- Cook Islands Fruit-Dove (Kūkupa)11/03/2026Gerald McCormack, CINHT The Cook Islands Fruit-Dove(Kūkupa, Ptilinopus rarotongensis) lives only on the islands of Rarotonga and Ātiu, making it a 2-island endemic of the Cook Islands. It was recorded on Ma‘uke in the 1820s but was lost sometime before 1970 – cause unknown. It was also in the [continue reading…]
- Cook Islands’ Largest Butterfly – the Monarch11/03/2026Gerald McCormack, CINHT Our largest native butterfly is the Monarch Butterfly(Pepe Renga, Danaus plexippus) which is present on all the Southern Group islands. It is orange and black, with a wingspan to 10cm. It is usually seen near the Red Cottonweed(Tirika, Asclepias curassavica), a wayside weed. [continue reading…]
- Mato – Cyclones Make it Flower10/03/2026Gerald McCormack, CINHT Rarotonga has one of the last pristine native-forests in Polynesia. The ancient Polynesian settlers removed the forest on the lower hills and as these became infertile they developed into the Fernlands. After European Contact, especially after 1823, many new plants were [continue reading…]
The World’s Largest Frogfish10/03/2026Gerald McComack, CINHT Frogfishes are a family of fishes that look like misshapen toads – hence the name frogfishes. They are usually less than 20cm long, with some species less than 5cm in total length. They are sedentary ambush-feeders. Unsuspecting prey are attracted to a small beacon on [continue reading…]- Rimatara Lorikeet Reintroduction Programme10/03/2026Gerald McComack, CINHT It is planned to reintroduce the endangered Rimatara Lorikeet (‘Ura, Vini kuhlii) to Ātiu in the Cook Islands from Rimatara in French Polynesia in July 2007 to establish a reserve population. The programme is being implemented by four organisations: the Cook Islands Natural [continue reading…]
- New Bird on Mangaia Identified10/03/2026Gerald McCormack, CINHT In the CI News (13 May 2006) Sue Ngatokorua described a new bird on Mangaia, and the author suggested it might be a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax). In late May Peter Ngatokorua, who provided the original information for the news article, took Ian Karika [continue reading…]
- Long-tailed Cuckoo – Part 103/03/2026Gerald McCormack, CINHT The Long-tailed Cuckoo (Karavia, Urodynamis taitensis) winters in tropical Polynesia and migrates to New Zealand in October and November to breed by duping other birds to incubate its eggs and raise its young. This post explores its behaviour in the Cook Islands and New [continue reading…]
