Lory Parrot Information on Talking, Care and Colors

Lories are an especially beautiful and sociable group of true parrots. Their colorful personalities and plumage make them particularly desirable as pets, but their physical and social needs make them unsuitable for many households.

  1. Temperament

    • Lories rely on climbing more than flying.

      All 56 known species of lory parrots are highly social. They live in enormous flocks with constant interaction. Lories rely on climbing more than flying. They are non-stop talkers who are extremely curious and must inspect everything. They need social and intellectual stimulation every waking hour. These are not birds to leave alone in a cage.

    Talking

    • Lories eat nectar, never seeds.

      Lory parrots are exceptional mimics. They learn to copy human speech, as well as other noises, and have a reputation for chattering constantly in the wild and in captivity.

    Diet

    • Some bird owners find lory poop especially challenging.

      Lories are nectarivores. Their diet in the wild is nectar, pollen, and flowers, and only incidentally other foods like fruit or bugs. In captivity, lories are fed nectar substitute or a solid pellet. Pet lories should be fed a specialized zoo-grade lory feed only.

    Sanitation

    • Lories need a highly specialized, zoo-grade diet.

      Lories have a liquid diet and as such, liquid stool. This poses sanitation challenges somewhat different from other pet birds. All enclosures and furniture require thorough, regular cleaning, and should also be sanitized. Consult an experienced avian veterinarian for bird-safe sanitizers.

    Colors

    • A lonely lory is a terrible thing.

      Lories are some of the most colorful parrots in the world. They are sometimes classified by size as "lories" and "lorikeets." All species have multicolored plumage, ranging from bright reds, greens, and yellows, to deep purples and blues.

    Acquiring Your Lory

    • If you decide a lory (or, preferably, lories) is right for you, be sure to get yours from a bird rescue or a breeder. Capture and importation from the wild is not only illegal, it is responsible for severely damaging and destroying entire populations of the beautiful parrots you love so much.