Birds replace HM on two of Fiji's new banknotes

Birds of the islands and waters of the South Pacific.
Mxyzptlk
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Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:13 pm

Birds replace HM on two of Fiji's new banknotes

Postby Mxyzptlk » Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:33 pm

The Pigeon Post arrived from Suva late last eve. Two birds that are the very least highly endangered have supplanted HM on the new $5 and $20 notes.
The face of Fiji’s new green polymer $5 features the endemic Kulawai (Red-throated Lorikeet), the smallest Fijian parrot and an inhabitant of the mountain forest canopy. The last confirmed sighting was in 1993 with the Ship Rat blamed for reduction in the bird’s numbers if not its elimination/extinction.
The face of the blue paper $20 blue shows Kacau ni Gau (Fiji Petrel). The bird spends most of its life remote from Fiji, probably at sea. It is known to nest however solely on Gau Island. No more than 50 pairs are believed to survive.

Any further info on either bird would be most welcome. Any pics out there among Twitchers of the Pacific?
02af fiji-5-(2012-polymer)-front small.jpg
02af fiji-5-(2012-polymer)-front small.jpg (98.16 KiB) Viewed 3774 times
02cf fiji-20-(2012)-front small.jpg
02cf fiji-20-(2012)-front small.jpg (87.67 KiB) Viewed 3774 times

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