Sunset Lorikeet
Trichoglossus forsteni
- Family
- Old World Parrots (Psittaculidae)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
Overview
The sunset lorikeet (Trichoglossus forsteni), also known as the scarlet-breasted lorikeet or Forsten's lorikeet, is a species of parrot that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Tanah Jampea (between Sulawesi and Flores), and Kalaotoa (between Sulawesi and Flores). It was previously considered a subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet, but following a review in 1997, it is increasingly treated as a separate species.
In addition to the nominate subspecies from Sumbawa, it includes the subspecies mitchellii ("Mitchell's lorikeet") from Bali and Lombok, djampeanus ("Djampea lorikeet") from the small island Tanah Jampea, and stresemanni ("Stresemann's lorikeet") from the small island Kalaotoa.
It is the darkest and arguably most strongly marked member of the rainbow lorikeet group, with a dark bluish head that contrasts strongly with a lime green nape and a deep scarlet (most subspecies) or deep orange (subspecies stresemanni) breast, that again contrasts strongly with the dark bluish belly.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Sunset lorikeet
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.

