Kuhl's Lorikeet
A species of Polynesian Lorikeets Scientific name : Vini kuhlii Genus : Polynesian Lorikeets
Kuhl's Lorikeet, A species of Polynesian Lorikeets
Botanical name: Vini kuhlii
Genus: Polynesian Lorikeets
Content
Description General Info
Description
It is a fast flying lorikeet with vibrant plumage; a green back, wings and crown, a blue nape and legs and bright red undersides and cheeks. 
Size
19 cm
Life Expectancy
2 years
Feeding Habits
Kuhl's Lorikeet primarily feeds on nectar, pollen, and small fruits. These birds forage in flowering trees and shrubs, using their brush-tipped tongues specialized for extracting food. They display a preference for various food plants and flowers, often searching at the rotting leaf borders.
Habitat
Kuhl's Lorikeet's habitat encompasses a variety of terrestrial environments in broader geographical tropical regions. These habitats include mixed horticultural belts, coconut-dominated forests, and occasional coastal coconut plantations. Kuhl's Lorikeet is also found in stands of Pisonia grandis, as well as areas populated with Pandanus species. The bird shows a preference for coastal fringes containing vegetation such as Messerschmidtia argentea, Scaevola taccada, and Cordia subcordata, utilizing various land types from rare makatea forests to ubiquitous terrestrial habitats.
Dite type
Frugivorous
General Info
Species Status
Studies of fossils have shown that it once had a widespread distribution from the Cook Islands to French Polynesia. Its range contracted greatly after the arrival of humans, until the only surviving natural population was on Rimatara in the Austral Islands of Southern French Polynesia. Like many island species, Kuhl's lorikeet is threatened by introduced black rats. Its colourful feathers have also meant that the species was regularly hunted. The species was also introduced to several islands in Kiribati. The last native population was protected by a tapu or taboo by Queen Tamaeva V of Rimatara around 1900. In 2007 a population was reintroduced to the black-rat-free island of Atiu in the Cook Islands by the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust and numerous conservation bodies, including the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. 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.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Parrots Family
Parrots Genus
Polynesian Lorikeets Species
Kuhl's Lorikeet 
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