Kuhl's lorikeet, also called the Rimitara lorikeet, Kuhl's lory, manu 'ura or kura, is a species of lorikeet in the family Psittaculidae. It is one of several species of Vini lorikeets found in islands ranging across the South Pacific. Nicholas Aylward Vigors named it kuhlii in 1824 after Heinrich Kuhl, a German ornithologist whose survey of the parrots Conspectus psittacorum had appeared in 1819.
Region
South Pacific (French Polynesia and Cook Islands)
Typical Environment
Today the species is native to Rimatara in the Austral Islands and has an established translocated population on Atiu in the southern Cook Islands. It occupies coastal to lowland forest, coconut groves, gardens, and mixed secondary woodland. Birds often forage in flowering trees in villages and plantations, especially coconut, Erythrina, and Hibiscus. Nesting occurs in tree cavities, including old coconut palms. The species is sensitive to the presence of invasive rats, which can limit its distribution.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Kuhl's lorikeet has a brush-tipped tongue adapted for feeding on nectar and pollen, making it an important pollinator of island plants. It historically survived on Rimatara thanks to local taboos protecting it, then was successfully reintroduced to Atiu in the Cook Islands in 2007. The species remains vulnerable to invasive rats and habitat change. It was named by Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1824 in honor of the German ornithologist Heinrich Kuhl.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; fast, direct flight
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small, noisy groups that move between flowering trees. Pairs are strongly monogamous and nest in natural cavities, often in coconut palms. Clutches are small, and both parents attend the nest. Outside breeding, loose foraging flocks form where blossoms are abundant.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A high-pitched, chattering series of squeaks and sharp screeches given in quick bursts while in flight or feeding. Contact calls are bright and piercing, carrying over the canopy; softer twitters occur at close range among pairs.
