Stephen's Lorikeet Vini stepheni Scientific name definitions

19 cm; 42–55 g. Similar to V. kuhlii but lacks purplish-blue nape and has broken green breastband , less bright rump and longer, wedge-shaped all-yellowish tail . Immature has mostly green underparts.

Henderson I, in the Pitcairn Group (E Polynesia).

Native forest, which covers the island.

A variety of food types, including nectar, pollen, fruit and insect larvae, from canopy level in coconut palms to ground-level shrubs, species involved being: nectar and/or pollen from Scaevola sericea, Timonius polygamus (these two the key plants), Cyclophyllum, Xylosma suaveolens, Thespesia populnea, Cordia subcordata, Psydrax, Senecio, <em>Cocos nucifera</em> and Pandanus tectorius, fruits of Eugenia rariflora, Nesoluma st-johnianum, Guettardia speciosa and Timonius polygamus, “juice” of Caesalpinia leaves, and lepidopteran larvae from the sporangia of Phymatosorus ferns.

Commonest call is a fast trisyllabic (or modulated) “tsililit” given when perched. In flight, a similar but more piercing “tseet!”.

VULNERABLE. CITES II. A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. Numbers were estimated in 1987 at 720–1820 birds and in 1992 at 2400 birds. Population essentially secure so long as no settlement of its 37km² sole home is attempted, bringing with it the increased chance of colonization by black rats (Rattus rattus); one such attempt was headed off in 1983.