birds

04
Jul
2026

Takūtea – Island of Seabirds

Gerald McCormack, CINHT

Takutea Island – Geo Photoz

Takūtea is a small, low, unpeopled island 22km northwest of Ātiu. It has a land area above median high water of about 120 hectares (90 hectares of vegetation and 30 hectares of beach) with a maximum elevation of about 6 metres. It is owned by the people of  Ātiu who have traditionally visited to harvest wildlife and coconuts (for copra). Although not known to have been permanently settled there is the remains of a small archaeological structure on the eastern tip of the island.

When Mariri, one of the first settlers of Ātiu, visited the small neighbouring island he caught a Kū Tea, literally “squirrelfish, white”. To honour this rare event, because squirrelfish are typically red, he named the island Taku Kū Tea, “My White Squirrelfish”. The name later condensed to Takūtea.

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Posted by Gerald in Birds, Islands, 0 comments
19
May
2026
Confusing the Törea and Kuriri.

Confusing the Törea and Kuriri.

Gerald McCormack, CINHT

Non-breeding vs Breeding Plumage – Cook Islands, Rarotonga – Gerald McCormack

On the airport, golf courses, sports fields and larger lawns of the Cook Islands the Common Mynah (Manu Kavamani, Acridotheres tristis) is busy feeding throughout the year. During the summer months they are joined by the Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva), which is dark brown with pale spots, has long dark grey legs, and a short straight beak (24mm). The plover has an erect alert posture, giving it a height of about 25cm. For convenience we can combine its name and where it is found, to call it the “plover-of-the-grass”, although it is also seen along the shoreline. When alarmed the plover-of-the-grass gives two or three short “TUUU-REE” calls as it takes to the air. Continue reading →

Posted by Felicity Carr in Birds, 0 comments
14
Apr
2026
Ātiu – the “land of birds”

Ātiu – the “land of birds”

Gerald McCormack, CINHT

Mariri was the first settler of Ātiu, probably around 1300AD, and he called the island ‘Enua Manu, “land of animals”, in response to the great abundance of animals. The oral traditions do not define the type of animals, and it is commonly thought they were birds, hence “land of birds”. Another interpretation refers to pesky insects that so annoyed Mariri that he went back to ‘Avaiki and returned with some birds to control them.

Today Ātiu has more native landbirds than any other local island so it is very deserving of the interpretation “land of birds” rather than the “land of insects”. The island is a birder’s paradise with nine of the twelve native landbirds that breed in the Cook Islands. Continue reading →

Posted by Gerald in Birds, 0 comments
24
Mar
2026
The long-tailed Cuckoo – Part 2

The long-tailed Cuckoo – Part 2

Gerald McCormack, CINHT

This post is the second in a 2-part blog about The Long-tailed Cuckoo (Karavia, Urodynamis taitensis) which 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. Part 2 explores the birds polynesian names and the possibility it was linked to early navigation. Continue reading →

Posted by Gerald in Animals, Birds, 0 comments
19
Mar
2026
The Kura on Ātiu – the 10th anniversary

The Kura on Ātiu – the 10th anniversary

Gerald McCormack, CINHT

Ten years ago, on 24th April 2007, Air Rarotonga flew 27 Kura (Rimatara Lorikeets, Vini kuhlii) on a direct flight from Rimatara to Ātiu, where the bird had been absent for 200 years.

Map showing route the Rimatara Lorikeets took to get to Ātiu and eventually Mitiaro

This was the first transboundary reintroduction of a bird in the Pacific and was reported by more than 130 major news outlets around the world. TVNZ showcased the event with Greg Parker’s “Spirit of the Queen” documentary, which is on YouTube at www.youtube.com/kokamedia.

In pre-historic times the Kura were found throughout the Southern Cooks and eastward to Rimatara and Rurutu in French Polynesia. It had been lost on all islands, except Rimatara, by the over-harvesting of its red feathers for personal adornment.

The purpose of the reintroduction project was to establish a second population to maintain the Kura within its former natural range in case it were devastated on Rimatara by an invasion of Ship Rat(Rattus rattus). The Natural Heritage Trust and MANU, the Ornithological Society of French Polynesia, took six years to negotiate approvals with government agencies and the Rimatara community, which gave the birds into the care of Rongomatane Ariki and the Ātiu community.

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Posted by Gerald in Animals, Birds, 0 comments