Vini ultramarina
The Ultramarine Lorikeet (Vini ultramarina) is a jewel-toned avian marvel, captivating birders with its brilliant plumage and diminutive stature. Measuring around 18 cm (7.1 inches) in length and weighing a mere 30-34 grams, this species is predominantly clad in a deep, iridescent ultramarine blue, hence its evocative name. A striking white patch covers its lower face and throat, sometimes extending to the upper breast, offering a crisp contrast to the surrounding deep blue. Its upper back an...
Found in tropical moist lowland forests, especially in humid valleys and coastal coconut plantations, typically ranging from sea level up to 900 meters.
Primarily nectar and pollen from a variety of flowering trees and plants, supplemented with soft fruits, berries, and occasionally small insects.
Ultramarine Lorikeets are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging among the canopies of flowering trees with rapid, direct flights between food sources. They exhibit an acrobatic foraging style, often hanging upside down to access nectar and pollen with their specialized brush-tipped tongu...
The Ultramarine Lorikeet is an extreme island endemic, historically confined to the remote Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. Its original range included Ua Pou, Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Fatu Hiva, and Hiva Oa. However, due to the devastating impact of introduced Black Rats (*Rattus rattus*), its ...
Critically Endangered
- The Ultramarine Lorikeet is one of the smallest lorikeet species in the world. - Its common and scientific names directly refer to its stunning, deep blue plumage. - This species is an extreme endemic, found naturally on only one island in the Marquesas, Fatu Hiva. - It faces a Critically Endan...