The Red-and-blue Lory is a small, vividly coloured parrot endemic to a handful of islands in the far north of Indonesia. As its name suggests, it is a dramatic mix of glowing red, deep violet and blue, and like other lories it has a specialised brush-tipped tongue for feeding on nectar and pollen. Fast, noisy and gregarious, it moves through the forest canopy in tight, screeching flocks in search of flowering and fruiting trees.
Once more widespread across the Sangihe and Talaud archipelago, the species has contracted to a stronghold on the island of Karakelong, with the Sangihe population now considered lost. Heavy trapping for the cage-bird trade, combined with the loss and degradation of its forest habitat, has left it Endangered and dependent on protected forest and active enforcement against illegal capture.
This is a compact, brightly coloured parrot with an orange-red bill and a bold pattern of red and blue-violet. On its restricted island range there is no other lory to confuse it with, so any glowing red parrot streaking overhead in a fast flock is almost certainly this species.
| Size | Small parrot, around 31 cm including the tail |
| Plumage | Mostly bright red with a violet-blue band across the breast and blue on the wings and thighs |
| Head | Red with a purple-blue crown patch and violet markings around the eye |
| Bill | Short, curved and orange-red |
| Tail | Reddish above, tinged with dusky blue |
| Flight | Fast and direct on rapid wingbeats, usually in tight, noisy flocks |
The Red-and-blue Lory is a loud and vocal bird, giving sharp, high-pitched screeches and shrill chattering calls, especially in flight and when gathering at feeding trees. Like most lories its voice is harsh and penetrating rather than melodic, and flocks can be heard well before they are seen as they move noisily through the canopy.
The species is restricted to the Talaud Islands of northern Indonesia, with its main population on Karakelong and smaller numbers on nearby islands. It was formerly found on the Sangihe Islands as well, but that population is now thought to be extinct. It inhabits primary and tall secondary forest, and also visits coconut plantations and forest edges, moving locally in response to flowering and fruiting.
Like other lories, the Red-and-blue Lory feeds mainly on nectar and pollen, which it gathers with a brush-tipped tongue adapted for probing flowers. It also eats soft fruit, blossoms and probably some insects, and readily visits flowering coconut palms and forest trees. Its dependence on flowering and fruiting cycles means flocks range widely and gather wherever food is temporarily abundant.
The Red-and-blue Lory nests in tree cavities high in tall forest trees, where the female typically lays two eggs. As with related lories the female does most of the incubation while the male helps provision her, and the pair raise the young inside the hollow. Its reliance on large old trees with suitable cavities makes it sensitive to logging and the loss of mature forest.
- Violet-necked Lory: Another red Eos lory of nearby Indonesian islands but with a violet neck band and no broad blue breast band
- Blue-streaked Lory: A red Talaud-region lory marked with blue streaking rather than a solid violet breast band
- Rainbow Lorikeet: A widespread multicoloured nectar-feeding parrot, larger and greener with a blue head
Where does the Red-and-blue Lory live?
It is endemic to the Talaud Islands of northern Indonesia, chiefly on Karakelong, and formerly lived on the Sangihe Islands where it is now believed extinct.
Why is the Red-and-blue Lory endangered?
Illegal trapping for the pet trade combined with logging and habitat loss has sharply reduced its numbers and range.
What does the Red-and-blue Lory eat?
It feeds mostly on nectar and pollen using a brush-tipped tongue, along with soft fruit and blossoms.
Can Red-and-blue Lories be kept as pets?
International commercial trade in wild birds is banned under CITES Appendix I, and trapping for the trade is one of the main threats to the wild population.