About Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus (Kuhl, 1820)
The scaly-breasted lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) measures approximately 23 cm (9.1 in) in total length. Its crown and the sides of its head are emerald green with a faint blue tinge. The feathers on the back of the neck, throat, and breast are yellow with broad green edges, which creates a distinct scaly pattern. Its tail is green, and the base of the outer tail feathers is marked with orange-red. The lower flanks, thighs, and undertail-coverts are green with prominent yellow markings, while the underwing-coverts are solid orange-red. This species has orange-red eyes, a dark coral-red beak, and typically grey-brown legs. Males and females have nearly identical external appearance. Juveniles resemble adults, but have shorter tails, pale brown or black eyes, and beaks that are either brown with yellow markings or orange with brown markings.
This lorikeet is common across most timbered areas of eastern Australia. Its range extends from Bamaga at the northern tip of Queensland, south to the Illawarra district on the south coast of New South Wales, and it also occurs on some offshore islands. It is generally restricted to coastal plains and adjacent tablelands, and is occasionally found along watercourses west of the Great Dividing Range. In the northern part of its range, it is abundant and mostly sedentary; in the south, it is less numerous and nomadic. It favors open, lightly timbered areas and melaleuca thickets.
