List of birds of Kiribati
This is a list of the bird species recorded in Kiribati an island nation in the central Pacific Ocean. The avifauna of Kiribati include a total of 76 species, of which one has been introduced by humans and three are rare or accidental. Two species listed are extirpated in Kiribati and are not included in the species count. Eleven species are globally threatened.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Kiribati.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. Not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.
- (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Kiribati
- (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Kiribati as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
- (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Kiribati although populations exist elsewhere
- (X) Extinct - a species that no longer occurs in Kiribati and is not found alive globally
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
- Tahiti petrel, Pterodroma rostrata (A)
- Phoenix petrel, Pterodroma alba
- Mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata
- Hawaiian petrel, Pterodroma sandwichensis
- Juan Fernandez petrel, Pterodroma externa
- White-necked petrel, Pterodroma cervicalis
- Cook's petrel, Pterodroma cookii
- Gould's petrel, Pterodroma leucoptera
- Bonin petrel, Pterodroma hypoleuca
- Black-winged petrel, Pterodroma nigripennis
- Stejneger's petrel, Pterodroma longirostris
- Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii
- Pink-footed shearwater, Ardenna creatopus
- Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus
- Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus
- Short-tailed shearwater, Ardenna tenuirostris
- Christmas shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis
- Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni
Austral storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae
The austral storm petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
- Wilson's storm petrel, Oceanites oceanicus
- White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina
- Polynesian storm petrel, Nesofregetta fuliginosa
Northern storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
- Band-rumped storm petrel, Oceanodroma castro
- Leach's storm petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Tropicbirds
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
- Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda
- White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
- Spotless crake, Zapornia tabuensis
Boobies and gannets
Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
- Masked booby, Sula dactylatra
- Red-footed booby, Sula sula
- Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
Frigatebirds
Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
- Great frigatebird, Fregata minor
- Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
Herons, egrets, and bitterns
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
- Pacific reef-heron, Egretta sacra
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
- Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A)
- Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope
- Gadwall, Mareca strepera (Ex)
- Green-winged teal, Anas crecca
- Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
- Northern pintail, Anas acuta
- Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, grouse, ptarmigan, and junglefowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
- Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I)
Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
- Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva
- Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
Sandpipers and allies
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
- Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
- Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
- Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
- Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis
- Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
- Grey-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes
- Wandering tattler, Tringa incana
- Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
- Sanderling, Calidris alba
- Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
- Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
- Kiritimati sandpiper, Prosobonia cancellata (X)
- Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius
Skuas and jaegers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are 7 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Kiribati.
- South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki
- Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus
- Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
- Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
- Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (A)
- Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis
- Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus (A)
- Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens (A)
- Greater crested tern, Thalasseus bergii
- Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana
- Little tern, Sternula albifrons
- Spectacled tern, Onychoprion lunatus
- Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
- Black noddy, Anous minutus
- Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
- Blue noddy, Anous cerulea
- White tern, Gygis alba
Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
- Rock pigeon, Columba livia
- Friendly ground dove, Gallicolumba stairi
- Pacific imperial pigeon, Ducula pacifica
- Micronesian imperial pigeon, Ducula oceanica (Ex)
Old World parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
- Kuhl's lorikeet, Vini kuhlii (I)
Cuckoos and anis
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
- Long-tailed koel, Eudynamys taitensis
Acrocephalid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
- Bokikokiko, Acrocephalus aequinoctialis
See also
References
- Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Kiribati". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
- Clements, James F. (2000). Birds of the World: a Checklist. Cornell University Press. p. 880. ISBN 0-934797-16-1.
- Child, P. (1960). "Birds of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony Atoll". Research Bulletin. 74.
- Morris, R.O. (1963). "The birds of the Gilbert Islands". Sea Swallow. 16.