Blue Lorikeet
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| Blue Lorikeet | ||||||||||||||
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| Vini peruviana (Müller, 1776) |
The Blue Lorikeet, Vini peruviana, is a lorikeet from French Polynesia and the Cook Islands. It is also known as the Tahiti Lorikieet, Tahitian Lory, Blue Lory, and the Indigo Lory. It was formerly found on 23 islands around Tahiti, but now restricted to perhaps eight islands: Motu, Manuae, Tikehau, Rangiroa, Aratua, Kaukura, Apataki, Aitutaki, and possibly Harvey Island and Manihi. It is a small (14cm) lory, all dark blue except for white throat, upper breast, and ear coverts and orange bill and exposed skin.
Blue Lorikeets depend on coconut palms for nesting and some of its food, and will frequent cultivated areas. They also roost in palm trees, rising at dawn and calling and preening before feeding. [1] They are usually found in small flocks of less than ten birds. They are active birds, feeding on nectar, insects and ground forage.
They are endangered primarily by invasive species, including cats, rats, Swamp Harriers, and mosquitoes carrying avian malaria.
[edit] References
- ^ Gerischer B & Walther B (2003) "Behavioural observations of the blue lorikeet (Vini peruviana) on Rangiroa atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia" Notornis 50(1): 54-58 [1]
- Juniper & Parr (1998) Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World; ISBN 0-300-07453-0.
