Various populations have been awarded separate subspecies, on basis of purported size differences. However, variability within these populations, or evidence of clines, suggests size cannot be used as a subspecific character. "Eos goodfellowi" seems likely to represent immature of present species introduced to Obi.
Proposed subspecies bernsteini and rothschildi invalid, as variation is clinal.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
bornea (Linnaeus, 1758) - Southern Moluccas and Kai Islands. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Red Lory (Eos goodfellowi).
rothschildi Stresemann, 1912 - Ambon, Haruku, Saparua, Seram Laut, Watubela, Tayandu and Kai Is.
bernsteini (Rosenberg, 1863) - Buru (southern Moluccas).
cyanonotha (Vieillot, 1818) - Eastern Botswana to southern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet