Lories and lorikeets are small to medium-sized arboreal parrots characterized by their specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar and soft fruits; and the majority have very brightly colored plumage.

Species with longer tapering tails are generally referred to as "lorikeets", while species with short blunt tails are generally referred to as "lories". They tend to be hyperactive and clownish in personality both in captivity and the wild. Lories and lorikeets are described as some of the most beautiful species of parrot, the Rainbow lorikeet for example.