- Vini palmarum
Charmosyna palmarum
Identification
15–17 cm.
- Green plumage
- Rather small red patch around bill from lores to chin
- Washed pale brown mantle
- Greyish-green underwing-coverts
- Tipped yellow tail
- Orange bill and legs
Females have less or no red and no brown. Immatures are similar to females.
Distribution
Extreme eastern Solomon Islands (Santa Cruz, Duff, Reef Islands), Banks Islands and Vanuatu.
The range flucutates with cycles of local extinctions and recolonizations over decades. A restricted-range species, more common in the highlands above 1000 m than in the lowlands.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.[1]
Forms a species-group with Red-chinned Lorikeet, Blue-fronted Lorikeet and Meek's Lorikeet.
Habitat
Moist lowland forests, montanes and plantations. Intolerant of disturbed areas.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on nectar and pollen of trees. Flowers of sago palm and Erythrina are an important food source. Takes also fruit of figs and berries.
Breeding
One described nest on Vanuatu was found in December. It was in a holow limb of a tree, c. 6m above the ground and contained two half-grown young.
Movements
A nomadic species, travelling great distances between feeding areas. Appears sometimes in large numbers in coastal areas.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Palm Lorikeet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Palm_Lorikeet
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
