EN
Rimatara Lorikeet Vini kuhlii



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D1+2

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2023 Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
2016 Endangered B1ab(iii,v)
2013 Endangered B1ab(v)
2012 Endangered B1ab(v)
2008 Endangered B1a+b(v)
2004 Endangered
2000 Endangered
1996 Endangered
1994 Endangered
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 3,100 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 68 km2
Number of locations 2 -
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 800 mature individuals good estimated 2016
Population trend stable poor suspected -
Generation length 3.77 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 2 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: This species is restricted to Rimatara, its last remaining native island, and Atiu, where it was reintroduced in 2007. The first breeding on Atiu was reported in 2008, with more than 92 birds in 2011 (R. Malcolm in litt. 2010, 2012). The latest population estimate is 835 individuals on Rimatara (Blanvillain et al. 2015a), and with a daily average of 0.35 birds/ha detected within 50 m of eight road-transects, the population on Atiu was estimated to number 385 individuals in 2016 (Lieberman et al. 2018). The total population is therefore estimated to number 1,220 individuals, and assuming two thirds are mature, is roughly equivalent to 800 mature individuals.
Some birds have reached Mitiaro from Atiu, though the presence of Black Rats on this island is believed to have prevented the species from establishing there (McCormack 2017). Introduced populations of  >1,000 on Teraina, 50 on Tabuaeran and small numbers on Kiritimati (Thibault and Cibois 2017) are not included in the assessment since the introductions occurred outside the taxon's natural range and the intent was not to reduce extinction risk. As such, they do not meet the required conditions to be included in the categorisation process sensu IUCN guidelines.

Trend justification: On Rimatara, the population was estimated at >905 birds in 1992 (McCormack and Künzle 1996), c.750 in 2000 (G. McCormack in litt. 2001), 650 in 2002 (Raust and Sanford 2002), 610 in 2004, 1,079 in 2009 (Albar et al. 2009) and 835 in 2015 (Blanvillain et al. 2015a). Differences in timing, methodology and potential double-counting of individuals may have contributed to the increase in 2009, though using the same methodology as Albar et al. (2009), the 2015 estimate is indicative of a population decline (Blanvillain et al. 2015a, C. Blanvillain in litt. 2016). In April 2007, twenty-seven birds were re-introduced to Atiu in the Cook Islands from Rimatara. The introduction was successful, with the population estimated at c.40 birds in 2009, 90 ± 19 birds in 2010 and more than 92 birds in 2011 (R. Malcolm in litt. 2010, 2012). The population is now estimated at 385 individuals (Lieberman et al. 2018) and likely still increasing. There has been no more recent population estimate on Rimatara although recent records do not suggest the species is declining substantially (eBird 2023), and with the increasing population on Atiu, the overall trend is tentatively suspected to be stable.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Cook Islands extant reintroduced yes
French Polynesia extant native yes
Kiribati extant introduced yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Cook Islands Atiu
Cook Islands Miti'aro Island
French Polynesia Rimatara
Kiribati Tabuaeran (Fanning Island)
Kiribati Teraina (Washington Island)

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations major resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Altitude 0 - 80 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Past Impact
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Acridotheres tristis Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Minority (<50%) Unknown Past Impact
Stresses
Competition, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Rattus exulans Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Rattus norvegicus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Rattus rattus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Problematic native species/diseases - Phaethon lepturus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Residential & commercial development Housing & urban areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development Tourism & recreation areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Handicrafts, jewellery, etc. subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rimatara Lorikeet Vini kuhlii. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rimatara-lorikeet-vini-kuhlii on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.