.gif)
Eos (genus)
Encyclopedia
Eos is a genus
of parrot
s belonging to the Lories and lorikeets. There are six species which are all endemic to islands of eastern Indonesia
, most within very restricted ranges. They have predominantly red plumage with blue, purple or black markings. Males and females are similar in appearance.
Their habitat
s include forest, coconut
plantations and mangrove
s. They gather in flowering trees to feed on nectar and pollen
with their brush-tipped tongues. Fruit and insects are also eaten. They make nests in tree hollow
s generally high in old large trees. Threats to these parrots include habitat loss and trapping for the cagebird trade, and one species, the Red-and-blue Lory
, is classified as endangered
.
of Eos lories is predominantly red, set off with blue, purple or black markings. They range in length from 24 cm (9 in) in the Blue-eared Lory
to 31 cm (12 in) in several of the larger species. The bill
is orange-red, the irises
are reddish to reddish-brown, and the legs are grey. Males and females are identical in external appearance. They have a musk
y odour, especially noticeable in the Black-winged Lory
, which is retained even in museum skins
. Juvenile birds are partly striated owing to feathers with darker or dusky tips, and they have orange-brown to black beaks.
Species in the genus Eos are distinguished from lories in the genus Chalcopsitta
by shorter tails and the absence of a bare patch of skin around the mandibles. The Eos genus does not have green plumage, which helps to identify them from some species of other lory genera.
s, Eugenia
, coral trees (Erythrina
), Canarium
, and sago palm (Metroxylon
). In addition, they have been observed feeding on unripe fruits of fig trees (Ficus
), and insects have been found in the stomachs of at least one species (the Red Lory
). Some species are reported to be nomadic, moving between islands within their range in order to find food. These movements can apparently be daily as well, with the Violet-necked Lory
making daily trips from its main islands to smaller offshore islands.
The Eos lories are apparently seasonal breeders, with birds prospecting for nesting sites varying by species, having been observed in June and July in the Black-winged Lory but August and September in the Red Lory. Like most parrots, they are cavity nesters, generally nesting high in older large trees either in forests or in modified habitats. Most of what is known about their nesting behaviour is derived from captive birds. They generally have a clutch size
of two eggs which are incubated for 26–27 days. Chicks take around 75–87 days to fledge
.
trade. For example, between 1983 and 1989 an average of 3,200 Red Lories were trapped and exported per year, which has apparently led to declines in some parts of its range. The Red-and-blue Lory
is an endangered species
, and the Black-winged Lory
is classed as vulnerable
. The Red-and-blue Lory is listed under Appendix I of CITES, banning all trade in wild caught birds, while all other species are listed under Appendix II and require permits for their trade.
in 1832, and is derived from the Ancient Greek
eos meaning "dawn", which refers to both the bright red plumage
and the eastern distribution of the Red-and-blue Lory
. The closest relatives of this genus are the species in the genus Trichoglossus
. The genera Eos, Trichoglossus
, Chalcopsitta
, and Pseudeos form a single clade within the lories and lorikeets. The Cardinal Lory
(Chalcopsitta cardinalis) has sometimes been placed in the genus.
The Eos genus has six species and several subspecies:
Eos, Wagler 1832
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s belonging to the Lories and lorikeets. There are six species which are all endemic to islands of eastern Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, most within very restricted ranges. They have predominantly red plumage with blue, purple or black markings. Males and females are similar in appearance.
Their habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s include forest, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
plantations and mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s. They gather in flowering trees to feed on nectar and pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
with their brush-tipped tongues. Fruit and insects are also eaten. They make nests in tree hollow
Tree hollow
A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not...
s generally high in old large trees. Threats to these parrots include habitat loss and trapping for the cagebird trade, and one species, the Red-and-blue Lory
Red-and-blue Lory
The Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio is an arboreal parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is classed as endangered, as it is hunted for the pet trade and has lost much of its habitat due to habitat destruction. The Red-and-blue Lory is now confined to the Talaud Islands off northern Sulawesi, Indonesia...
, is classified as endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
.
