CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MICRONESIA
Reading edition
The 206 kinds of birds of 150 full species known to occur in Micronesia belong to 91 genera of 37 families of 13 orders. In the following list, nonresident birds are marked with an *; birds introduced by man are marked with a [+].
Class AVES—birds
Page
Order Procellariiformes—albatrosses, petrels, and allies
Family Diomedeidae—albatrosses
Diomedia nigripes Audubon* Black-footed Albatross 63
Family Procellariidae—petrels and shearwaters
Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus Lesson Wedge-tailed Shearwater 64
Puffinus pacificus cuneatus Salvin Wedge-tailed Shearwater 65
Puffinus tenuirostris (Temminck)* Short tailed Shearwater 66
Puffinus nativitatus Streets Christmas Shearwater 66
Puffinus lherminieri dichrous Finsch and Hartlaub Dusky Shearwater 66
Pterodroma rostrata rostrata (Peale)* Tahiti Petrel 69
Pterodroma hypoleuca hypoleuca Salvin Stout-billed Gadfly Petrel 70
Order Pelecaniformes—tropic birds, boobies, cormorants, frigate birds and allies
Family Phaëthontidae—tropic birds
Phaëthon aethereus mesonauta Peters* Red-billed Tropic Bird 70
Phaëthon rubricauda rothschildi (Mathews) Red-tailed Tropic Bird 71
Phaëthon lepturus dorotheae Mathews White-tailed Tropic Bird 72
Family Sulidae—boobies and gannets
Sula dactylatra personata Gould Masked Booby 75
Sula sula rubripes Gould Red-footed Booby 75
Sula leucogaster plotus (Forster) Brown Booby 76
Family Phalacrocoracidae—cormorants
Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucus (Vieillot) Little Pied Cormorant 78
Family Fregatidae—frigate birds or man-o'-war birds
Fregata minor minor (Gmelin)* Pacific Man-o'-War 79
Fregata ariel ariel (Gray) Least Man-o'-War 80
Order Ciconiiformes—herons, storks, and allies
Family Ardeidae—herons and bitterns
Butorides striatus amurensis Schrenck* Amur Green Heron 81
Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert)* Cattle Egret 82
Egretta intermedia intermedia (Wagler)* Plumed Egret 82
Demigretta sacra sacra (Gmelin) Reef Heron 84
Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus)* Black-crowned Night Heron 87
Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis Mathew Rufous Night Heron 87
Gorsachius goisagi (Temminck)* Japanese Bittern 89
Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus (Raffles)* Malay Bittern 90
Ixobrychus sinensis (Gmelin) Chinese Least Bittern 93
Ixobrychus eurhythmus (Swinhoe)* Shrenck's Least Bittern 93
Dupetor flavicollis flavicollis (Latham)* Black Bittern 94
Order Anseriformes—ducks, geese, swans, and allies
Family Anatidae—ducks, geese, and swans
Anas oustaleti Salvadori Marianas Mallard 94
Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Australian Gray Duck 98
Anas querquedula Linnaeus* Garganey Teal 100
Anas crecca crecca Linnaeus* European Teal 100
Anas crecca carolinensis Gmelin* Green-winged Teal 100
Anas acuta acuta Linnaeus* Pintail 101
Anas acuta tzitzihoa Vieillot* Pintail 101
Anas penelope Linnaeus* Widgeon 102
Anas clypeata Linnaeus* Shoveller 102
Aythya fuligula (Linnaeus)* Tufted Duck 103
Aythya valisineria (Wilson)* Canvas-back 103
Order Falconiformes—vultures, hawks, falcons
Family Accipitridae—hawks, harriers, and allies
Accipiter soloënsis (Horsfield)* Chinese Goshawk 104
Accipiter virgatus gularis (Temminck and Schlegel)* Asiatic Sparrow Hawk 104
Pandion haliaetus melvillensis Mathews Osprey 105
Family Falconidae—falcons and caracaras
Falco peregrinus japonensis Gmelin* Peregrine Falcon 105
Order Galliformes—megapodes, pheasants, and allies
Family Megapodidae—megapodes
Megapodius lapérouse senex Hartlaub Micronesian Megapode 106
Megapodius lapérouse lapérouse Gaimard Micronesian Megapode 109
Family Phasianidae—quails, pheasants, and allies
Coturnix chinensis lineata (Scopoli)[+] Painted Quail 113
Gallus gallus (Linnaeus)[+] Red Jungle Fowl 114
Phasianus colchicus Linnaeus[+] Ring-necked Pheasant 115
