Tag Archives: Rhipidura sp.

Rhipidura sp. ‘Nauru’

Nauru Fantail (Rhipidura sp.)

The Nauru Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus rehsei (Finsch)) is the sole passerine bird that is known to inhabit the somewhat isolated island of Nauru in Micronesia; however, this does not seem to have always been the case ss a contemporary report from the earliest 20th century seems to prove.:

Die Vogelwelt ist nach Zahl und Art reicher. Der Fregattvogel (Tachypetes aquila), itsi, die schwarze Seeschwalbe (Anous), doror, die weiße Seeschwalbe (Gygis), dagiagia, werden als Haustiere gehalten; der erste galt früher als heiliger Vogel, mit den beiden anderen werden Kampfspiele veranstaltet. Am Strande trifft man den Steinwälzer (Strepsilas interpres), dagiduba, den Regenpfeifer (Numenius), den Uferläufer (Tringoides), ibibito, die Schnepfe, ikirer, den Brachvogel ikiuoi, den Strandreiter iuji, die Ralle, earero bauo und zwei Möwenarten (Sterna), igogora und ederakui. Im Busche beobachtet man an den Blüten der Kokospalme den kleinen Honigsauger raigide, die Rohrdrossel (Calamoherpe syrinx), itirir und den Fliegenschnäpper (Rhipidura), temarubi.” [1]  

translation:  

The bird world is richer by number and species, the frigate bird (Tachypetes aquila), itsi, the black tern (Anous), doror, the white tern (Gygis), dagiagia, are kept as pets; the first one was formerly considered a holy bird, with the two others are used for fighting games. At the beach one mets with the turnstone (Strepsilas interpres), dagiduba, the plover (Numenius), the sandpiper (Tringoides), ibibito, the snipe, ikirer, the curlew, ikiuoi, the beach rider [?] iuji, the rail, earero bauo and two gull species (Sterna), igogora and ederakui. In the bush one observes on the flowers of the coconut palm the small honeyeater raigide, the reed thrush (Calamoherpe syrinx), itirir and the flycatcher (Rhipidura), temarubi.

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Nauru once had very rich phosphate deposits, which were thoughtlessly mined without any foresight, leading to the nearly complete deforestation of the island and to national bankruptcy.

The avifauna of the island was apparently never properly researched and is thought to have always only included two species, the widespread Micronesian Imperial Pigeon (Ducula oceanica (Desmarest)) and the endemic Nauru Reed Warbler. However, as the above-mentioned account is pointing out, there once also was a fantail form inhabiting the island which, for geographical reasons, very likely was a distinct species. 

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References:

[1] Paul Hambruch: Nauru. Ergebnisse der Südsee-Expedition 1908-1910. II. Ethnographie: B. Mikronesien, band 1.1 Halbband. Hamburg, Friedrichsen 1914

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edited: 10.11.2020