
Approximate life span in captivity: 12-15 years.
Vocal ability: quiet enough for apartment living, excellent mimic but poor talking ability.
Cage: 18"x18"x24".
Cost: $185-250.

DUSKY LORY (Pseudeos fuscata):
Originates in mainland New Guinea and on the islands of Salawati and Japen (Jobi).
Description: (There are two color phases -- orange and yellow -- and stages in between. Note that the yellow phase is pictured here) rich brown plumage with pale orange or yellow edges on feathers of the back; either blazing red-orange or lemon yellow patches on face, belly and legs; underwings pale orange or yellow; cream-colored rump; orange-red beak and eyes.
Length: 9.5 inches (slightly smaller than a cockatiel).
Approximate life span in captivity: 28-30 years.
Vocal ability: very loud, occasional screamers, definitely NOT suitable for apartment life. Excellent mimic but poor talking ability.
Cage: 18"x18"x24".
Cost: $300-400 (yellow phase is typically more expensive than orange phase).

RED LORY (Eos bornea bornea):
Originates in Indonesia.
Description: predominantly a brilliant red color with some blue and black streaks on the wings; black primaries with blue coverts; vent is cobalt blue; orange beak and eye.
Length: 11 inches (similar size to a cockatiel).
Approximate life span in captivity: 28-32 years.
Vocal ability: can get loud at times, but generally fairly quiet. Can live in apartments. Excellent mimic but inconsistent talking ability (some individuals are quite talented talkers while others are not).
Cage: 18"x18"x24".
Cost $250-300.

RAINBOW LORY (Trichoglossus haematodus):
Originates in Australia.
Description: There are 21 recognized subspecies of this bird (11 are bred in the USA) so I will only describe the most available (and least expensive) of the subspecies, the Green-naped lorikeet, T. h. haematodus (pictured): rich blue head and abdomen with blue streaking; bright lime green collar on hindneck; bright orange-red feathers with dark purple-black edges on breast and upper abdomen; green legs, wings, lower abdomen, back and tail; underwing coverts are orange-yellow; lime-green vent with darker green streaking; red eyes and beak.
Length: 11 inches (similar in size to a cockatiel).
Approximate life span in captivity: 28-32 years.
Vocal ability: can get loud at times but generally quiet. Can live in apartments. Excellent mimic but generally poor talking ability.
Cage: 18"x18"x24".
Cost $175-225.

DUYVENBODE'S LORY (Chalcopsitta duivenbodei):
Originates in New Guinea.
Description: Caramel-brown with bright yellow undertones, lemon-yellow around face, charcoal-black skin surrounding eyes and lower mandible, lemon-yellow underwings and legs, irridescent blue rump and undertail coverts, bronze underside of tail with blue upperside, glossy black beak, black feet, orange/red eyes.
Length: 12 inches (similar size to a small amazon).
Approximate life span in captivity: 35 years.
Vocal ability: can get extremely loud on rare occasions, can become "screamers" if mishandled by their owners. Most individuals can live in apartments. Fair mimic and talking ability [however, they make superb companions and pets, as reported in this article about one of "my birds"].
Cage: 24"x24"x36".
Cost: $500-700.

YELLOW-STREAKED LORY (Chalcopsitta scintillata):
Originates in New Guinea.
Description: Emerald-green with red undertones, intense scarlets around face, black nape and neck punctuated by narrow feathers streaked with lemon yellow, lime green or orange-red, charcoal-black skin surrounding eyes, red "wrists," underwings and legs, irridescent blue rump, copper-colored underside of tail with emerald green upperside, glossy black beak, black feet, orange/red eyes.
Length: 12 inches (similar size to a small amazon).
Approximate life span in captivity: 35 years.
Vocal ability: can get extremely loud on rare occasions, can become aggressive if mishandled by their owners. Most individuals can live in apartments. Generally poor mimic and talking ability, raspy voice [however, they make superb companions and pets].
Cage: 24"x24"x36".
Cost: $500-600.

CHATTERING LORY (Lorius garrulus):
Originates in Halmahera and Weda Islands.
Description: there are two subspecies available but the Yellow-backed Chattering Lory (pictured) is less expensive and more widely available (L. g. flavopalliatus): predominantly scarlet with green wings and legs; yellow spot on back between wings; yellow epaulettes; tail has a scarlet base with a maroon-black lower half; orange-red beak and eyes.
Length: 12 inches (similar size to a small amazon).
Approximate life span in captivity: 35 years.
Vocal ability: can get extremely loud on rare occasions, rarely become "screamers." Most individuals can live in apartments. Excellent mimic and good talking ability.
Cage: 24"x24"x36".
Cost: $350-450.