Order Gruiformes—cranes, rails, and allies
Family Rallidae—rails, gallinules, and coots
Rallus philippensis pelewensis (Mayr) Banded Rail 116
Rallus owstoni (Rothschild) Guam Rail 118
Rallina fasciata (Raffles)* Malay Banded Crake 120
Rallina eurizonoïdes eurizonoïdes (Lafresnaye)* Philippine Banded Crake 121
Aphanolimnas monasa (Kittlitz) Kusaie Black Rail 121
Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae Hachisuka White-browed Rail 123
Gallinula chloropus subsp. near orientalis Horsfield Gallinule 126
Gallinula chloropus guami Hartert Gallinule 127
Porphyrio porphyrio pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Purple Swamphen 129
Fulica atra atra Linnaeus* Common Coot 131
Order Charadriiformes—shorebirds, gulls, and auks
Family Charadriidae—plovers, turnstones, and allies
Squatarola squatarola (Linnaeus)* Black-bellied Plover 131
Pluvialis dominica fulva (Gmelin)* Pacific Golden Plover 132
Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus Bonaparte* Semipalmated Plover 134
Charadrius dubius curonicus Gmelin* Ring-necked Plover 135
Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis Deignan* Kentish Plover 135
Charadrius mongolus stegmanni Stresemann* Mongolian Dotteral 135
Charadrius leschenaultii Lesson* Large Sand Dotteral 137
Family Scolopacidae—snipe, sandpipers, and allies
Numenius phaeopus variegatus (Scopoli)* Whimbrel 137
Numenius tahitiensis (Gmelin)* Bristle-thighed Curlew 139
Numenius madagascariensis (Linnaeus)* Long-billed Curlew 140
Limosa lapponica baueri Naumann* Pacific Godwit 140
Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus)* Greenshawk 141
Tringa melanoleuca (Gmelin)* Greater Yellow-legs 142
Tringa glareola Linnaeus* Wood Sandpiper 142
Actitus hypoleucos Linnaeus* Common Sandpiper 143
Heteroscelus brevipes (Vieillot)* Gray-tailed Tattler 144
Heteroscelus incanus (Gmelin)* Amer. Wandering Tattler 145
Arenaria interpres interpres (Linnaeus)* Turnstone 147
Gallinago megala Swinhoe* Marsh Snipe 149
Gallinago gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus)* Common Snipe 150
Crocethia alba (Pallas)* Sanderling 150
Calidris tenuirostris (Horsfield)* Asiatic Knot 151
Erolia minuta ruficollis (Pallas)* Little Stint 151
Erolia subminuta (Middendorff)* Least Sandpiper 152
Erolia melanotos (Vieillot)* Pectoral Sandpiper 152
Erolia acuminata (Horsfield)* Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 152
Erolia ferruginea (Pontoppidan)* Curlew Sandpiper 153
Limicola falcinellus sibirica Dresser* Broad-billed Sandpiper 154
Family Phalaropidae—phalaropes
Phalaropus lobatus (Linnaeus)* Northern Phalarope 154
Family Laridae—gulls and terns
Larus argentatus vegae Palmén* Herring Gull 154
Chlidonias leucopterus (Temminck)* White-winged Black Tern 155
Sterna hirundo longipennis Nordmann* Black-billed Com. Tern 155
Sterna sumatrana sumatrana Raffles Black-naped Tern 156
Sterna lunata Peale Spectacled Tern 160
Sterna anaetheta anaetheta Scopoli Bridled Tern 160
Sterna fuscata oahuensis Bloxham Sooty Tern 161
Sterna albifrons sinensis Gmelin* Least Tern 161
Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides (King) Crested Tern 162
Procelsterna cerulea saxatilis W. E. Fisher* Blue-gray Tern 164
Anoüs stolidus pileatus (Scopoli) Common Noddy 165
Anoüs tenuirostris marcusi (Bryan) White-capped Noddy 170
Gygis alba candida (Gmelin) White Tern 174
Gygis alba pacifica (Lesson) White Tern 180
Order Columbiformes—pigeons, doves, and allies
Family Columbidae—pigeons and doves
Columba livia Gmelin[+] Blue Rock Pigeon 182
Ptilinopus porphyraceus ponapensis (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove 182
Ptilinopus porphyraceus hernsheimi (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove 184
Ptilinopus porphyraceus pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove 185
Ptilinopus roseicapillus (Lesson) Marianas Fruit Dove 186
