Olive Headed Lorikeet General Info
Sweet, friendly, and affectionate, the Olive Headed Lorikeet will quickly become your feathery best friend. Their interesting personalities and charming looks earned them another popular nickname – the Perfect Lorikeet. Playful and smart, these lories easily adapt to most living conditions. Olive Headed Lorikeet is a popular family and singles pet, as it’s known to bond deeply with humans and has a loving nature. And with a good ability to learn tricks, you get a pet that you’ll never be bored around- in a good way. Let learn more about these sweet, goofy tricksters!
The Perfect Lory is an elegant and charming bird – and totally different from their colorful cousins.
Native Region/Natural Habitat
Olive Headed Lorikeet is commonly found in a small region that mostly covers the island of Timor and a few other, smaller islands in the Lesser Sundas, close to Indonesia. They thrive in this small area, nesting in lowland primary forests, savannah growths, plantations and agricultural, cultivated areas. Luckily their numbers are stable and they are not threatened. They can be seen in large flocks that number up to 100 birds. In flight, they are easy to spot and hear due to all the noise. But when they are feeding, they are quiet and quite hard to spot.
Overall Description
Mostly similar in physical appearance to other breeds in the lorikeet family, the Olive Headed Lorikeet is unique in color only. The robust body, short, stubby tail, and unique curved beak are all common features for the family. The adults reach an average length of 10 inches (25 centimeters) and can weigh 3 ounces (85 grams). These birds can get overweight if they lack exercise or enough room. Large cages and aviaries are the best choices, complete with a few untreated or artificial branches around the house. Exercise is important!
Speech and Sounds
These lively parrots have a moderate noise level. Like all lories, they have loud but rarely heard natural calls, and can even pick up a few words to repeat- but not with any great skill. The natural calls consist of shrill squawks and are usually heard when your pet needs (or demands) something. To keep the noise at a minimal level, ensure that the living conditions are up to standard and that your pet’s needs are taken care of.
Colors
You probably know lorikeets for their many rainbow colors and fascinating details. That is one major thing in which the Olive Headed Lorikeet is different. But it doesn’t make them any less beautiful. In fact, their simple and elegant appearance makes them incredibly charming. They are almost entirely light, yellowish green, with darker shades on the wings. Their head has a very unique tone that is a mix of yellow, brown and green – resulting in a fabulous hue that is almost ochre. Pair this with their unique bright orange beaks, and it’s no wonder they’re called Perfect Lorikeet.
Although similar to other members of the Lory family, this breed has a unique color.
Care and Feeding
In the wild, these parrots are known as a primarily nectar-feeding bird. They also thrive on a diet of seeds, flowers, fruits, and insects. There are few brands of commercial nectar that should be the basis of their diet as a pet, but the homemade version can work as well. This diet needs to be enriched with a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Perfect Lorikeets are one of those parrot breeds that really enjoy bathing and moisture. You should give them bathing dishes, water sprays or quick “showers”. This will also ensure optimal hygiene and minimize the threat of feather-borne disease.
Health and Common Conditions
Just like their physical appearance, their health is also stout and robust. If you prevent basic threats, like drafty and damp places, high or low temperatures, or neglect in the form of lacking social interaction, you will be satisfied with the endurance and good health of your pet. Olive Headed Lorikeet, like most lories, will reach a healthy lifespan of up to 25 years.
Olive Headed Lorikeets will usually bond deeply with a certain family member.
Personality & Behavior
A well-balanced personality and affectionate behavior are often what parrot owners look for in a pet. This is why many decide on a Perfect Lorikeet to be their feathery companion. Lively and friendly, these parrots are fun to be around. They tend to adore tricks, learning them with ease. You should encourage this mental stimulation, and also provide them with a lot of parrot toys, bells, and swinging ropes. You will also notice their great intelligence. They react hilariously to music, bobbing their heads, or dancing in their own peculiar way. Without a doubt, Olive Headed Lorikeet lives up to its nickname – they are the Perfect Lory on many levels.
Photo credit: Ruth Rodgers/Wikimedia Commons; AJ Reinhart/Wikimedia Commons; Ralph Daily/Wikimedia Commons
