CAUSES OF EXTINCTIONS

fossil
Fossil bones of Aplonis diluvialis		 Studies of fossil birds collected from archaeological sites, where chronology is established, show that several bird species went extinct after the arrival of the first Polynesians, some globally and others locally. Not less than 22 new species have been described yet from bones recovered from diggings. The main reason for extinction has been hunting for consumption with the largest species most affected as shown from analysis of food remains. In addition, ground-nesting species suffered more than others following the introduction of Polynesian rats, pigs and dogs.


Cyanoramphus ulietanus and Cyanoramphus zelandicus

We know more about the impacts of European colonisation on indigenous avifauna thanks to the collections, notes and paintings of the naturalists who were present on board the European ships of exploration. The presence in eastern Polynesia of species of starling, parakeet (Cyanoramphus spp.), rail (Gallirallus) and perhaps a species of honey-eater shows that the composition of the avifauna was more diverse than today and resembled that of western Polynesia prior to European colonisation. Polynesian birds were particularly vulnerable to the introduction of new predators such as cats, black rats (Rattus rattus) and cattle because of their numerical weakness, long isolation, exposed mode of nesting and non-cryptic plumage.


EXTINCT BIRDS

Sub-fossil birds

FAMILY SPECIES ENGLISH NAME PLACE
SULIDAE Papasula abbotti costelloi Abott's & Costello Booby Ua Huka
RALLIDAE Gallirallus storrsolsoni Huahine Rail Huahine
RALLIDAE Gallirallus epulare Nuku Hiva Rail Nuku Hiva
RALLIDAE Gallirallus gracilitibia Ua Huka Rail Ua Huka
RALLIDAE Gallirallus roletti Tahuata Rail Tahuata
RALLIDAE Gallirallus sp. Hiva Oa Rail Hiva Oa
RALLIDAE Porphyrio mcnabi Huahine Swamphen Huahine
RALLIDAE Porphyrio paepae Marquesas Swamphen Hiva Oa
RALLIDAE Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Swamphen Marquesas
RALLIDAE Porzana sp. Huahine Crake Huahine
RALLIDAE Porzana sp. Marquesas Crake Ua Huka
SCOLOPACIDAE Prosobonia sp. Ua Huka Sandpiper Ua Huka
LARIDAE Larus utunui Huahine Gull Huahine
COLUMBIDAE Gallicolumba nui Great Ground-Dove Ua Huka, Hiva Oa, Tahuata
COLUMBIDAE Gallicolumba nova sp. Huahine Ground-Dove Huahine
COLUMBIDAE Macropygia heana Marquesan Cuckoo-Dove Ua Huka, Hiva Oa, Tahuata
COLUMBIDAE Macropygia arevarevauupa Society islands Cuckoo-Dove

Huahine
COLUMBIDAE Ptilinopus sp. Tubuai Fruit-Dove

Tubuai
PSITTACIDAE Vini vidivici Conquered Lorikeet Huahine
PSITTACIDAE Vini sinotoi Sinito's Lorikeet Huahine
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Myiagra sp. Indeterminate Flycatcher Ua Huka
MUSCICAPIDAE Aplonis diluvialis Huahine Starling Huahine

Bibliography of the fossil birds of French Polynesia.

Birds extinct at the post european arrival times

These birds are often only known by drawings or skins.

FAMILY SPECIES ENGLISH NAME PLACE (DATE)
RALLIDAE Gallirallus pacificus Tahiti Rail Tahiti (1768), Me'etia
SCOLOPACIDAE Prosobonia leucoptera Tahitian Sandpiper Moorea (1777)
SCOLOPACIDAE Prosobonia ellisi White winged Sandpiper Tahiti (1773)
COLUMBIDAE Ptilinopus m. mercierii Red-mustached Fruit-dove Nuku-Hiva (1839)
COLUMBIDAE Ptilinopus mercierii tristrami Red-mustached Fruit-dove Hiva-Oa (1922)
PSITTACIDAE Cyanoramphus zealandicus Black-fronted Parakeet Tahiti (1844)
PSITTACIDAE Cyanoramphus ulietanus Raiatea Parakeet Raiatea (1773)
ALCENIDIDAE Halcyon g. gambieri Tuamotu Kingfisher Gambier (1838)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pomarea pomarea Maupiti Monarch Maupiti (1823)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pomarea mendozae Monarquesas Monarch Hiva Oa (1975), Tahuata (1922)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pomarea mira Monarquesas Monarch Ua Pou (1985)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pomarea nukuhivae Monarquesas Monarch Nuku Hiva (1930)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pomarea fluxa Iphis Monarch Eiao (1977)
PACHYCEPHALIDAE Pachycephala gambierana Mangarevan Whistler Gambier (1840)
MUSCICAPIDAE Acrocephalus caffer longirostris Moorea Reed-warbler Moorea (1980?)
MUSCICAPIDAE Acrocephalus caffer musae Raiatea Reed-warbler Raiatea (1775)
MUSCICAPIDAE Acrocephalus caffer garetti Huahine Reed-warbler Huahine (1875)
MUSCICAPIDAE Turdus ulietensis Bay Thrush Raiatea (1774)


Birds locally extinct

FAMILY SPECIES ENGLISH NAME PLACE
COLUMBIDAE Gallicolumba e. erythroptera Polynesian Ground-dove X:Tahiti, Moorea
COLUMBIDAE Ducula galeata Nuku Hiva Pigeon X:Ua Huka, Tahuata
PSITTACIDAE Vini peruviana Blue Lorikeet X:IDV,ISLV

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