Fiji’s Collared Lory Wears the Whole Palette

The Collared Lory Rejects Subtle Plumage 🦜

Charles J. Sharp’s photograph from Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve shows a collared lory perched on an octopus tree and dressed as if it had approved the lighting in advance. The roughly 20-centimetre parrot combines scarlet face and underparts, a dark purple crown and green wings. Subtlety was offered; the bird chose the complete palette.

Fiji’s Flowering Trees Supply the Menu 🌺

The species is endemic to the Fiji Islands and occurs in humid forest, forest edge, plantations and gardens with flowering trees. Its diet includes nectar, blossoms and fruit from plants such as coconut, mango and soursop. Pairs and small groups move between food sources, making the noisy, active lory easier to hear than its modest size suggests.

Tree Hollows Become Practical Family Homes 🥥

Collared lories nest in tree cavities, occasionally using holes in rotting coconuts still attached to palms. A clutch is usually one or two eggs. The arrangement is less estate planning than excellent use of existing infrastructure: when the forest supplies a hollow, the birds decline to involve an architect. The species is currently listed as Least Concern, although forest dependence and trapping remain relevant.

Red Feathers Travelled Across Pacific Networks 🪶

The lory’s red feathers were historically valued beyond Fiji and entered exchange networks with Samoa and Tonga, where they decorated woven mats. That history makes the plumage more than a field mark: it also belongs to the material culture of western Polynesia. The Picture of the Day allows admiration without trapping, trading or negotiating with a parrot that already appears fully aware of its market value.

Sources

• Wikipedia Picture of the Day feed
• World Parrot Trust species profile
• Original Wikimedia image page

Copyright Notice: The image and referenced content remain the property of their respective creators and rights holders. They are used here solely for commentary, discussion, and informational purposes. Please visit the original source links for attribution and additional information.

© 2026 ways4eu.wordpress.com – H.J. Sablotny. All rights reserved. The text content of this article is the intellectual property of H.J. Sablotny and may not be reproduced, distributed, or republished without permission. Images remain the property of their respective copyright holders and are used for illustrative and commentary purposes only.