Red-throated lorikeet

The red-throated lorikeet (Charmosyna amabilis) is a critically endangered lorikeet endemic to Fiji. It is 18 cm long and is bright green overall, with red cheeks, throat and thighs.

Artwork by John Gerard Keulemans

Red-throated lorikeet

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Charmosyna
Species:
C. amabilis
Binomial name
Charmosyna amabilis
(Ramsay, 1875)

This bird has been found on the islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Ovalau. Ten specimens were collected in 1923, but it was last recorded in 1993, although it may also have been seen on Mount Tomanivi on Viti Levu in 2001. A search of Viti Levu in 2001-2 failed to find any birds, as did a second series of surveys in 2003. It continues to be threatened by habitat loss, the introduced black rat, as well as introduced feral cats and small Indian mongooses. It is known as the Kulawai in Fiji and is the bird found on the Fijian $5 dollar bills.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Charmosyna amabilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • BirdLife International (2006) Species factsheet: Charmosyna amabilis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 4/7/2006


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.