Black capped Lory
BirdCare.com.au
PO  Box 126 Mitcham Vic 3132 ( Victoria, Australia )

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. black capped lory
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  • Scientific Name: Lorius lory
  • Common Name/s: BLACK CAPPED LORY.
  • Sub Species in country / area of origin: Yes, probably 6.  3 available in Australia including L. l. lory and L. l. erythrothorax.  The L. l. erythrothorax sub-species is often referred to as the RED BREASTED LORY.
  • Origin / Distribution: West Irian, New Guinea and nearby islands.
  • Habitat In Wild: Lowland forests and surrounding secondary vegetation. Generally avoids gardens and farmlands.
  • Status In Wild: Common in most areas.
  • Status In (Australian) Captivity:  Rare
  • Age To Sexual Maturity: 3 - 4 years
  • Lifespan (estimate): approx. ? years
  • Sexing: Monomorphic / Dimorphic. DNA or surgical sexing is usually required.
  • Mutations: ?
  • Availability: Rare
  • Temperament: In the wild these birds are usually shy and try to avoid people.  The Black capped lory can be aggressive birds and need to be housed as one pair per aviary/cage.  Colony breeding is generally unsuccessful due to aggression between birds.  No other species should be housed with these birds.  They are active and sometimes noisy birds that like branches to chew along with other activity items to keep them active and entertained.
  • Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: - Normal colour (Approx.) $5000
  • Description Of Adults: L. l. lory
  1. Length: Approx. 300 - 310 mm (or approx. 12 inches)
  2. Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer photo/s above if available.
  3. Weight: Approx. 225 gms (or approx 8 ozs)

Black capped Lory =  Lorius lory lory. Nominate race and represent about half the "Black capped" lories in Australia.
Red breasted lory = Lorius lory erythrothorax. About the same number as L. l. lory.
Salvadori Lory (or Meyer's Black capped Lory) = Lorius lory salvadorii. Only a few of this sub-species are available in Australia.
"Inventory of Exotic (non-native) Bird Species, 2002" register only refers to Loris lory, Black capped Lory.

Aviary Notes:

Level Of Knowledge Required: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Specialist Breeders Only.

Government Regulations & By-Laws: Refer to " Government Laws " web page.

Housing Requirements: Refer to " Lorikeets & Lories " web page for general details on the housing of Lorikeets & Lories or read on for specific details for this parrot.

With their rarity in Australian aviaries it would be best to give each pair a large aviary of their own.  Not to be housed with other birds due to their aggressive nature.

Each sub-species should be housed separately due to the possibility of hybridization.  There are hybrids in Australia so care must be taken to ascertain exactly what is on offer prior to purchasing or pairing up each bird.  The 3 pure lines plus hybrids can cause selection problems so get advise and identification from the expert breeders if any doubts exist.
A suspended cage is the preferred housing for these birds.  Overseas breeding is done in suspended cages of 3 metres in length, 1 metre wide and 1 metre high (10 x 3.5 x 3.5 feet).
Can be housed in a parrot style aviary of about 4 metres long, 1 metre wide and 2.1 metres high (12 x 3.5 x 7 feet).  The floor should be concrete and easily cleaned.  The aviary flights need double wiring between the flights to avoid aggression and injury to other birds.  If space allows the pairs should not be housed side by side.  It is preferable to have a different species between pairs.
These are active and sometimes noisy birds that like branches to chew, along with other activity items to keep them active and entertained.  These birds love to play with the "play gym" toys that are offered to the pet birds.  Physical and mental activity should be encouraged and this may be beneficial to a healthy breeding pair.
All fixtures, fittings, floor, feed and water bowls must easy to clean and done so on a regular basis.  Don't forget to clean any areas of the wire mesh, walls, perches etc that are contaminated by the food mixes.  A simple hosing with water may not be adequate, so be prepared to use a brush to remove any dried on food.
These birds love to bathe in the water and as many birds leave some wet or dry mix in the water bowl, the automatic water systems that flush out the water bowl on a regular basis can be the best water system.  These systems do not replace the regular manual cleaning of the water bowls.  Stainless steel utensils are ideal.

Diet / Feeding: Refer to " Lorikeets & Lories " web page for general details on the feeding of Lorikeets & Lories or read on for specific details for this parrot.

