Lories and
lorikeets (
tribe Loriini) are small to medium-sized arboreal
parrots characterized by their specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar of various blossoms and soft fruits, preferably berries. The species form a
monophyletic group within the parrot family
Psittacidae. Traditionally, they were considered a separate subfamily (
Loriinae) from the other subfamily (
Psittacinae) based on the specialized characteristics, but recent molecular and morphological studies show that the group is positioned in the middle of various other groups. They are widely distributed throughout the
Australasian region, including south-eastern
Asia,
Polynesia,
Papua New Guinea,
Timor Leste and
Australia, and the majority have very brightly coloured plumage.