French Polynesia

Checklist of Endemic Bird Species

This list of bird species found exclusively in French Polynesia is based on the taxonomy used in del Hoyo & Collar (2014 & 2016). The source list based on the December 2017 update is available online here. For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.

del Hoyo, J. & N.J. Collar HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. 2014 Vol. 1: Non-passerines & 2016 Vol. 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

An alternative checklist can be found at (p. 12 of Manu WM pdf).

Additional species recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update or considered valid by other major checklists are listed at the bottom of the page.

Alopecoenas erythropterus  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Polynesian Ground-dove

Alopecoenas rubescens  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Marquesas Ground-dove

Ducula aurorae  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Polynesian Imperial-pigeon

Ducula galeata  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Nukuhiva Imperial-pigeon

Ptilinopus mercierii  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Red-moustached Fruit-dove  (Extinct)

Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  White-capped Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus huttoni  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Rapa Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus chalcurus  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Makatea Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus coralensis  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Atoll Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus chrysogaster  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Raiatea Fruit-dove

Ptilinopus purpuratus  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Grey-green Fruit-dove

Aerodramus leucophaeus  (Caprimulgiformes Apodidae)  Polynesian Swiftlet

Hypotaenidia pacifica  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Tahiti Rail  (Extinct)

Zapornia nigra  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Miller's Rail  (Extinct)

Porphyrio paepae  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Marquesan Swamphen  (Extinct)

Prosobonia leucoptera  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Tahiti Sandpiper  (Extinct)

Prosobonia ellisi  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Moorea Sandpiper  (Extinct)

Prosobonia parvirostris  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Tuamotu Sandpiper

Gygis microrhyncha  (Charadriiformes Laridae)  Little White Tern  (Breeding)

Todiramphus youngi  (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)  Moorea Kingfisher

Todiramphus veneratus  (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)  Tahiti Kingfisher

Todiramphus gambieri  (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)  Tuamotu Kingfisher

Todiramphus godeffroyi  (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)  Marquesas Kingfisher

Cyanoramphus zealandicus  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Black-fronted Parakeet  (Extinct)

Cyanoramphus ulietanus  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Raiatea Parakeet  (Extinct)

Vini kuhlii  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Rimatara Lorikeet

Vini peruviana  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Blue Lorikeet

Vini ultramarina  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Ultramarine Lorikeet

Pomarea pomarea  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Maupiti Monarch  (Extinct)

Pomarea nigra  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Tahiti Monarch

Pomarea fluxa  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Eiao Monarch  (Extinct)

Pomarea iphis  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Iphis Monarch

Pomarea whitneyi  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Fatu Hiva Monarch

Pomarea nukuhivae  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Nuku Hiva Monarch  (Extinct)

Pomarea mira  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Ua Pou Monarch  (Extinct?)

Pomarea mendozae  (Passeriformes Monarchidae)  Marquesas Monarch

Acrocephalus mendanae  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Southern Marquesan Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus astrolabii  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Mangareva Reed-warbler  (Extinct)

Acrocephalus rimitarae  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Rimatara Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus musae  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Forster's Reed-warbler  (Extinct)

Acrocephalus caffer  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Tahiti Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus longirostris  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Moorea Reed-warbler  (Extinct?)

Acrocephalus percernis  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Northern Marquesan Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus atyphus  (Passeriformes Acrocephalidae)  Tuamotu Reed-warbler

Hirundo tahitica  (Passeriformes Hirundinidae)  Tahiti Swallow

Aplonis ulietensis  (Passeriformes Sturnidae)  Raiatea Starling  (Extinct)

The following additional species were recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update. This single species added to the 46 listed above total 47 endemic bird species for French Polynesia.

Puffinus myrtae  (Procellariiformes Procellaridae)  Rapa Shearwater  (Breeding)

The following additional endemic species are not recognized as distinct by HBW-BirdLife but are considered valid by one or more of the following checklists: eBird/Clements v2019 (Cornell) = 1, IOC 10.1 (IOC) = 2, and Howard & Moore 4.1 (TAS) = 3.

Aerodramus ocistus  (Caprimulgiformes Apodidae)  Marquesas Swiftlet  123  

Todiramphus gambieri  (Coraciiformes Alcedinidae)  Mangareva Kingfisher  (Extinct)  12