Red-collared lorikeet

Red-collared lorikeet
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, NT
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Trichoglossus
Species:
T. rubritorquis
Binomial name
Trichoglossus rubritorquis
Synonyms[2]

Trichoglossus rubritorquatus Finsch
Trichoglossus rubritorques Salvadori

The red-collared lorikeet (Trichoglossus rubritorquis) is a species of parrot found in wooded habitats in northern Australia (north-eastern Western Australia, northern Northern Territory and far north-western Queensland). It was previously considered a subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet, but today most major authorities consider them as separate species.[3][4] No other member of the rainbow lorikeet group has an orange-red collar over the nape.

Every year at the end of the dry season in Darwin, many of them display symptoms of apparent drunkenness. What causes this condition is unclear,[5] though it is thought to be most likely due to a seasonal virus. Intoxication with fermented nectar has been ruled out.[6]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Trichoglossus rubritorquis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22725327A94890337. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725327A94890337.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Australian Biological Resources Study (1 March 2012). "Subspecies Trichoglossus haematodus rubritorquis Vigors & Horsfield, 1827". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ^ Dickinson, E. C. (editor) (2003). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3d edition. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6536-X
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference ioclist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ AAP and AG STaff (27 September 2011). "Drunken parrot season begins in Darwin". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  6. ^ Billias, Maria (15 November 2015). "Research reveals Darwin lorikeets suffer from virus and are not drunk". NT News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.