New information on the distribution, status and conservation of terrestrial bird species in Grande Terre, New Caledonia

Abstract

New Caledonia supports outstanding biological diversity, including many endemic bird species, some of which are threatened with extinction. The high levels of taxonomically unusual avian endemism make the islands one of the most urgent priorities for bird conservation in the Pacific region. We provide new data on the distribution of, and threats to, New Caledonian birds of conservation interest and provide a review of their status and requirements for conservation action. In addition, we report two rediscoveries: the first record of the New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar, Aegotheles savesi, since its description in 1880; and the only confirmed record of the Crow Honeyeater, Gymnomyza aubryana, in north New Caledonia during the twentieth century.