Colourization Adult: C.s. scintillata: both adults mostly green, the feathers pale green on shaft on head to abdomen and bright yellow on breast and mantle; red forehead, lores, thighs and underwing coverts, in female less evident on forehead; red on sides of breast; underwing banded with yellow. Bill black. Eye ring bare and grey. Skin at base of bill grey/black. Eye orange/red. C.s. chloroptera: as in scintillata, but narrower streaking in plumage; green underwing coverts with or without red markings. C.s. rubrifrons: as in scintillata but broader, orange/yellow streaking in plumage. Colourization Juvenile: C.s. scintillata: as in adults but with minimal amount of red on forehead; varying yellow marks at base of bill. Eye brown. C.s. chloroptera: as in adults. C.s. rubrifrons: as in adults. Call: Vocal while in flight and when perched. A electronic-sounding screech and many syllabled musical notes of varying tone and length.
Not Threatened.
Colourization Adult: C.s. scintillata: both adults mostly green, the feathers pale green on shaft on head to abdomen and bright yellow on breast and mantle; red forehead, lores, thighs and underwing coverts, in female less evident on forehead; red on sides of breast; underwing banded with yellow. Bill black. Eye ring bare and grey. Skin at base of bill grey/black. Eye orange/red. C.s. chloroptera: as in scintillata, but narrower streaking in plumage; green underwing coverts with or without red markings. C.s. rubrifrons: as in scintillata but broader, orange/yellow streaking in plumage. Colourization Juvenile: C.s. scintillata: as in adults but with minimal amount of red on forehead; varying yellow marks at base of bill. Eye brown. C.s. chloroptera: as in adults. C.s. rubrifrons: as in adults. Call: Vocal while in flight and when perched. A electronic-sounding screech and many syllabled musical notes of varying tone and length.
Size 31 cm, 180-245 g
Taxonomy:
- Psittacus sintillatus [sic] Temminck, 1835, Lobo Bay, New Guinea. Species name emended to scintillatus in 1839. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * rubrifrons G. R. Gray, 1858 - Aru Is. * scintillata (Temminck, 1835) - S New Guinea from Triton Bay (Irian Jaya) E to R Fly. * chloroptera (Salvadori, 1876) - R Fly E to SE Papua New Guinea.
Lowland savannahs and nearby forests, usually secondary growth. Also coconut plantations and mangroves. Up to 800m.
Nectar from flowering trees, and fruit.
Feb-Sept. Gregarious, in pairs or groups of up to several dozen individuals; also spend time with Rainbow Lorikeets and Red-flanked Lorikeets in flowering trees. Aerial displaying frequent.Clutch and Egg Size: 2 rounded eggs, about 30.0 x 25.0mm