Distribution

The Yellow-Streaked lory inhabits southern New Guinea and the Aru Islands.  The nominate race is found from Triton Bay and the head of Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya, east to the lower Fly River, Papua New Guinea.  According to Diamond (1972), "chloroptera, originally described from the southeastern coast, may extend in the foothills far west of the easternmost coastal population of C. s. scintillata (originally described from the southwest)."  C. s. chloroptera is found between longitudes 146 deg E and 148 deg E, apparently extending westward in the foothills and the upper reaches of the south coast rivers to Soliabeda (upper Purari drainage, longitude 145 deg E), upper Fly River, upper Eilanden River and upper Noord River.  Diamond comments that both races show much individual variation (such as the amount of yellow in the primaries of chloroptera, of red in the predominantly green underwing coverts of chloroptera, and of green in the predominantly red underwing coverts of nominate scintillata).  He suggested that hybridization of the two subspecies was occurring after a prolonged break in contact at the Fly River.  C. s. rubrifrons is found in the Aru Islands, southeastern Moluccas.  Milton and Marhadi (1987) observed it on the island of Pulau Warmar.

Plumage

This is the only member of the genus with green wings, it has the forehead scarlet, much of the head black, and the underparts streaked with orange and/or yellow on a green or brownish green and green background.  The thighs are scarlet, as are the bend of the wing, the underside of the wings, and the basal part of the tail, the distal part (furthest from body) being olive yellow.  There is heavy scarlet spotting on neck and throat.  The outstanding feature of this species is the yellow shaft streaking of the head, neck and breast feathers; on the neck, these feathers stand away in little spikes.  Beak and feet are black, the iris is brown with an inner circle of yellow, and the skin surrounding the eye is gray.

Trade

There are few references to this species in the literature searched, the most recent being that of Milton and Marhadi.  In 1985, they observed this lory on the island of Warmar, but few sightings were recorded in comparison with the black-throated lorikeet (36 sightings).  A single yellow-streaked was seen on one occasion, two birds were seen on two occasions and groups of four and nine birds were seen on one occasion.  In New Guinea it is found in lowland savannahs and adjacent forest, in secondary growth and in coconut plantations.

General Information

Because this lory comes from the same region (Irian Jaya) as the two preceding species, it too was not exported commercially until the early 1970s.  The first time I saw it was at West Berlin Zoo in 1971.  Although it is not among the first ten species in terms of abundance, it is fairly common and widely bred, its beautiful coloration ensuring its popularity.  However, like other members of the genus, its loud voice deters some aviculturists from including it in their collections.  Kyme referred to its voice when describing the behavior of his pair: "the male is more aggressive.  When the pair are fed it is the cock who attacks physically although it is both sexes which utter the high pitched, deafeningly loud, mobbing calls.  While they shriek they keep the tail flared right out, the wings outstretched and the long, rather narrow, feathers to the head and neck ferociously bristled."

Breeding data

The clutch size is two.  The incubation period is 25 or 26 days. Newly hatched chicks weigh approximately 7-8 g; covered in long, whitish or pale gray down, sparser on head; beak dark brown with white egg tooth, feet pink.

Immature birds

Age at independence of hand-reared young:  Two young only, 40 and 44 days; another, stunted by early parental neglect, 88 days (weighing only 129 g, compared with 168 g and 174 g for the other two at the same age).

Status in aviculture

Fairly common.