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Pale blue lines (mostly around islands) = coral reefs }} The Fiji parrotfinch (''Erythrura pealii'') is a species of estrildid finch endemic to Fiji that was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the red-headed parrotfinch. This parrotfinch is a small, mainly green bird with a red head and tail and a stubby dark grey bill. It is found in both forested and open habitats, and has adapted well to man-made environments such as grasslands, pasture and gardens. Pairs have a courtship display in which they fly above the trees in an undulating flight, calling constantly. Breeding birds build a domed grass nest with a side entrance, and lay a clutch normally of four white eggs. Newly hatched chicks are naked and pink, with blue balls at the upper and lower corners of the gape, and black markings inside the mouth; older fledglings resemble the adults, but lack the red head colouring. The Fiji parrotfinch eats seeds, especially of grasses, and also readily feeds on insects and nectar. It forms small flocks of up to six birds after the breeding season. Parrotfinches may be preyed upon by indigenous birds of prey such as the endemic Fiji goshawk, or by introduced mammals such as the small Asian mongoose, rats, and mice, and they may be susceptible to disease. The Fiji species, despite being both uncommon and endemic to one island group, appears to be stable in numbers. It is therefore classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, and it is protected under Fijian law. == Taxonomy == The parrotfinches are a genus of estrildid finches found in Southeast Asia and Australasia. They are small birds with short rounded wings and tails. Most species have green bodies, and all but one have the red tail that gives the genus its scientific name ''Erythrura'',〔Clements (1993) p. 397〕 which is derived from the Ancient Greek ερυθρός ''erythros'', "red",〔Brookes (2006) p. 306〕 and ουρά ''oura'', "tail".〔Brookes (2006) p. 1058〕 The English name of Fijian Fire-tail Finch was used in early writings. The Fiji parrotfinch was initially described by American naturalist and entomologist Titian Peale. As chief naturalist for the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842 led by Charles Wilkes, Peale collected and preserved many specimens, including the red-throated parrotfinch from Samoa and the Fiji parrotfinch from Vanua Levu. Peale named the latter species as ''Geospiza prasina''. Peale's birds were reviewed by German physician and ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub. Hartlaub moved the Fiji species to the genus ''Erythrura'', and then had to change the specific name, since another bird, the pin-tailed parrotfinch already had the binomial ''E. prasina''. He renamed the Fiji bird as ''E. pealii'' in honour of its finder.〔Clements (1993) pp. 207–208〕 The Fijian common names ''kulakula'' and ''qiqikula'' are derived from "kula", red. The Fiji parrotfinch and the royal parrotfinch of northern Vanuatu are now again usually considered to be distinct species,〔Watling (2003) pp. 166–167〕 but they were formerly frequently treated as subspecies of the Samoan red-headed parrotfinch, ''E. cyaneovirens''.〔Clements (1993) pp. 403–405〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fiji parrotfinch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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