25-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - COCONUT LORIKEET (richoglossus haematodus)

Coconut Lorikeets are extremely social parrots. They form small to medium-sized flocks that roost and forage together. They are highly vocal and engage in constant communication with their flock members.

Their bright green and red feathers blend in well with the flowering plants they feed upon, but Lorikeet safety also comes from having their flock on the lookout for predators.

These lorikeets have a specialized diet primarily consisting of nectar, pollen, fruits, and flower buds. Their tongue is equipped with unique brush-like bristles that aid in extracting nectar from flowers and licking pollen from plants. They also have a simplified digestive system that helps them quickly extract sugar from the nectar they eat.

During the breeding season, male Coconut Lorikeets display elaborate courtship rituals to attract females. Once a pair has formed a bond, they search for suitable nesting sites. Their nests are typically constructed in tree hollows. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs, which both parents take turns incubating for 24 to 28 days. Chicks then stay in the nest for about 10 weeks until they are old enough to join the flock.

Coconut Lorikeets are considered Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to their large area. They have even become an invasive species in some areas, where they compete aggressively for tree hollows. Globally their population is decreasing.

Trichoglossus haematodus is found in eastern Indonesia, on Buru, Seram, Misool, Waigeo, Numfoor, Yapen and the Aru Islands, in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on New Guinea, in the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

The species occupies a wide range of lowland and wooded hill habitats, including mangroves, rainforest, nypa forest, swamps, savanna and woodland. It also occupies human-modified areas including coconut plantations, gardens, agricultural land and disturbed forest. It is found from sea level up to as high as 2,440 m (8,010 ft); this upper altitude level varies by location.