Red-fronted lorikeet
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Red-fronted lorikeet
| image = Charmosyna rubronotata.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Hypocharmosyna
| species = rubronotata
| authority = (Wallace, 1862)
| synonyms = Glossopsitta rubronotata (Wallace, 1862)
Coriphilus rubronotatus (Wallace, 1862)
}}
The red-fronted lorikeet (Hypocharmosyna rubronotata), also known as the red-spotted lorikeet or red-rumped lorikeet is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is found in northern New Guinea and the island of Biak. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.{{Cite web|title=Red-fronted Lorikeet Charmosyna rubronotata|url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/red-fronted-lorikeet-charmosyna-rubronotata/text|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
Taxonomy
This species was formerly placed in the genus Charmosyna. It was moved to the resurrected genus Hypocharmosyna based on a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2020.{{Cite journal | last1=Smith | first1=B.T. | last2=Mauck | first2=W.M.I. | last3=Benz | first3=B.W. | last4=Andersen | first4=M.J. | date=2020 | title=Uneven missing data skew phylogenomic relationships within the lories and lorikeets | journal=Genome Biology and Evolution | volume=12 | issue=7 | pages=1131–1147 | doi=10.1093/gbe/evaa113 | doi-access=free | pmid=32470111 | pmc=7486955 }}{{Cite journal | last1=Joseph | first1=L. | last2=Merwin | first2=J. | last3=Smith | first3=B.T. | date=2020 | title=Improved systematics of lorikeets reflects their evolutionary history and frames conservation priorities | journal=Emu - Austral Ornithology | volume=120 | issue=3 | pages=201–215 | doi=10.1080/01584197.2020.1779596}}{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=July 2021 | title=Parrots, cockatoos | work=IOC World Bird List Version 11.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/parrots/| publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=21 July 2021 }}
Two subspecies are recognised:
- H. r. rubronotata (Wallace, 1862) – Found on Salawati, the West Papuan Islands, Irian Jaya, and New Guinea.
- H. r. kordoana (Meyer, AB, 1874) – Found on Biak, Geelvink Bay, and Irian Jaya.{{Cite web|title=Red-fronted Lorikeet {{!}} Parrot Encyclopedia|url=https://www.parrots.org/encyclopedia/red-fronted-lorikeet|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
Description
The red-fronted lorikeet is around {{convert|17|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and weighs {{convert|30-35|g|oz|abbr=on}}. They are sexually dimorphic and exhibit a large difference in appearance between sexes. The males of rubronotata possess red forecrowns with red bills and orange eyes. They have purple or blue ear coverts which are streaked with a paler blue along with red underwing coverts. They have a yellow-tipped green tail, with the base of side tail feathers being red. The females have green forecrowns with green ear coverts which are streaked with green or yellow. They also have green underwing coverts and red markings on the upper tail coverts. The males of kordoana tend to have larger but paler forecrown along with ear coverts that more bluish than purple. The females look the same as rubronotata. Juveniles look the same as adult females, but juvenile males additionally have red underwing coverts and dark and unstreaked ear covert, a yellow underwing band. They have brown beaks with pale brown eyes.
They make soft, harsh sounds whole in flight. They have also been observed making sharp kss notes.
Distribution and habitat
The red-fronted lorikeet inhabits northern New Guinea and the island of Biak. It is found in humid forest, forest edges and coconut plantations, and is also occasionally observed in trees and shrubs in open country up to an elevation of {{convert|900|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.{{Cite web|title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Red-fronted Lorikeet|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/en|last=International)|first=BirdLife International (BirdLife|date=2016-10-01|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=2020-05-05}}
Behaviour and ecology
= Breeding =
The breeding season is in July-August. Eggs are laid in clutches of 2. The eggs are {{convert|17.0 x 13.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} in size. The eggs have an incubation period of 23 days, and chicks are fledged by the age of 7 weeks.
= Food and feeding =
Relationship with humans
The parrots are uncommon pets.