The black lory (Chalcopsitta atra), also known as the raja lory or red-quilled lory, is a medium-sized parrot species in the family Psittaculidae. It is native to West Papua, Indonesia.
Description
The black lory measures approximately 32 cm (13 in) in length and has a black bill, dark grey feet, and a long rounded tail. Its plumage is predominantly black with a blue rump. The under-tail features yellow and red coloring. Red markings on the face, thighs, and tail vary among the three recognized subspecies. Males and females are similar in external appearance.
Taxonomy
The species was formally named by the naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1786, who based his description on the informal account of the explorer Pierre Sonnerat published in Voyage à la Nouvelle-Guinée (1776). Scopoli did not examine any specimens himself, but his determination was accurate enough for the name to be valid, and he is credited as the author of the taxon. The binomial name is Chalcopsitta atra.
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized:
- Chalcopsitta atra atra (Scopoli, 1786) – native to the western Bird's Head Peninsula of West Papua and nearby islands.
- Chalcopsitta atra bernsteini (Rosenberg, 1861) – found on the Indonesian island of Misool.
- Chalcopsitta atra insignis (Oustalet, 1878) – found on the eastern Bird's Head Peninsula, nearby islands, and the Onin and Bomberai Peninsulas of West Papua.
Habitat and Distribution
The black lory inhabits lowland forests and semi-open areas in West Papua, Indonesia. It is the only all-black lory or lorikeet species.
Conservation Status
The black lory is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2024 assessment).
