Vini


Vini is a genus of birds endemic to the islands of the tropical Pacific. There are five extant species of these small lorikeets ranging from eastern Fiji through Samoa, French Polynesia, and as far east as Henderson Island. All members of the genus have exceptional bright plumage, particularly the unusual all over blues of the blue lorikeet and the ultramarine lorikeet. The collared lory is sometimes considered to be in this genus; for example, David Steadman listed Phigys as a subgenus of Vini in 2006.
The Vini lorikeets are highly threatened by human changes to their islands. Most species have been lost from a number of islands and two species became extinct before the arrival of European explorers in the Pacific., two species are listed as endangered species by the IUCN and two are considered vulnerable. They are primarily threatened by introduced species, such as rats, and habitat loss.
List of species, per the International Ornithological Union:
ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Vini australisBlue-crowned lorikeetSamoa and Tonga islands and Lau archipelago
Vini kuhliiKuhl's lorikeetFrench Polynesia -
Vini stepheniStephen's lorikeetHenderson Island in the Pitcairn Islands-
Vini peruvianaBlue lorikeetFrench Polynesia and the Cook Islands
Vini ultramarinaUltramarine lorikeetMarquesas Islands-

Fossils

chose Vini as the name for the genus since vini is the Tahitian word for a local bird.