Description
The plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of Eos lories is predominantly red, set off with blue, purple or black markings. They range in length from 24 cm (9 in) in the Blue-eared Lory
Blue-eared Lory
The Blue-eared Lory is a parrot found only on the island of Seram in Maluku province, Indonesia....
to 31 cm (12 in) in several of the larger species. The bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
is orange-red, the irises
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
are reddish to reddish-brown, and the legs are grey. Males and females are identical in external appearance. They have a musk
Musk
Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. Musk was a name originally given to a substance with a...
y odour, especially noticeable in the Black-winged Lory
Black-winged Lory
The Black-winged Lory, Eos cyanogenia also known as Biak Red Lory is a medium-sized, up to long, long-tailed lory. It has a bright red plumage, black shoulder, red iris, an orange red bill and violet ear-patch behind eye. The underwings are red, becoming yellowish with black tips...
, which is retained even in museum skins
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
. Juvenile birds are partly striated owing to feathers with darker or dusky tips, and they have orange-brown to black beaks.
Species in the genus Eos are distinguished from lories in the genus Chalcopsitta
Chalcopsitta
Chalcopsitta is a genus of parrot in the family Psittacidae and the subfamily Loriinae. All four species are found on the islands of and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands...
by shorter tails and the absence of a bare patch of skin around the mandibles. The Eos genus does not have green plumage, which helps to identify them from some species of other lory genera.
Behaviour and ecology
The Eos lories feed on the nectar and pollen of various trees and plants. Very little is known about the diet of most species, but birds have been observed feeding on the flowers of coconutCoconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s, Eugenia
Eugenia
Eugenia is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It has a worldwide, although highly uneven, distribution in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the approximately 1,000 species occur in the New World tropics, especially in the northern Andes, the Caribbean, and the...
, coral trees (Erythrina
Erythrina
Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to in height...
), Canarium
Canarium
Canarium is a genus of about 75 species of tropical and subtropical trees in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical Africa, southern Asia, and Australia, from southern Nigeria east to Madagascar, Mauritius, India, southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines...
, and sago palm (Metroxylon
Metroxylon
Metroxylon is a genus of monoecious flowering plants in the Arecaceae family, consisting of seven species. They are native to Western Samoa, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Moluccas, the Carolines and Fiji in a variety of habitats, and cultivated westward to Thailand and Malaya.The name is...
). In addition, they have been observed feeding on unripe fruits of fig trees (Ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
), and insects have been found in the stomachs of at least one species (the Red Lory
Red Lory
The Red Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to the Moluccas and surrounding islands in Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests....
). Some species are reported to be nomadic, moving between islands within their range in order to find food. These movements can apparently be daily as well, with the Violet-necked Lory
Violet-necked Lory
The Violet-necked Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests.-Taxonomy:...
making daily trips from its main islands to smaller offshore islands.
The Eos lories are apparently seasonal breeders, with birds prospecting for nesting sites varying by species, having been observed in June and July in the Black-winged Lory but August and September in the Red Lory. Like most parrots, they are cavity nesters, generally nesting high in older large trees either in forests or in modified habitats. Most of what is known about their nesting behaviour is derived from captive birds. They generally have a clutch size
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
of two eggs which are incubated for 26–27 days. Chicks take around 75–87 days to fledge
Fledge
Fledge is the stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state...
.
Status and conservation
Threats to these parrots include habitat loss and trapping for the cagebirdAviculture
Aviculture is the practice of keeping and breeding birds and the culture that forms around it. Aviculture is generally focused on not only the raising and breeding of birds, but also on preserving avian habitat, and public awareness campaigns....
trade. For example, between 1983 and 1989 an average of 3,200 Red Lories were trapped and exported per year, which has apparently led to declines in some parts of its range. The Red-and-blue Lory
Red-and-blue Lory
The Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio is an arboreal parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is classed as endangered, as it is hunted for the pet trade and has lost much of its habitat due to habitat destruction. The Red-and-blue Lory is now confined to the Talaud Islands off northern Sulawesi, Indonesia...
is an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, and the Black-winged Lory
Black-winged Lory
The Black-winged Lory, Eos cyanogenia also known as Biak Red Lory is a medium-sized, up to long, long-tailed lory. It has a bright red plumage, black shoulder, red iris, an orange red bill and violet ear-patch behind eye. The underwings are red, becoming yellowish with black tips...
is classed as vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
. The Red-and-blue Lory is listed under Appendix I of CITES, banning all trade in wild caught birds, while all other species are listed under Appendix II and require permits for their trade.
