Stephen's Lorikeet
Vini stepheni
A mostly red-and-green lorikeet, green above and red below with a large red face patch, bluish purple thighs, and a greenish chest band. Endemic to native primary forest on Henderson Island, where it is unlike any other local species. Most common call is a fast trisyllabic “tsililit.”
Identification
The lorikeets are 19 cm (7.5 in) in length and weigh 42–55 g (1.5–1.9 oz).<p>Adults are green on the upper side, with a green occiput and crown. The green color turns into a yellow-green at the base and tail. They have a green underwings, with a green band across the chest that varies in appearance. Their breast is red in color, and turns purple towards their abdomen and thighs. They have a deep orange beak with yellow or orange eyes.<p>Juvenile Stephen's lorikeets have green underparts with purple or red marks on their throats and abdomens. Their tail tends to be a dark green. They have brown beaks and eyes.<p>The calls emitted while feeding are soft and twittering. The call made while in flight are louder.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Vini stepheni
- Authority
- (North, 1908)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Vini
Range and habitat
The lorikeet is endemic to Henderson Island in the Pitcairn Islands. It inhabits coconut palms as well as the dense forest on the interior of the island.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The lorikeets are hard to spot in dense foliage. They are generally found in small groups or flocks. They are known to travel between the inland foliage and coastal palms to feed on coconuts.<p>The diet of the birds is composed of nectar, pollen, fruits, and butterfly and moth larvae. The majority of nectar eaten by the lorikeets comes from the flowers of Scaevola sericea and Timonius polygamus.<p>Their breeding season is thought to be around April or the start of May.<p>The lorikeets are assessed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They are thought to have a stable population of 720-1820 individuals. Due to their extremely limited range, the main threat to the survival of the lorikeets is the accidental introduction of predators to Henderson Island and habitat loss due to deforestation or natural disasters. They, however, seem to have adjusted to the introduction of at least one invasive predator, the Polynesian rat. There has been an unsuccessful attempt to eradicate invasive rodents from Henderson Island.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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