Gerald McCormack, CINHT
Adult and Juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin – Mangaia, Cook Islands – Gerald McCormack
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 and the author to see the birds in Veitatei swamp, and they were confirmed as Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. Groups of up to 30 were seen, and the population might be near 100.
Peter and others had concluded that the bird arrived naturally, because arrival of any cage bird would have sent the inevitable buzz-of-curiosity throughout the Mangaian community. To honour the birds’ great flight to Mangaia, Peter had suggested it be called Toa Kere-ā-Rangi, literally “mighty warrior of Rangi”. While other Veitatei planters suggest it should be named Pātiki-‘Enua-ō-Rangi, an alternate name for Veitatei district, where it was first seen in 1999. Continue reading →
