Abstract
Abstract: Kosrae, the easternmost high island of Micronesia, is a 110 km2 volcanic island rising up to 630 m above sea level. It is seldom visited by birders and ornithologists because it is small, isolated, and lacks any previously recognized extant endemic bird species. We review the history of research on the island's avifauna and summarize the status of each species, including documentation for six new species: Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Gray Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis), Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis), and Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida). We discuss previously undescribed vocalizations of endemic taxa and provide online reference to recordings. We also present supporting evidence for the recognition of two taxa as full biological species: Kosrae Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus hernsheimi; formerly part of the P. porphyraceus complex) and Kosrae White-eye (Zosterops cinereus, as a split from Gray-brown White-eye...
Published Version
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