Ducula oceanica monacha (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon 190
Ducula oceanica teraokai (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon 193
Ducula oceanica townsendi (Wetmore) Micronesian Pigeon 194
Ducula oceanica oceanica (Lesson and Garnot) Micronesian Pigeon 195
Ducula oceanica ratakensis (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Pigeon 197
Streptopelia bitorquata dusumieri (Temminck)[+] Philippine Turtle Dove 198
Gallicolumba canifrons (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Ground Dove 201
Gallicolumba xanthonura xanthonura (Temminck) White-thrt'd Ground Dove 203
Gallicolumba xanthonura kubaryi (Finsch) White-thrt'd Ground Dove 207
Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis Finsch Nicobar Pigeon 209
Order Psittaciformes—lories and parrots
Family Psittacidae—lories, parrots, and allies
Trichoglossus rubiginosus (Bonaparte) Ponapé Lory 211
Order Cuculiformes—cuckoos, plantain-eaters
Family Cuculidae—cuckoos, anis, and allies
Cuculus canorus telephonus Heine* Common Cuckoo 213
Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi Moore* Oriental Cuckoo 214
Eudynamis taitensis (Sparrman)* Long-tailed New Zealand Cuckoo 214
Order Strigiformes—owls
Family Strigidae—owls
Otus podarginus (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Scops Owl 215
Asio flammeus flammeus (Pontoppidan)* Short-eared Owl 217
Asio flammeus ponapensis Mayr Short-eared Owl 218
Order Caprimulgiformes—goatsuckers and allies
Family Caprimulgidae—goatsuckers
Caprimulgus indicus jotaka Temminck and Schlegel* Jungle Nightjar 219
Caprimulgus indicus phalaena Hartlaub and Finsch Jungle Nightjar 219
Order Apodiformes—swifts and hummingbirds
Family Apodidae—swifts
Collocalia inexpectata pelewensis Mayr Edible Nest Swiftlet 221
Collocalia inexpectata bartschi Mearns Edible Nest Swiftlet 222
Collocalia inquieta inquieta (Kittlitz) Carolines Swiftlet 224
Collocalia inquieta rukensis Kuroda Carolines Swiftlet 225
Collocalia inquieta ponapensis Mayr Carolines Swiftlet 226
Order Coraciiformes—kingfishers, rollers, and allies
Family Alcedinidae—kingfishers
Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina Swainson Micronesian Kingfisher 227
Halcyon cinnamomina pelewensis Wiglesworth Micronesian Kingfisher 229
Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii (Hartlaub) Micronesian Kingfisher 230
Halcyon chloris teraokai Kuroda White-collared Kingfisher 233
Halcyon chloris orii Takatsukasa and Yamashina White-collared Kingfisher 235
Halcyon chloris albicilla (Dumont) White-collared Kingfisher 235
Halcyon chloris owstoni Rothschild White-collared Kingfisher 237
Family Coraciidae—rollers
Eurystomus orientalis connectens Stresemann* Dollar Bird 238
Order Passeriformes—perching birds
Family Hirundinidae—swallows
Hirundo rustica gutteralis Scopoli* Eastern Barn Swallow 239
Family Campephagidae—cuckoo-shrikes
Edolisoma tenuirostre monachum (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird 239
Edolisoma tenuirostre nesiotis (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird 241
Edolisoma tenuirostre insperatum (Finch) Cicada Bird 242
Family Dicruridae—drongos
Dicrurus macrocercus harterti S. Baker[+] Black Drongo 244
Family Corvidae—crows, magpies, and jays
Corvus kubaryi Reichenow Marianas Crow 244
Family Turdidae—thrushes
Luscinia calliope calliope (Pallas)* Siberian Rubythroat 248
Monticola solitaria philippensis (Müller)* Chinese Blue Rock Thrush 248
Turdus obscurus obscurus Gmelin* Dusky Thrush 248
Family Sylviidae—Old World warblers
Psamathia annae Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Bush-warbler 249
Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia (Quoy and Gaimard) Nightingale Reed-warbler 251
Acrocephalus luscinia syrinx (Kittlitz) Nightingale Reed-warbler 254
Acrocephalus luscinia yamashinae (Takatsukasa) Nightingale Reed-warbler 256
Acrocephalus luscinia nijoi (Yamashina) Nightingale Reed-warbler 257
