Collared lory, Vini solitarius (formerly, Phigys solitarius; protonym, Psittacus solitarius), also known as the Fiji lory, ruffed lory, solitary lory, or (my favourite) as the Kula, photographed whilst feeding on flowering eucalyptus high in the Nadarivatu Highlands at Viti Levu, Republic of Fiji.
Image: Kevin Sharp [velociraptorize].
Question: This stunning Fijian mystery bird's plumage was the accepted currency for an entire maritime trading network. Even if you can't name the bird, you certainly CAN name the taxonomic order and family! But can you name this species?
Response: This is an adult collared lory, Vini solitarius, which is a small nectar-feeding parrot species that is endemic to Fiji archipelago. This bird's plumage was so stunning that it formed the basis for an entire maritime trading network that Fiji was part of.
The same photographer showed you a pair of these birds that he photographed on another isand a few months ago.
You are invited to review all of the daily mystery birds by going to their dedicated graphic index page.
If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and (mostly) appreciative international audience here at The Guardian, feel free to contact me to learn more.
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