Fun Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Facts For Kids

The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus, is a species of Australian Lorikeet of the genus Trichoglossus. The common name of the Scaly-breasted lorikeets is aptly described as they are marked with yellow scales on the breast and neck of the body. These Australian parrots are called by many different names including green lorikeet, green and yellow lorikeet, green parrots, and green keet. Among these, the name Green Lorikeet has stuck on and these species are known by the name in many parts of the world. They even resemble a lot in terms of size and features with the Rainbow Lorikeets.

The only difference seen with the Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and the Rainbow Lorikeets is that the species of the Australian Scaly-breasted Lorikeets are all green in color on the head and body, while the Rainbow Lorikeet has a mixture of colors on the body. The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is endemic to north-eastern Australia and is generally confined to coastal plains and tablelands nearby. They can also be found in some offshore islands of Australia. Usually seen in small flocks, these bird species fly swiftly and in a straight path, foraging for food in flowering trees. In urban areas of Australia, they can be seen in gardens and parks too.

Read on to learn more, and check out some interesting facts about other birds like the Indian Peafowl and peahen too.

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What type of animal is a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet?

The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is an Australian lorikeet species found in NE Australia.

What class of animal does a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet belong to?

These birds fall under the class of Aves in the kingdom of Animalia.

How many Scaly-breasted Lorikeets are there in the world?

The population of these birds is stable now and there are plenty of these birds seen in Australia. The population number of the bird species is unknown at the moment, but there is no immediate danger to these Australian birds.

Where does a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet live?

The distribution of these birds is found across coastal regions of the eastern part of Australia in the wild. They are found from the tip of Cape York in Queensland to Wollongong in New South Wales of Australia. The birds appear in extensive numbers near the flowering eucalypt trees of Queensland in Australia. The birds also appear in some wild offshore islands of the continent.

What is a Scaly-breasted Lorikeets habitat?

These birds are found living in lowland eucalypt forests and woodlands of the wild. They are also seen in heathlands and urban areas with lots of trees. This habitat is helpful for them to nest and also to feed on nectar and pollen. Apart from the wild habitat, a large distribution of the bird is found in parks and gardens with lots of trees.

Who do Scaly-breasted Lorikeets live with?

These birds look a lot like the Rainbow Lorikeet. Mostly found in the wild, the bird species of this parrot often occur in mixed flocks with the Rainbow Lorikeet. As both the species of the Rainbow Lorikeet and the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet are found together in flocks, their feeding is combined too.

Found usually in small flocks, these birds fly overhead to search for food to feed themselves. Flying overhead can be heard easily by the sound of their rapid beating of the wings.

How long does a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet live?

The average Scaly-breasted Lorikeet lifespan is 15-20 years in the wild.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of the birds is almost all around the year except March and April. But the breeding season is usually August to January in the south of its range. For the nest, hollow trees are used. Mostly two eggs are laid by the females on a bed of decayed wood in a hollow branch of a tree or in a nest made in a broken branch of the trunk of a eucalypt tree. There also have been cases where three eggs have been laid, although the chances are very rare.

The nest and the birds are usually seen laying the eggs at a height of 3-25 m above the ground. The male and the female species are seen making the nest hollow by chewing the wood with their beak. This process takes a lot of time as the bill of the birds is bound to take a longer period of time. The males are known to take the duty of feeding the females while the females incubate the eggs alone in the nest. Incubation takes around 25 days. Both sexes of the bird feed the young. The young leave the nest altogether in six to eight weeks and learn to search for food themselves.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus, has been categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. With proper feeding and care in the captivity too, the bird has been found to be quite friendly and quiet.

What do Scaly-breasted Lorikeets look like?

As the common name of the parrot suggests, these birds have yellow-colored scales under the body. The beak and eyes are red in color. It is the only Lorikeet in history to have an all-green head and body and combined with a red beak. Both the males and females have the same coloration on the body. The birds have green upper wings and bodies and are marked with yellow scales on the breast and neck.  Two-tone, orange-red underwing with gray trailing edges are observed when the bird is in flight. The eyes are orange-red in color and the bills are dark coral-red in color. The legs are usually gray-brown.

The juveniles appear the same green color as the adults, only the tails seem to be shorter. The color difference is minimal and changes with age.

This species is similar in size and shape to the Rainbow Lorikeet. The Rainbow Lorikeet has a bright-colored body with a blue head, orange/yellow breast, red underwing, and a yellow wing bar. They have an orange beak. The wings, back, and tail are only green. The bird has a gray neck. They also have an orange-red collar on the neck. On the other hand, the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet has an all-green body and head with a red bill.

How cute are they?

These birds are very cute and beautiful. Their ability to speak also adds to the cuteness they already possess.

How do they communicate?

The scaly-breasted Lorikeet call is in the form of a high-pitched sound which is easily heard when the birds are in parks and gardens. The parrot has a rolling, continuous screech as a call. They have a shrill chatter while feeding and a soft, gentle twitter while resting.

In captivity, these birds learn how to talk, mutter, whistle, and sing. It depends on their mood.

How big is a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet?

The length of these green lorikeets ranges from 9.1 in (23 cm). The Rainbow Lorikeet is a little bigger in size than the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, although they seem similar in size.

How fast can a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet move?

Although there is no research to determine the speed of a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, the Rainbow Lorikeets are known to fly at a speed of 31 mph.

How much does a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet weigh?

The weight of these birds ranges from 0.16-0.21 lb (75-95 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male and female sexes of the species are not given different names. They are collectively known by the scientific name of the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus.

What would you call a baby Scaly-breasted Lorikeet?

A baby Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is called a juvenile.

What do they eat?

The diet of these birds is the same as the Rainbow Lorikeet and they are usually found flocking together. They feed mainly on nectar and pollen. They harvest this nectar mostly from eucalypts and also from other shrubs. As they are found in gardens and parks too, these birds also feed on nectar, pollen, fruits, and seeds from many garden plants. Sometimes they are also seen to consume small insects and their larvae. These birds however often cause damage to orchards.

Are they poisonous?

These birds are not poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

The parrot is well established within aviculture. They are found all over the world as pets and people are always in search of these beautiful, talking birds. The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet price varies from $100-$300 depending on the age and breeding.

Did you know...

The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet diseases include the Beak and Feather disease. This disease affects both Rainbow and the Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. The tail feathers are seen missing in this disease. The young birds are born with a dark beak and the flight feathers on the wings are longer than needed. These features make the birds unable to fly. The Beak and Feather disease is said to be highly contagious (spread by feces, feather dust, blood, and crop contents from infected birds) and affects the growth and development of the said features. It is often life-threatening for the parrot species.

These birds are not seen breeding in the month of March.

How do you know if a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is male or female?

Both males and females look the same with the plumage of mostly green bodies with yellow scaling on the neck, mantle, and chest. Both the sexes have green upper wings and bodies. They are marked with yellow-colored scales on the neck and breast. There are no visible differences between the male and female sexes of the species. Consulting an ornithologist to know about the differences is recommended. Sex can be determined by the process of surgical sexing by a veterinarian and a feather's DNA analysis.

Do Scaly-breasted Lorikeets talk?

In captivity, these birds learn to talk quite easily and are found always talking, singing, and whistling. They are also able to talk to their companions in captivity. They have also been seen to call the wild birds and dogs. They are excellent talkers and are very intelligent too. They are very easy to train.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our dunlin interesting facts and mountain chickadee fun facts for kids pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Scaly breasted lorikeet coloring pages.