Lord Howe Island Birds

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Little Shearwater

Little Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis)

Wingspan 630mm body weight of 220-260g

A very hard bird to photograph as he doesn’t come close to boats often, so my shot of this guy aren’t great. A small fast flying Shearwater, breeds on the outer islands and a few breed on the main island in small burrows. Can be seen here from April to November if your lucky!!

All birds at a glance

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Robust White-eye

Robust White-eye (Zosterops strenuous)

Was an endemic species of White-eye to Lord Howe, mainly green with a white belly and yellow throat. Pushed to extinction buy black rats in the 1920’s. This bird was larger than the Silvereye we have here now.

Lord Howe Island Thrush

Lord Howe Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus)

Known as the Doctor bird by locals was an endemic species to Lord Howe. Was common up until 1906, disappeared soon after black rats arrived in 1918.

Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet

Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens)

Was an endemic medium sized parrot to Lord Howe. Was common on the Island but shot out by the early settlers by 1869. They would destroy the Islanders crops of food.

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Lord Howe Gerygone

Lord Howe Gerygone (Gerygone insularis)

Locally known as the rain bird was endemic to Lord Howe. A small brown to greyish bird would have been common in the forest. Black rats wiped this one out also, no record of then since 1928.

White Gallinule

White Gallinule (Porphyrio albus)

An endemic bird to Lord Howe, white in colour with red legs and bill. Described by early visitors to the Island in the 1700’s. Eaten by whalers and sailors, thought to be extinct before the Island was first settled.

Lord Howe Boobook

Lord Howe Boobook ( Ninox novaeseelandiae albaria)

Also known as Lord Howe Morepork was endemic to Lord Howe. The Lord Howe Island Board introduced Masked Owls and Barn Owls in the 1920’s with the hope of them getting rid of the black rats. The larger Owls would have forced the smaller Boobook out of his area. Extinct some time around 1950.

Lord Howe Fantail

Lord Howe Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa cervina)

This bird was endemic to Lord Howe, common all over the island. Was still present on the island in 1909 but was wiped out by black rats that arrived here in 1918 on the ship SS Makambo.

Lord Howe Pigeon

Lord Howe Pigeon ( Columba vitiensis godmanae)

A common bird in the forest when the Island was discovered in 1788, mostly brown with a purple head and breast with a white patch under its throat. The last record of the Pigeon was in 1853, they were all eaten by the small population of residents and whalers passing.

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