Today is my day to blog about Vini Lorikeets! It just didn’t seem right to do such a comprehensive post about Rimatara Lorikeets without doing one about their cousins, the Tahitian Blue Lorikeets.
These birds have a somewhat larger distribution area and can be found in around 8 islands: Motu, Manuae, Tikehau, Rangiroa, Aratua, Kaukura, Apataki, Aitutaki, and possibly Harvey Island and Manihi. Its plumage is mainly dark blue and it has a white area over its upper chest, throat and face.
This species qualifies as Vulnerable (rather than endangered) because it has a small and fragmented island distribution and is likely to continue to decline owing to ongoing predation by black rats and, to a lesser extent, cats.
The easiest place to see them in the wild is on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands where the locals affectionately call them “Kuramoo”.