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Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot

 (Loriculus aurantiifrons)

Also known as: Golden-fronted Hanging Parrot, Misool Hanging Parrot, Papuan Hanging Parrot, Bat Lorikeet

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot
© Nik Borrow [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Did You Know?

The Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot runs its bill along casuarina needles and twigs, apparently searching for lerp (sugar-filled) insects.

Academic Research

Related publications: Loriculus aurantiifrons

Species Profile

Genus: Loriculus | Species: aurantiifrons

Size:

10cm (4 in)

Weight:

13-16g (0.4-0.5 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

three: L.a. aurantiifrons, L.a. batavorum, L.a. meeki

Colour Adult:

L.a. aurantiifrons: Male-mainly green in colour; golden/yellow forehead and forecrown; patch on throat red; red rump and upper tail coverts; yellow on sides of rump; green tail tipped with yellow/green. Bill black. Eye yellow/white. Female-blue/green forehead and forecrown; blue wash on cheeks; red patch on throat smaller. Eye brown.
L.a. batavorum: Both adults as in aurantiifrons, but male has less yellow on forehead and forecrown.
L.a. meeki: Both adults as in batavorum, but slightly larger in size; in female, bases of forecrown feathers paler yellow/brown.

Colour Juvenile:

L.a. aurantiifrons: As in adult female, but red patch on throat absent. Bill pale brown.

Call:

Calls are described as shrill and rapidly repeated, sometimes lengthened into song; also buzzing notes while perched.

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006. 2010 edition
Parrots in Aviculture, Low, 1992.
Lexicon of Parrots, Thomas Arndt.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot
© Nik Borrow [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Did You Know?

The Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot runs its bill along casuarina needles and twigs, apparently searching for lerp (sugar-filled) insects.

Academic Research

Related publications: Loriculus aurantiifrons

Species Care

Captive Status:

Extremely rare

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Aviary indoors 2.5 x 1 x 2m (8.2 x 3.3 x 6.5 ft), new birds no less than 25C (77 F). Strict hygiene necessary.

Diet:

Fruits such as: figs, pear, apple, banana, oranges, cactus fruits; vegetables such as: carrot, celery, green beans and peas in the pod; lory nectar made from: lactose-free baby cereal, honey, molasses or malt extract, and filtered water, made fresh once or twice daily, or commercial nectar; fruit tree (unsprayed) branches with blossoms; small quantities of seed mix of: millet, canary seed, some niger and oats (may be sprouted); millet spray (sprouted).

Enrichment:

Provide plenty of bird-safe, unsprayed flowering branches.

Nest Box Size:

Not recorded.

Clutch Size:

4

Incubation Time:

Not recorded.

Fledging Age:

Not recorded.

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot
© Nik Borrow [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Did You Know?

The Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot runs its bill along casuarina needles and twigs, apparently searching for lerp (sugar-filled) insects.

Academic Research

Related publications: Loriculus aurantiifrons

Species Wild Status

World Population:

Unknown, stable.

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

Not globally threatened. Seems more common on Karkar than on the mainland. Has been found to be common in disturbed areas and rare in primary habitats.

Range:

L.a. aurantiifrons: Misool, W Papuan Islands, Indonesia.
L.a. batavorum: Waigeu, W Papuan Islands, and NW New Guinea, east on north coast to Sepik River region, N Papua New Guinea, and on south coast to Setekwa River, Irian Jaya.
L.a. meeki: Fergusson, Goodenough, and Karkar Islands, Papua New Guinea, and E New Guinea, on north coast west to Sepik River region, and in southern lowlands west to Fly River region, and possibly into nearby Irian Jaya.

Habitat:

Found up to 1200m (3936 ft), rarely 1600m (5248 ft) in lowland rainforest, along forest edge, in palm plantations, secondary growth, casuarinas, pines, gardens and partly cleared areas.

Wild Diet:

Feeds on buds, fruits, flowers and sugary psyllid lerps.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Not easily seen as it forages in various levels of the canopy. Courtship behaviour may include perching on exposed branches and singing to attract attention. Usually found in groups of 2-4.

Clutch and Egg Size:

Up to 4 eggs.

Breeding Season:

September-October; nest is in small hollow in narrow tree.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot
© Nik Borrow [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Did You Know?

The Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot runs its bill along casuarina needles and twigs, apparently searching for lerp (sugar-filled) insects.

Academic Research

Related publications: Loriculus aurantiifrons

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