FIJI ENDEMIC BIRD SPECIES
Fiji or Republic of Fiji is an archipelago in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 kilometres northeast of North Island in New Zealand.
Fiji includes more than 330 islands of which 110 are permanently inhabited and more than 500 islets, covering a land area of about 18,300 km² and 194,000 km² of water. Most of the population lives on the two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
Most islands were formed through volcanic activity. They are mountainous, and Mount Tomanivi on Viti Levu is the highest peak with 1,324 metres. The main river systems have their headwaters in the central mountain area. There is a significant proportion of high-altitude montane forest, an important habitat for birds and other biodiversity.
The climate is warm year round, with warmer season from November to April experiencing heavy rainfall, and cooler period from May to October with 22°C in average. Cyclones occur about once a year.
There are currently 177 bird species living in Fiji islands, but the Collared Lory is the National Bird of Fiji. Its bright-coloured plumage is reminiscent of both flowers and vegetation growing on these enchanting islands.
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources :
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Birds and Birdwatching – Kadavu Island, Fiji
The Fiji Islands - A Geographical Overview
Fiji's Virtually Undiscovered Islands At The World’s Frontier
List of endemic bird species:
Azure-crested Flycatcher - Myiagra azureocapilla - Monarque à crête bleue
Barking Imperial Pigeon - Ducula latrans - Carpophage de Peale
Collared Lory - Phigys solitarius – Lori des Fidji
Crimson Shining-Parrot - Prosopeia splendens - Perruche écarlate
Fiji Bush-warbler - Horornis ruficapilla - Bouscarle des Fidji
Fiji Goshawk - Accipiter rufitorques - Autour des Fidji
Fiji Parrotfinch - Erythrura pealii - Diamant de Peale
Fiji Petrel - Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi - Pétrel des Fidji
Fiji White-eye - Zosterops explorator - Zosterops des Fidji
Fiji Woodswallow - Artamus mentalis - Langrayen des Fidji
Giant Honeyeater - Gymnomyza brunneirostris - Méliphage de Viti Levu
Golden Fruit Dove - Ptilinopus luteovirens - Ptilope jaune
Kadavu Fantail - Rhipidura personata - Rhipidure de Kandavu
Kadavu Honeyeater - Xanthotis provocator - Méliphage de Kandavu
Kikau - Foulehaio procerior - Méliphage d’Ovalau
Long-legged Thicketbird - Megalurulus rufus - Mégalure des Fidji
Masked Shining-Parrot - Prosopeia personata - Perruche masquée
Natewa Silktail - Lamprolia klinesmithi - Lamprolie de Vanua Levu
Orange Fruit Dove - Ptilinopus victor - Ptilope orange
Pink-billed Parrotfinch - Erythrura kleinschmidti - Diamant à bec rose
Red Shining-Parrot - Prosopeia tabuensis - Perruche Pompadour
Red-throated Lorikeet - Charmosyna amabilis - Lori à gorge rouge
Rotuma Myzomela - Myzomela chermesina - Myzomèle de Rotuma
Silktail - Lamprolia victoriae - Lamprolie queue-de-soie
Slaty Monarch - Mayrornis lessoni - Monarque de Lesson
Sulphur-breasted Myzomela - Myzomela jugularis - Myzomèle des Fidji
Versicolored Monarch - Mayrornis versicolor - Monarque versicolore
Whistling Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus layardi - Ptilope de Layard
Yellow-billed Honeyeater - Gymnomyza viridis - Méliphage vert
Sources: Avibase (Lepage Denis)