BLACK-CAPPED LORY (Lorius lory):
Originates in Papua New Guinea.
Description: there are four subspecies of this lory, only two of which are available to the pet trade. Here, I describe the nominate species (L. l. lory): bright red face and neck; black crown and forehead; glossy purple nape; hindneck has a bright blue band; deep green upper body; red rump; brilliant blue abdomen; red legs; orange beak and eyes. (Pictured: "Salvadori's" Black-Capped Lory, Lorius lory salvadorii).
Length: 12 inches (similar size to a small amazon).
NOTE: these subspecies are difficult to distinguish reliably and therefore, have been and continue to be hybridized in captivity. However, with some practice, it is possible to distinguish the subspecies, as revealed by this picture, originally published in Lori Journaal Internationaal and appears here at the editor's request.
Approximate life span in captivity: 35 years.
Vocal ability: can get extremely loud on rare occasions, rarely become "screamers." Most individuals can live in apartments. Excellent mimic and good talking ability.
Cage: 24"x24"x36".
Cost $650-800.

Joseph Forshaw. Parrots of the World. (TFH Publications, Inc., 1973).

Rosemary Low. Lories and Lorikeets. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1977).

Matthew Vriends. Lories & Lorikeets: A Complete Owner's Manual. (Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 1993).

Click here for a review of all BOOKS PUBLISHED about Loriinae.

The American Lory Society (ALS) publishes a newsletter four times per year and maintains studbooks for many species of loriinae. Their main goals are to provide information and to act as a networking organization for lory owners and breeders. Their newsletters are almost always on time, by the way. Annual dues $15.

Margrethe Warden, Editor
The American Lory Society
P.O. Box 490302
Lawrenceville, GA 30049
or by email: birdbrain@mindspring.com

The International Loriinae Society (ILS) is basically dead with regards to publishing any newsletters or other membership notices. According to rumor only, the ILS still exists as an oversight committee for the several lory consortiums in the USA, although the precise functions of such an oversight committee remain mysterious to all. The ILS still collects your hard-earned dollars as membership fees; however, giving money to this "organization" is worse than setting it aflame since you still have to pay postage to get it to them. If you have set your heart upon giving your $15 annual dues to a worthy lory cause, I suggest that you instead send your money to me, a starving grad student who writes high-quality educational webpages for free, as a public service. In return, I will send you a notice every time I update my webpages (which are universally accessible, free of charge).

The only reason the ILS is included in my list is to prevent them from separating you from your money, and should not be viewed as an endorsement in any way, shape, or form, on my part.

Phyllis Martin
International Loriinae Society
PO Box 4763
Plant City, FL 33564-4763
813-737-2504

Although this is not a club, per se, there is one international publication devoted to lories (and a FINE publication it is!) called Lori Journaal Internationaal. Probably better suited for the lory breeder (Loriculturist) than the pet owner, since there is little pet information, this little magazine is a great source of additional information about lories if you are looking for it. It is published four times per year in five languages (Danish, Dutch, English, German, and Italian). The subscription rates vary between countries, so check the website for specific price information. USA$25 per year, available through the American distributor;

Cuttlebone Plus
P. O. Box 305
Fallbrook, CA, 92028

Although not exclusively about lories, the Indonesian Ornithological Society publishes a newsletter about Indonesian birds, which includes many of the lory species. To learn more and to get a copy of Kukila, contact the Pusat Informasi Lingkungan Indonesia (PILI) webpage. Subscription rates are US$15 per year and you can subscribe by sending a check or money order to the American distributor;

Buteo Books
3130 Laurel Road
Shipman, VA 22971
434.263.8671
Toll free orders: 800.722.2460
Or emailing Allen.

The author of this webpage thanks the following photographers; Lory Lore in South Africa for their portraits of several lory species shown in the "pet availability and costs" section of this document, Fred Wilson for the photograph of his bathing lories, Jennifer Ireland for the picture of her Red Lory, Kristina Warner for the picture of her Swainson's (Rainbow) Lory, Tanya Orsell for the portrait of her Duyvenbode's Lory, and Kim Rioux for the photograph of her indoor lory cage.

Wrenny, a portrait of a female Duyvenbode's Lory who is a loving companion to Tanya. [Tanya Orsell photo.]

A special thanks to my many Loriinae companions,
particularly Aenya and Paris, who have made this FAQ possible.
A very special thanks to Ouija
whose unfettered spirit shall always find a safe haven in my heart.