The Red Lory (Eos bornea) is named for its striking scarlet-red plumage, combined with the historical Malay lūri (or nuri), which was used in Southeast Asia as a general term for colourful parrots. This term was brought to Europe by Dutch traders and writers in the 17th century. Native to the Molucca islands of Indonesia, it has a brush-tipped tongue designed specifically for extracting nectar and pollen from flowers. Because its diet is primarily liquid, it produces liquid droppings – and can shoot these droppings across surprising distances. Red lories are theatrical characters that sometimes sleep on their backs with their feet up in the air. Its distribution is split into specific regional subspecies across the South Moluccas (including Boano, Seram, Ambon, Saparua, and the Kai Islands) and Central Maluku (Buru).
