Red Throated Lorikeet Charmosyna amabilis
These lorikeets are entirely green except for red cheeks, throat and thighs. Their red throat is outlined with yellow and also has yellow under-tail and tail tips. They get easily confused with the Collared Lory and they utter high-pitched squeaks while feeding or while flying. Red Throated Lorikeets can be found in small flocks high in the canopy of flowering trees, feeding on nectar and pollen in remote forest areas like Mt Tomaniivi on Viti Levu. They are found on the islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Ovalau of Fiji. This species is qualified as Critically Endangered because despite recent survey efforts, it has not been seen or heard which suggests it has a very small population. This may be the result of predation from introduced rats as well as habitat loss. This has led to its labeling as Critically Endangered.
This species can be identified by its bright green color, a long tail and an orange-yellow breast and belly. It has a dark head that becomes sooty-black towards the beak. The tail and flight feathers have a dark blue tint and it has a black bill and black feet. Its calls include a variety of raucous, penetrating squawks and screeches that they voice during flight and when perched. It feeds mostly on fruit, but also flowers, insects, seeds and berries, and nests in holes or a crack in a large forest tree, or a cavity in the top of a stump. The Masked Shining Parrot is suspected to have undergone a moderately rapid decline due to forest loss and conversion. It is endemic to the one island of Viti Levu so it has a small range. However, it is not yet severely fragmented or restricted to a few locations so therefore it is classified as Near Threatened.
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