Fiji Parrots Home, The Collection, Go to Order Page, Mailing List

Fiji Parrots:

Fiji's parrots were of great significance to early Fijians long before Europeans arrived with their science, taxonomy in particular, because the red feathers of Fiji's parrots were central to an almost Pacific-wide trade. In fact, red feathers were the currency of trade for many of the Pacific's earliest inhabitants. Despite this and the advent of modern science we currently know next to nothing about the ecology and behavour of our parrots, while the taxonomists cannot agree on how many species of parrots we have and where their ancestral lineage leads.

Fijians have known our parrots by a variety of names, although 'kaka' is the most widespread and is almost universally recognised for all the parrots. Musk Parrots has been the collective English name in general use for these parrots and it originates from the distinctive musky smell of the Vid Levu or 'masked' variety. The rest of the world has increasingly called them 'Shining Parrots' a more engaging name which originates from a real shine which is evident in good sunlight from their green upperpart plumage.

The debate on the taxonomy of the Fiji's Musk Parrots has continued since the type specimen was collected by Captain Cook's naturalists from the introduced population in Tonga. Up to six varieties have been recognised, all restricted to deferent islands or island groups in Fiji.

The most distinctive is the Masked or Yellow-breasted Musk Parrot Prosopeia personata which is restricted to Viti Levu and formerly Ovalau. No taxonomist disputes that this is a full species. The remaining parrots, in contrast to the yellow breast of the Viti Levu variety, all have red underparts of differing hue. To some these are all varieties of the Redbreasted Musk Parrot Prosopela tabuensls which are distinguished at the sub-specific or 'race' level.

The most distinctive of these is the Kadavu variety which is sometimes distinguished as a full species - the Kadavu Musk Parrot P.t.splendens ($2). This is distinctive because whereas the red of the other varieties is a subdued darkish red varying to a deep burgundy, the underparts of Kadavu's parrots are a bright scarlet or crimson. Kadavu parrots also display a bright blue patch on the hack at the base of their necks, this is either absent or much reduced in the other varietdes.

The darkest of the parrots is the nominate form P.t.tabuensis which is from Gau Island and is also found as an introduced population on the island of 'Eua in Tonga. To the north, another form P.t.koroensis (65c) is restricted to the island of Koro. On Vanua Levu and its neighbouring islands, P.t.atrogularis (90c) is found, while the smallest of these parrots is found on Taveuni Island, P.t.taviunensis ($1.50)

It was Captain Cook who introduced the red shining parrot to the outside world, rather to Europe and its scientists. This is strange, since a brief fracas at Vatoa, Fiji's southernmost island apart Cook never even saw the Fiji Islands. No, he picked up the parrot in Tonga and the chances are that it was somebody's pet. On Cook's return to England, the parrot was described as a Tongan parrot and to emphasise the point it was given the specific name 'tabuensis', the Ladnised derivative of Tongatabu, as it was called in Europe at the time.

What Cook had in fact stumbled on, was one of Fiji's first major exports - parrots - red parrots to be specific, and they were sought not for their talking ability but for their red feathers. Fiji had a commodity in great demand throughout the Pacific. From the Solomons in the west, to Hawaii in the north and Tahiti in the east, red feathers were of great cultural significance, used especially for edging the finest mats and decorating the most highly prized garments.

The important point is that these are a very special group of parrots, and it is almost irrelevant as to their ancestral lineage, how they are scientifically distinguished, or which English names are adopted. They were of great interest and value to some Pacific Islanders for one reason or another, long bdore the scientists came on the scene. But even today we have only the vaguest ideas of their life histories, breeding seasons, feeding ecology and habitat requirements. We are relieved to see that they are still quite common despite the massive logging of their forest homes during the past 30 years - so all is well with them? We cannot be so sure - parrots are long-lived birds; 30, perhaps 50 years or more. Logging may not affect adults-only nesting sites or juvenile survival. In which case we would not expect to see any changes until the long-lived adults start passing on. So for the past 20 years we should have been monitoring and knowing exactly what's going on; we haven't been and for Fiji's parrots we have entered the new millenium with great trepidation.

$2.00	$0.65

$1.50	$0.90

Home, Go to Order Page, The Collection, Mailing List