Justification This species is classified as Endangered because it only survives on two or three tiny islands (both reintroductions) and the tiny populations on two of these may become extirpated in the near future (if they have not already done so), as black rats have recently become established. Its overall population trend is difficult to assess, but it is likely to be undergoing a long-term continuing decline. It would be uplisted to Critically Endangered if black rats reached Ua Huka, the most important islands.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Kuhl, 1820)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 18 cm. Sharp-tailed parakeet. Light cerulean-blue upperparts and forehead, dark navy-blue nape and underparts. Cheeks, breast, and flanks heavily mottled with white. Red bill, eyes, and feet. Voice Very high-pitched whistle and harsh screech.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,000-2,499

decreasing

160 km²

Yes

Range & population Vini ultramarina is endemic to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. On Ua Pou, it numbered 250-300 pairs in 1975, was rare in 1990^1,6 and was not found in 1998⁸. On Nuku Hiva, it numbered 70 birds in 1972-1975 but could not be found in 1990 or in 2004^1,6,14. Recent records - three from Ua Pou (including one pair) in 1999⁹, one in one week of searching there in 2000¹⁴ and one from Nuku Hiva (at least three birds) in 1998⁸ - may be vagrant birds from Ua Huka rather than relictual populations¹². It was (re)introduced to Ua Huka in the 1940s (a single captive pair), where the population was c.200-250 pairs in the early 1970s and c.1,300 birds in 1991. By 2004 the species may have slightly increased on the island, as a survey found 1,763 - 2,987 individuals^1,3,10,14. It was further (re)introduced to Fatu Hiva (29 birds) in the 1990s², where 51 birds were counted in 1997³ but, by 2000 when rats had become established, fewer than 10 were seen in Omoa Valley; in 2004 the population was estimated at 3-10 individuals, and in 2007 it was considered extinct there^4,14,15.

Ecology: It feeds on a wide variety of flowering trees on nectar and pollen, prefering flowers of the coconut palm, banana and native Hibiscus tileaceus and fruit, especially mango; as well as on flowers, buds and insects^1,5,14. It nests in tree-cavities preffering Artocarpus altilis, Pometia pinnata, Pandanus tectorius and Hibiscus tileacus^1,5,14.

Threats It is likely that black rat Rattus rattus is responsible for its decline, being present on Nuku Hiva since c.1915, on Ua Pou (probably) since 1980, on a motu a few hundred metres from Ua Huka⁶, and confirmed, for the first time, on Fatu Hiva in February 2000¹¹. All islands have been devastated by very high levels of grazing and fire, and much of the original dry forest has been reduced to grassland, and extensive damage has been caused even to upland forests¹³. Were the black rat to colonise Ua Huka patterns observed on other islands would indicate that the species would decline almost to extinction within 20 years¹⁴.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I and II. In 1992-1994, 29 birds were translocated to Fatu Hiva² and a follow-up survey was conducted in 1997³, after the arrival of black rats on the island a trapping program was intitated in 2002 in the Punahitahi vally to help conserve the Fatu Iva Monarch Pomarea whitneyi which might have had some marginal benefit for this species, were it still extant on that island¹⁴. The local council at the port on Ua Huka have been issued with rat traps to help prevent the accidental introduction black rats to that island¹⁴. One local person has been employed in the rat control program on Fatu Hiva and posters of the species have been distributed to schools and community centres on Fatu Hiva and Ua Huka¹⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Consider the possibility of translocation to the nearby island of Mohotani if cats are eradicated from this island⁷. On Fatu Hiva, continue to control rats, expand trapping to also include the Omoa Valley¹¹. On Ua Huka, monitor the population and take all precautions to prevent invasion by rats.

References 1. Holyoak and Thibault (1984). 2. Kuehler and Lieberman (1993). 3. Kuehler et al. (1997). 4. J.-Y. Meyer and J.-C. Thibault (unpublished data). 5. Pratt et al. (1987). 6. Seitre and Seitre (1991). 7. SPREP (1999). 8. Te Manu (1998) 24:1. 9. Te Manu (1999) 27:1. 10. Thibault (1988). 11. Thibault and Meyer (2000). 12. J.-C. Thibault in litt. (2000). 13. WWF/IUCN (1994-1995). 14. Ziembicki and Raust (2004). 15. P. Raust in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Text account compilers Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), Sue Shutes (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International)

Contributors Philippe Raust (Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie "Manu"), Jean-Claude Thibault (Parc Naturel Régional de Corse)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Vini ultramarina. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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