Taxonomy
The genus was described by German naturalist Johann Georg WaglerJohann Georg Wagler
Johann Georg Wagler was a German herpetologist.Wagler was assistant to Johann Baptist von Spix, and became Director of the Zoological Museum at the University of Munich after Spix's death in 1826...
in 1832, and is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
eos meaning "dawn", which refers to both the bright red plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
and the eastern distribution of the Red-and-blue Lory
Red-and-blue Lory
The Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio is an arboreal parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is classed as endangered, as it is hunted for the pet trade and has lost much of its habitat due to habitat destruction. The Red-and-blue Lory is now confined to the Talaud Islands off northern Sulawesi, Indonesia...
. The closest relatives of this genus are the species in the genus Trichoglossus
Trichoglossus
Trichoglossus is a genus of lorikeet in the Psittacidae or true parrot family. The genus is distributed widely through Australia, Wallacea and Melanesia, with outliers in the Philippines and Micronesia...
. The genera Eos, Trichoglossus
Trichoglossus
Trichoglossus is a genus of lorikeet in the Psittacidae or true parrot family. The genus is distributed widely through Australia, Wallacea and Melanesia, with outliers in the Philippines and Micronesia...
, Chalcopsitta
Chalcopsitta
Chalcopsitta is a genus of parrot in the family Psittacidae and the subfamily Loriinae. All four species are found on the islands of and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands...
, and Pseudeos form a single clade within the lories and lorikeets. The Cardinal Lory
Cardinal Lory
The Cardinal Lory is a monotypic species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. The Cardinal Lory lives mainly in the mangrove and the lowland forests of the Solomon Islands and east Papua New Guinea....
(Chalcopsitta cardinalis) has sometimes been placed in the genus.
The Eos genus has six species and several subspecies:
Eos, Wagler 1832
- Red-and-blue LoryRed-and-blue LoryThe Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio is an arboreal parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is classed as endangered, as it is hunted for the pet trade and has lost much of its habitat due to habitat destruction. The Red-and-blue Lory is now confined to the Talaud Islands off northern Sulawesi, Indonesia...
, Eos histrio, (Statius Muller 1776)- Eos histrio challengeri, Salvadori 1891
- Eos histrio histrio, (Statius Muller 1776)
- Eos histrio talautensis, Meyer, AB & Wiglesworth 1894
- Violet-necked LoryViolet-necked LoryThe Violet-necked Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests.-Taxonomy:...
, Eos squamata, (Boddaert 1783)- Eos squamata obiensis, Rothschild 1899
- Eos squamata riciniata, (Bechstein 1811)
- Eos squamata squamata, (Boddaert 1783)
- Red LoryRed LoryThe Red Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to the Moluccas and surrounding islands in Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests....
, Eos bornea (Linnaeus 1758)- Eos bornea bornea, (Linnaeus 1758)
- Eos bornea cyanonotha, (Vieillot 1818)
- Blue-streaked LoryBlue-streaked LoryThe Blue-streaked Lory is also known as the Blue-necked Lory. It a medium size parrot , primarily red with blue streaks from eye through ear coverts, brown-black tail, and black variegation on wing coverts....
, Eos reticulata, (Muller, S 1850) - Black-winged LoryBlack-winged LoryThe Black-winged Lory, Eos cyanogenia also known as Biak Red Lory is a medium-sized, up to long, long-tailed lory. It has a bright red plumage, black shoulder, red iris, an orange red bill and violet ear-patch behind eye. The underwings are red, becoming yellowish with black tips...
, Eos cyanogenia, Bonaparte 1850 - Blue-eared LoryBlue-eared LoryThe Blue-eared Lory is a parrot found only on the island of Seram in Maluku province, Indonesia....
