| Kuhl's lorikeet | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Genus: | Vini |
| Species: | V. kuhlii |
| Binomial name | |
| Vini kuhlii (Vigors, 1824) | |
| Synonyms | |
Coriphilus kuhli(lapsus) | |
Kuhl's lorikeet (Vini kuhlii), also called theRimitara lorikeet,Kuhl's lory,Manu 'Ura (local appellation) orKura (Cook Islands), is a species oflorikeet in thefamilyPsittaculidae. It is one of several species ofVini lorikeets found in islands ranging across theSouth Pacific.The Kuhl for whomNicholas Aylward Vigors named the bird in 1824 wasHeinrich Kuhl, a German ornithologist whose survey of the parrots,Conspectus psittacorum, had appeared in 1819.
It is a fast flying lorikeet with vibrantplumage; a green back, wings andcrown, a bluenape and legs and bright red undersides and cheeks. The average length is 19 centimetres (7.5 in) and the average weight is 55 grams (1.9 oz).
The Kuhl's lorikeet'shabitat is naturaltropical moist lowlandforests andplantations. Like allVini lorikeets it is anectarivore, and has a brushytongue to acquire thenectar. In islands denuded of native forests and covered with extensivecoconut plantations it is found exclusively in those areas. It was once present in theCook Islands but is now restricted to islands ofFrench Polynesia (Only found on the island ofRimatara) and has been introduced inKiribati. It was reintroduced to Atiu, in the Cook Islands in 2007.
On the Cook Islands, the Kuhl's lorikeet has been exploited for its red feathers. They are also trapped for the international bird trade.Black rats were introduced to their native range byEuropeans and are now predators of the lorikeet. The bird also faces competition and the disturbances of nests from thecommon myna.[2]
Studies offossils have shown that it once had a widespread distribution from theCook Islands toFrench Polynesia. Itsrange contracted greatly after the arrival of humans, until the only surviving natural population was onRimatara in theAustral Islands of Southern French Polynesia. Like many island species, Kuhl's lorikeet is threatened byintroducedblack rats. Its colourful feathers have also meant that the species was regularly hunted. The species was also introduced to several islands inKiribati. The last native population was protected by atapu ortaboo by QueenTamaeva V of Rimatara around 1900. In 2007 a population was reintroduced to the black-rat-free island ofAtiu in theCook Islands by the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust and numerous conservation bodies, including the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.[3] In 2008, the introduced population was found to be reproducing. In 2019, successful reproduction resulted in an estimated population of over 400 individuals on the island of Atiu.[4]
