Crimson Shining-parrot
Encyclopedia
The Crimson Shining Parrot, Prosopeia splendens, is a parrot
from Fiji
. The species is endemic
to the islands of Kadavu
and Ono
in the Kadavu Group
. The species was once considered conspecific with the Red Shining Parrot of Vanua Levu
and Taveuni
, but is now considered its own species. The species is sometimes known as the Kadavu Musk Parrot.
The Crimson Shining Parrot is a medium sized parrot (45 cm) with a long tail and bright plumage
. The head, breast and belly are covered in bright crimson-red, its back, wings and tail are green with hints of blue in the wing. It has a long winged appearance in flight
, flying with undulating bouts of flaps and gliding. The species is very vocal
; the chreiks and squawks of the Crimson Shining Parrot are of a higher pitch than that of the Red Shining Parrot. On Kadavu it is unlikely to be mistaken for the other species of parrot, the Collared Lory
.
The Crimson Shining Parrot is a common forest species that has recently taken to entering gardens and agricultural land. Pairs forage for seeds and fruits. The species has not been observed nesting but is assumed to be a hole nester like Red Shining Parrot. The species is considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN due to its restricted range, habitat loss and the illegal trade in parrots.
True parrots
The true parrots are about 330 species of bird belonging to the Psittacidae family, one of the two "traditional" families in the biological order Psittaciformes . The other family is the Cacatuidae which are also parrots, but not classified as true parrots...
from Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. The species is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the islands of Kadavu
Kadavu Group
The Kadavu Group is an archipelago south of Viti Levu, one of Fiji's two main islands. Dominated by Kadavu Island, the fourth largest island in Fiji, the group also includes Galoa, Ono, and a number of islets in the Great Astrolabe Reef....
and Ono
Ono Island
Ono Island is a member of the Kadavu Group, an outlier to Kadavu Island, to the south of Viti Levu, one of Fiji's two main islands. It is separated from Kadavu Island by the Ono Channel. Located at 18.88° South and 178.50° East, this volcanic island is enclosed by the Great Astrolabe Reef. It...
in the Kadavu Group
Kadavu Group
The Kadavu Group is an archipelago south of Viti Levu, one of Fiji's two main islands. Dominated by Kadavu Island, the fourth largest island in Fiji, the group also includes Galoa, Ono, and a number of islets in the Great Astrolabe Reef....
. The species was once considered conspecific with the Red Shining Parrot of Vanua Levu
Vanua Levu
Vanua Levu , formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located 64 kilometres to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of 5,587.1 km² and a population of some 130,000.- Geography :...
and Taveuni
Taveuni
Taveuni is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, with a total land area of 435 square kilometers . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated 6.5 kilometers to the east of Vanua Levu, across the...
, but is now considered its own species. The species is sometimes known as the Kadavu Musk Parrot.
The Crimson Shining Parrot is a medium sized parrot (45 cm) with a long tail and bright plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
. The head, breast and belly are covered in bright crimson-red, its back, wings and tail are green with hints of blue in the wing. It has a long winged appearance in flight
Bird flight
Flight is the main mode of locomotion used by most of the world's bird species. Flight assists birds while feeding, breeding and avoiding predators....
, flying with undulating bouts of flaps and gliding. The species is very vocal
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
; the chreiks and squawks of the Crimson Shining Parrot are of a higher pitch than that of the Red Shining Parrot. On Kadavu it is unlikely to be mistaken for the other species of parrot, the Collared Lory
Collared Lory
The Collared Lory is a monotypic species of parrot in the Psittacidae family, and it is the only species in the genus Phigys. It is endemic to the islands of Fiji. It is the only Fijian rainforest bird to adapt to urban landscapes and can be found in urban Suva...
.
The Crimson Shining Parrot is a common forest species that has recently taken to entering gardens and agricultural land. Pairs forage for seeds and fruits. The species has not been observed nesting but is assumed to be a hole nester like Red Shining Parrot. The species is considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN due to its restricted range, habitat loss and the illegal trade in parrots.