Family Muscicapidae—Old World flycatchers
Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae Oustalet Rufous-fronted Fantail 261
Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis Hartert Rufous-fronted Fantail 262
Rhipidura rufifrons mariae R. H. Baker Rufous-fronted Fantail 263
Rhipidura rufifrons versicolor Hartlaub and Finsch Rufous-fronted Fantail 264
Rhipidura rufifrons kubaryi Finsch Rufous-fronted Fantail 265
Rhipidura lepida Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Fantail 266
Metabolus rugensis (Hombron and Jacquinot) Truk Monarch 269
Monarcha godeffroyi Hartlaub Yap Monarch 272
Monarcha takatsukasae (Yamashina) Tinian Monarch 274
Myiagra oceanica erythrops Hartlaub and Finch Micronesian Broadbill 275
Myiagra oceanica freycineti Oustalet Micronesian Broadbill 277
Myiagra oceanica oceanica Pucheran Micronesian Broadbill 279
Myiagra oceanica pluto Finsch Micronesian Broadbill 280
Muscicapa narcissina narcissina Temminck* Narcissus Flycatcher 282
Muscicapa griseisticta (Swinhoe)* Chinese Gray-spotted Flycatcher 282
Colluricincla tenebrosa (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Morning Bird 282
Family Artamidae—wood-swallows
Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis Finsch White-breasted Wood-swallow 284
Family Sturnidae—starlings
Aplonis opacus opacus (Kittlitz) Micronesian Starling 286
Aplonis opacus ponapensis Takatsukasa and Yamashina Micronesian Starling 288
Aplonis opacus angus Momiyama Micronesian Starling 289
Aplonis opacus kurodai Momiyama Micronesian Starling 291
Aplonis opacus orii (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Starling 292
Aplonis opacus guami Momiyama Micronesian Starling 293
Aplonis opacus aeneus (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Starling 297
Aplonis pelzelni Finsch Ponapé Mountain Starling 299
Aplonis corvinus (Kittlitz) Kusaie Mountain Starling 301
Sturnus philippensis (Forster)* Violet-backed Starling 302
Sturnus cineraceus Temminck* Ashy Starling 302
Family Meliphagidae—honey-eaters
Cleptornis marchei (Oustalet) Golden Honey-eater 302
Myzomela cardinalis rubratra (Lesson) Cardinal Honey-eater 304
Myzomela cardinalis dichromata Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater 307
Myzomela cardinalis major Bonaparte Cardinal Honey-eater 307
Myzomela cardinalis saffordi Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater 309
Myzomela cardinalis kurodai Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater 312
Myzomela cardinalis kobayashii Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater 313
Family Zosteropidae—white-eyes
Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata (Kittlitz) Bridled White-eye 316
Zosterops conspicillata saypani Dubois Bridled White-eye 318
Zosterops conspicillata rotensis Takatsukasa and Yamashina Bridled White-eye 319
Zosterops conspicillata semperi Hartlaub Bridled White-eye 320
Zosterops conspicillata owstoni Hartert Bridled White-eye 321
Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasai Momiyama Bridled White-eye 322
Zosterops conspicillata hypolais Hartlaub and Finsch Bridled White-eye 323
Zosterops cinerea cinerea (Kittlitz) Micron. Dusky White-eye 326
Zosterops cinerea ponapensis Finsch Micron. Dusky White-eye 327
Zosterops cinerea finschii (Hartlaub) Micron. Dusky White-eye 328
Rukia palauensis (Reichenow) Palau Greater White-eye 330
Rukia oleaginea (Hartlaub and Finsch) Yap Greater White-eye 331
Rukia ruki (Hartert) Truk Greater White-eye 332
Rukia sanfordi (Mayr) Ponapé Greater White-eye 333
Family Ploceidae—weaver-finches
Erythrura trichroa trichroa (Kittlitz) Blue-faced Parrot-finch 336
Erythrura trichroa clara Takatsukasa and Yamashina Blue-faced Parrot-finch 337
Erythrura trichroa pelewensis Kuroda Blue-faced Parrot-finch 338
Lonchura nigerrima minor (Yamashina) Black-faced Weaver-finch 339
Lonchura punctulata cabanisi (Sharpe)[+] Phil. Nutmeg Mannikin 340