This species is naturally found in the montane forests of New Guinea. The Goldie's Lorikeet's natural habitat is secure with little to no immediate threats; however, since it is fairly scarce throughout its range, it is currently listed on CITES Appendix II. The Goldie's Lorikeet is basically an all green bird with yellow streaking on the chest and belly. The head is bright red with bluish-purple coloring around the face. Its beak is black, and the skin around its eye and feet is light grey. The Goldie's Lorikeet has been referred to as the "little watermelon bird" by many people who keep them. It doesn't take much stretch of the imagination to see this resemblance. The Goldie's Lorikeet is a small bird, measuring 7 ½ inches (19cm) and weighing 45-60 grams. In the wild, it feeds on the flowers of Elaeocarpus, Eucalyptus, Grevillea, Poikilospermum and Dimorphantera trees.
In captivity, Goldie's Lorikeets are delightful little birds. They are quiet, non-destructive, and for the most part, non-aggressive. In most cases, the Goldie's Lorikeet is a cautious bird, preferring to timidly creep its way around than boisterously charge ahead as do the other species of the genus Trichoglossus. Goldie's Lorikeets can be housed as a single pair or grouped either in a single species flight or a mixed species community. As a mixed species aviary bird they are a thrill to watch as they interact with each other and their cage-mates.
Hand-reared Goldie's Lorikeets are a joy to keep. They make excellent house pets due to their quiet nature. They are far less messy than the other Trichoglossus species and can be easily housed indoors with little to no problems. Because of their small size, caging is relatively inexpensive. Some Goldie's Lorikeets will learn to mimic human speech. They have a tiny, squeaky voice that, while very cute, can be difficult to understand.
Collar, N.J. (1997). Family Psittacidae (Parrots). Pp. 280-477 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. (1997). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions: Barcelona
Low, R. (1998). Hancock House Encyclopedia of the Lories. Hancock House: Blaine, WA