Range: Mountains of w New Guinea (Snow Mts. to Chimbu Province)
Charmosyna multistriata
Description
green; hindcrown and nape brown with variable patches of orange-yellow; dark green breast, nape and abdomen streaked with yellowish-green; vent red; tail base red, remainder of tail upperside olive-green tipped with yellow, tail underside olive-yellow; bluish-grey skin to narrow periophthalmic ring; iris brown; legs blackish; mandible orange with broad bluish-grey base.
Female as male.
immatures as adult, but with darker green on head; smaller orange-yellow patches on nape; bright streaks duller; dark iris.
Length: 18 cm
Status: not common.
Location
Distribution: southern slopes of Snow Mountains east to upper Fly River, New Guinea.
Habitat: montane forest and its edges between 180m and 1,770m; occasionally in localities down to 80m for foraging.
Aviculture
quiet parrots, noticeably calm temperament; some birds docile; soon become confiding; roost in nesting-box from outset; imported birds very susceptible because often badly acclimatized; very sensitive in the first months with risk of fungal infection; strict hygiene necessary.
Breeding behavior: unknown
Breeding in aviculture: seldom achieved; 2 eggs; incubation mostly starts with second egg and lasts 25 days; young leave nest after 55 days; size of nesting-box 12 x 12 x 25 cm, budgerigar nesting-box also suitable.
Social Behavior
groups up to 20 birds outside breeding season, often together with Red-flanked Lorikeets and Fairy Lorikeets; prefers tops of flowering trees; during flight the Striated Lorikeets keep to themselves, only occasionally observed flying with Charmosyna pulchella; flight swift and direct; calls mostly single whistles, sometimes also two or three sounds; generally to be heard only during flight; calls of flying flocks reminiscent of ringing bells.
Accomodation
ideally indoor aviary of min. 2 x 1 x 2m ; also birdroom cages 1,5 x 0,6 x 1,2 m; minimum temperature 20°C.
Diet
nectar solution of oatmeal, honey, pollen and multi-vitamin supplement; dry food of oats, soya flour, dextrose, pollen, flowers, powdered limestone and calcium/phosphate supplement; various fruit (particularly chopped apple and halved grape), green branches with flowers and buds; sap used for preening.