Natural foods in the wild include flowers, nectar, pollen, fruits, insects and insect larvae.

The black capped lory requires a typical Lory diet. Wet and dry lory mix plus fruits and vegetables. Some will consume some livefood such as mealworms.

Nesting: A basic overview only. Dimensions are typical / average and can vary widely, influenced by the owner's preferences and the birds preferences. Parent bird's preferences can also be influenced by the size and type of nest-box / log in which the bird was hatched and reared. If space allows, offering a choice of sizes and types of logs or nest-boxes, and placed in various locations within the aviary, can allow the parent birds to make their own choice. Once a pair has chosen a specific nest-box/log and been successful in it, offer that one to them each breeding season. Try and keep that one for their exclusive use. Once a pair has chosen its log or nest-box, the other ones can generally be removed. If the "spare" boxes are to be removed and moved to another flight, ensure the log / nest-box is cleaned to ensure the receptacle has the minimal contamination of mites, parasites and pathogens.

  • Nesting months:
  • Log / Nest-box:
    • Length / depth 400 - 500 mm (or approx. 16 - 20 inches)
    • Log internal diameter approx. 200 mm. (or approx. 8 inches)
    • Nest-box internal dimensions approx. 200 mm square (or approx. 8 inches square)
    • Diameter of entrance hole approx. 75 mm (or approx. 3 inches)
    • Inspection hole (square or round) 100 mm (or approx 4 inches)
    • A removable top / lid can be a useful access point for inspections and for cleaning.
    • Location and height of log / nest-box ......
    • Angle of log or nest box ...
  • Nesting log / nest-box material: Decomposed non-toxic saw dust, wood shavings or other suitable material/s.
  • Who incubates the egg/s: Hen / cock / both share.

R. Low recommends an inverted "L" shaped nestbox for Lories and many parrots.
The black capped lory is generally tolerant of nest inspections and this allows for the placement of closed leg rings on the young birds. Nest may need regular cleaning due to the liquid nature of the droppings.
Nest boxes are easy to clean, cheap and easy to replace when they become soiled or damaged.
The nest box is left in the aviary or suspended cage year round as Lories and lorikeets will roost in the nest during the non-breeding season.
Timber nest-boxes generally require a climbing structure attached inside the box below the entrance hole. Both logs and nests need an entrance hole/opening about 100 mm (about 4 inches) from the top. The exact size of the entrance hole depends on the size of the species. Many species of parrots like the entrance hole to be just big enough to squeeze through. An appropriate size entrance hole will help to give the birds a feeling of security and confidence to effectively start and raise a clutch of young.

More details on parrot nestboxes/logs and a selection of parrot nestbox/log photos can be found on the "nests", "parrot nests" and "parrot nestbox photos" web pages.  Click on "Up" then "Nests" then "parrot nests" and "parrot nestbox photos" in the navigation bars. 

The Black capped Lory will roost in the nest year round.  Young non breeding birds will roost in the nest year round.

Breeding: Egg Colour White.  Clutch/s per year 2 - 3.  Eggs per nest 2, occasionally 3.  Incubation approx. 26 days.  Fledge approx. 10 - 14 weeks.  Independent approx. another 6 - 8 weeks. Young are fed by the parents for about 2 weeks after they leave the nest.

Pairs can be extremely aggressive at breeding time.
The young can be leg rung at age of 16-18 days.

Artificial incubation and hand rearing or fostering will not be covered on this web site. It is too complex and diverse in nature to be attempted here.

Health Issues: Refer to "Avian Health Issues" web page for information and references.

  • Worming and parasite control and Quarantine requirements of new bird/s or sick bird/s are considered to require veterinary advice and therefore not covered on this web site. Refer "Avian Health Issues" web page option.
  • Avian medicine is advancing at a rapid pace. Keep updating your knowledge and skills.

General References: Refer to references listed on "Book References" web page.

Specific References:

  • Australian Aviculture
  • A/A Vol 56 No. 12 Dec 2002 Page 266-268 (Inc photo).
  • Australian Birdkeeper
  • ABK Vol 13 Issue 5. Oct-Nov 2000 Page 270-275 (Inc many photos).
  • ABK Vol 4 Issue 7. Feb-Mar 1991 Page 318-320

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