, Eos semilarvata, Bonaparte 1850
Species details
| Species of Eos in taxonomic sequence Taxonomic sequence Taxonomic sequence is a sequence followed in listing of taxa which aids ease of use and roughly reflects the evolutionary relationships among the taxa... |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Common and binomial names | Image | Description | Range |
| Red-and-blue Lory Red-and-blue Lory The Red-and-blue lory, Eos histrio is an arboreal parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is classed as endangered, as it is hunted for the pet trade and has lost much of its habitat due to habitat destruction. The Red-and-blue Lory is now confined to the Talaud Islands off northern Sulawesi, Indonesia... (Eos histrio) |
31 cm (12 in) long. Mostly red and blue, with some black on wings and thighs. Blue back and breast. Red above beak. Band of blue plumage over the mid-crown is continuous with blue around the eyes and blue bands that extend downwards to join blue on the back. | Several subspecies; Talaud Islands Talaud Islands Talaud Islands is a group of islands located north of Sulawesi island in Indonesia, northeast of the Sangihe Islands... , (including the Nanusa Islands), and Sangir Islands of Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
|
| Violet-necked Lory Violet-necked Lory The Violet-necked Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests.-Taxonomy:... (Eos squamata) |
 |
27 cm (10.5 in) long. Mostly red and blue with a blue abdomen. Extent of blue neck collar depends on subspecies. Red and black in wings. Purple-red tail. | Several subspecies; western Papuan Islands and North Moluccas of Indonesia |
| Red Lory Red Lory The Red Lory is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to the Moluccas and surrounding islands in Indonesia.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests.... (Eos bornea) |
_jurong_bird_park2-3c.jpg) |
31 cm long (12 in). Mostly red and upper body is all red. Red, blue and black markings on back and wings. | Several subspecies on islands from South Moluccas Maluku Islands The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone... to Kai Islands Kai Islands The Kai Islands of Indonesia are in the south-eastern part of the Maluku Islands, in Maluku Province.-Geography:... , Indonesia |
| Blue-streaked Lory Blue-streaked Lory The Blue-streaked Lory is also known as the Blue-necked Lory. It a medium size parrot , primarily red with blue streaks from eye through ear coverts, brown-black tail, and black variegation on wing coverts.... (Eos reticulata) |
.jpg) |
31 cm long (12 in). Mostly red with blue streaking over back, and red and black in wings and tail . Blue plumage extends from eyes over ears and partly down neck. | Yamdena Yamdena Yamdena is the largest of the Tanimbar Islands in the Maluku Province of Indonesia. Saumlaki is the chief town, located on the south end of the island.... and Larat of the Tanimbar Islands Tanimbar Islands The Tanimbar Islands, also called Timor Laut, are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia, including Fordata, Larat, Maru, Molu, Nuswotar, Selaru, Selu, Seira, Wotap, Wuliaru and Yamdena.-Geography:... and also on Babar of the Babar Islands, Indonesia |
| Black-winged Lory Black-winged Lory The Black-winged Lory, Eos cyanogenia also known as Biak Red Lory is a medium-sized, up to long, long-tailed lory. It has a bright red plumage, black shoulder, red iris, an orange red bill and violet ear-patch behind eye. The underwings are red, becoming yellowish with black tips... (Eos cyanogenia) |
 |
31 cm (12 in) long. Mostly red with blue plumage around eyes extending back over ears. Black on back, wings, and thighs. | Geelvink Islands, Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia |
| Blue-eared Lory Blue-eared Lory The Blue-eared Lory is a parrot found only on the island of Seram in Maluku province, Indonesia.... (Eos semilarvata) |
 |
24 cm (9.5 in) long. Mostly red with blue underparts. Blue plumage extends under chin, under eyes, and part way down side of head and neck. Red, blue, and black in wings. | Seram Seram Seram is an island in the Maluku province of Indonesia. It is located north of Ambon Island. The chief port/town is Masohi.- Geography and geology :... , Indonesia |
Cited texts
- Collar N (1997) "Family Psittacidae (Parrots)" in Handbook of the Birds of the WorldHandbook of the Birds of the WorldThe Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...
Volume 4; Sandgrouse to Cuckoos (eds del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J) Lynx Edicions:Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-22-9 - Low, RosemaryRosemary LowRosemary Low is a British aviculturist, ornithologist, conservationist, writer and expert on parrots.Low started her career as a writer for the magazine, Cage and Aviary Birds. At that time, she and her husband had a collection of about 50 parrots...
. (1978). Lories and Lorikeets. The Brush-Tongued Parrots. Inkata Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-909605-08-4.