The endemic land birds of Henderson Island, southeastern Polynesia: notes on natural history and conservation
1992; Wilson Ornithological Society; Volume: 104; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1938-5447
Autores Tópico(s)Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
Resumor.-New data are presented on the foraging ecology, behavior, vocalizations, body masses, and soft part colors of the endemic land birds of Henderson Island (1 28?20'W, 24?20'S), southeastern Polynesia. Population estimates of species range from 720-1820 for Stephen's Lorikeet ( Vini stepheni), 3240 ? for Henderson Island Crake (Porzana atra), 3420 ? for Henderson Island Fruit-Dove (Ptilonopus insularis), to 10,800 ? for Henderson Island Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus taiti). Conservation issues and translocation of species are discussed. Received 12 April 1991, accepted 5 Aug. 1991. Henderson Island (1 28?20'W, 24?20'S; Fig. 1), a small elevated coral atoll in the Pitcairn Island group some 2300 km southeast of Tahiti, was colonized and abandoned by Polynesians before it was discovered by Europeans in 1606 (Sinoto 1983, Fosberg et al. 1983). Henderson's four species of endemic landbirds, Henderson Island Crake (Porzana atra), Henderson Island Fruit-Dove (Ptilonopus insularis), Stephen's Lorikeet (Vini stepheni), and Henderson Island Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus taiti), were discovered early this century by phosphate prospectors and described from a few specimens by North (1908) and Ogilvie-Grant (1913). Recent archaeological excavations revealed that at least three additional species of pigeons (Gallicolumba sp., two Ducula sp.) became extinct during the Polynesian occupation of the island (Steadman and Olson 1985, Steadman 1989). Virtually all that is known about the natural history of the surviving species is contained in the unpublished field notes of Ernest H. Quayle, who collected landbirds on Henderson Island, 12-20 March and 1-13 April 1922, for the Whitney South Seas Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History. Quayle's notes have been liberally paraphrased by Bourne and David (1983). During 12-22 May 1987, I made natural history observations, conducted censuses, and collected specimens of the landbirds on Henderson Island. The purpose of this paper is to present (1) new natural history observations, (2) population estimates, (3) preliminary descriptions of vocalizations, and (4) specimen data for the endemic land birds. Finally, I discuss the conservation of Henderson's avifauna. ' Dept. of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560.
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