Names: Blue Lorikeet, Tahiti Lorikeet, Violet Lorikeet, Tahitian Lory, Blue Lory, Nunbird, Indigo Lory Scientific name: Vini peruviana Conservation status: Vulnerable Info: The Blue Lorikeet is a small lorikeet from French Polynesia and the Cook Islands. It was formerly found on 23 different islands around Tahiti, but is now restricted to perhaps seven islands: Motu, Manuae, Tikehau, Rangiroa, Aratua, Kaukura, Apataki and Aitutaki. The lorikeet is 18 cm long with a short rounded tail. Its plumage is mainly dark blue and it has a white area over its upper chest, throat, and lower face. Erectile feathers on the top of its head show light blue streaks. Its beak is orange, and so are its legs, and its eyes are yellowish-brown. Adult male and females have identical appearance. The juvenile lacks the white plumage of the adult and has a dark grey-blue face and lower parts. The juvenile also has a black bill, dark brown irises, and its legs are orange-brown. Blue Lorikeets depend on coconut palms for nesting and for some of its food, and will frequent cultivated areas. They also roost in palm trees, rising at dawn and calling and preening before feeding. They are usually found in small flocks of less than ten birds. The Blue Lorikeets are active birds, feeding on nectar, insects, and ground forage. They are endangered primarily by invasive species, including rats, Swamp Harriers, and mosquitoes carrying avian malaria.
