Blue-crowned Lorikeet

Blue-crowned Lorikeet
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittacidae
Tribe:	Lorini
Genus:	Vini
Species:	V. australis
Binomial name
Vini australis (Gmelin, 1788)

Two Blue-crowned Lorikeets in a cage.

The Blue-crowned Lorikeet (Vini australis) is a parrot found throughout the Samoa and Tonga islands and Lau archipelago, including: ʻAlofi, Fotuhaʻa, Fulago, Futuna, Haʻafeva, Niuafoʻou, Moce, Niuē, Ofu, Olosega, Sāmoa, Savaiʻi, Tafahi, Taʻu, Tofua, Tonga, Tungua, ʻUiha, ʻUpolu, Varoa, Vavaʻu, and Voleva. It is a 19 cm green lorikeet with a red throat, blue crown, and belly patch shading from red at the top to purple at the bottom.

It is still common, but declining on some islands, apparently from predation by rats. They frequent areas with flowering trees, including coconut plantations and gardens, usually in small flocks of less than about 15 individuals or in pairs during breeding season. It eats nectar, pollen, and soft fruits, especially wild hibiscus and coconut. The blue-crowned lorikeet nests in holes in trees, but may also dig burrows in earth banks. Also known as:

• Blue-crowned Lory
• Blue-crested Lory
• Solomon Lory
• Samoan Lory
• Segavao (Samoa)
• Henga (Tonga)

Side view at London Zoo

References

• Juniper & Parr (1998) Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World; ISBN 0-300-07453-0.
• Forshaw (2006) Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide; ISBN 0-691-09251-6.
• BirdLife International (2009). Vini australis. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 14 April 2010.