Fiji parrotfinch facts for kids
The Fiji parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii) is a beautiful, small bird found only in Fiji. It's a type of estrildid finch, known for its bright colors. This parrotfinch is mostly green with a striking red head and tail. It has a short, dark grey beak.
You can find these birds in forests and open areas. They have even learned to live in places changed by people, like grasslands, farms, and gardens. When they want to find a mate, pairs fly above the trees in a wavy pattern, calling to each other.
Fiji parrotfinches build a round, grass nest with an opening on the side. They usually lay four white eggs. Baby chicks are born pink and without feathers. They have unique blue spots at the corners of their mouths. Older young birds look like the adults, but they don't have the red head yet.
These birds mostly eat seeds, especially from grasses. They also enjoy eating insects and nectar from flowers. After the breeding season, they often gather in small groups of up to six birds.
Even though they are not very common and live only in Fiji, their numbers seem to be steady. Because of this, the Fiji parrotfinch is listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. This means they are not currently at high risk of disappearing. Fijian law also protects them.
Quick facts for kids Fiji parrotfinch |
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| Adult | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: | Erythrura |
| Species: |
E. pealii
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| Binomial name | |
| Erythrura pealii Hartlaub, 1852
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= resident year-round
Pale blue lines (mostly around islands) = coral reefs |
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| Synonyms | |
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Geospiza prasina |
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Contents
What Does the Fiji Parrotfinch Look Like?
The Fiji parrotfinch is a small bird, about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. Adult males have a bright green body and wings. Their head is red, and their lower back and tail are scarlet. The feathers under their chin are blackish, turning dark blue on the throat. This color then becomes turquoise on the upper chest, fading into the green belly.
Their short beak is blackish-grey. Their eyes are reddish-brown, and their legs and feet are pinkish-brown. Females look very similar to males. They might be slightly duller in color with lighter sides.
Young birds have a yellow beak with a dark tip. Sometimes their face is bluish, which slowly turns red. The rest of their feathers look like the adults. They get their full adult colors when they are about 20 months old. Very rarely, some Fiji parrotfinches have an all-blue head. This is due to a natural change in their genes.
How Do They Fly and Call?
The Fiji parrotfinch flies fast and in a wavy pattern. They beat their wings quickly and call often. They usually fly quite high, landing in the treetops. From there, they go down to find food.
Their call is a high, thin seep or peep sound. It's similar to calls from other parrotfinches. They often repeat this call in bursts of different lengths. Their song is a long, whistled double note. It sounds a bit like the song of the orange-breasted myzomela, another bird found in Fiji.
Fiji has another Erythrura species called the pink-billed parrotfinch. This bird is larger and has a green head, blue crown, and black face. It also has a very big pink beak. The Fiji parrotfinch looks like the royal and red-headed parrotfinches. The rare blue-headed version looks like the blue-faced parrotfinch. However, these other species do not live in Fiji.
Where Does the Fiji Parrotfinch Live?
The Fiji parrotfinch lives only in Fiji. You can find it on the four largest islands: Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, and Kadavu. It also lives on the smaller western islands of the Mamanuca and Yasawa groups.
It is not very common but can be found in many places. These birds live in both forests and open areas. They can be found from sea level up to at least 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) on Viti Levu. They seem to be less common on Taveuni than on the larger islands.
These birds have adapted well to places changed by humans. You can see them in grasslands, pastures, rice fields, parks, and gardens. Many parrotfinch species usually live only in forests. However, in the central Pacific, there are no seed-eating birds called munias in open areas. This might be why the Fiji parrotfinch has moved into grassy areas. This allows them to use the many seeds found there.
How Does the Fiji Parrotfinch Behave?
Courtship and Reproduction
This species has a special flight display to find a mate. The pair flies above the trees in a strongly wavy path. One bird goes up while the other goes down, and both call constantly. After this display, the birds land on a branch for a mating ritual. This starts with them touching beaks. Then, the female hangs upside-down for a while. After that, they mate while the male holds the female's neck.
The nest is built using fresh grass blades. It is shaped like a dome with an entrance on the side. The nest is always hidden in thick leaves. It can be at any height from the ground. They usually lay four round, whitish eggs.
Baby chicks are born without feathers and have pink skin. Their mouths are very unique, with blue bumps at the upper and lower corners. The roof of their mouth is yellow and has a ring of five black spots. Most young finches beg for food by holding their wings against their sides. However, young parrotfinches lift the wing on the side away from the parent feeding them. This behavior might help reduce competition for food among the baby birds in the nest.
What Do They Eat?
When they are not breeding, Fiji parrotfinches like to be in groups. They are usually found in small flocks of up to six birds. They eat seeds, especially when the seeds are "milky" (ripe and soft). A favorite food is Guinea grass.
The finch also eats seeds from rice plants. Its move into gardens has been helped by another favorite food plant, carpet grass. This is a common lawn grass in Fiji. This finch also readily eats insects. They often find insects under loose tree bark or in tree cracks. They also feed on nectar and small berries.
In some areas, this finch's diet might cause problems for rice farmers. However, there is no proof that this protected species is a serious threat to agriculture. This is true both in Fiji and in Australia, where some are kept as pets.
How Are They Protected?
The Fiji parrotfinch lives only in Fiji. We don't know their exact population size, but they are described as uncommon or common in certain areas. Since there is no sign that their numbers are going down, their population is thought to be stable. Because of this, they are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
They are protected under Fiji's Endangered and Protected Species Act 2002. This law controls the import and trade of species that are not at high risk of extinction. However, they could be threatened if their trade is not managed. In the early 1900s, Europeans in Fiji kept these finches as cage birds. They called them croton finches because they liked the croton bush. But today, the pet trade does not seem to be a big problem for them.
Fiji's native birds have been greatly affected by farming, cutting down forests, and introduced pests. These pests include rats and mongooses. Even though special Important Bird Areas have been set up, conservation problems still exist.
The Fiji parrotfinch has adapted well to human-made places. They do not nest on the ground or in holes. This helps them avoid predators like the mongoose. It also helps them avoid competing for nest sites with introduced common and jungle mynas. However, introduced rodents can get into their nests. This might affect how many young birds survive. The possible introduction of other animals, like snakes, or diseases, like avian malaria, could cause big losses for bird species.
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