FIJI | State of Birds | 2013 A Guide for Conservationists, atureFiji Policymakers and Communities MareqetiViti USP Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Watling, Dick Fiji : state of birds, 2013 / Dick Watling. – Suva, Fiji : Nature Fiji-MareqetiViti, 2013. 44 p. ; 21 cm. ISBN 978-982-9131-02-7 1. Birds—Fiji. I. NatureFiji-MareqetiViti. II. Title. QL694.F5W34 2013 598.099611 Copyright © 2013 NatureFiji-MareqetiViti NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, 14 Hamilton-Beattie Street (off Service Street), Suva, Fiji Islands. p: 679 310 0598 e: [email protected] www.naturefiji.org Copyright © in all photographs published in this book is invested in those photographers whose names appear adjacent to their images. Text by Dick Watling. Designed by James de Clifford. Artwork by Streamline Creative Ltd, New Zealand. Printed in Fiji. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. However, some limited usage is permitted for educational and non-commercial purposes only, including private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting. Front/back cover: Orange-breasted Myzomela Myzomela jugularis. This endemic Fijian bird is equally common in State; Pressure; Response suburban gardens and mountain forest © Mark Fraser. Inside front/inside back cover: Crested Tern Sterna bergii Many issues affecting Fiji’s birds also impact Fiji’s biodiversity in has strong coastal affinities, though it is rarely seen far general. This report examines why our birds and biodoversity are from land. Its habitat range extends from the West, South important (Introduction), what we know about the changing state and Central Pacific to the Indian Ocean © Mark Fraser. of our birds (State), why our birds are declining (Pressure), and This page, top left and top right: Black Noddy Anous what can be done to improve their status (Response). minutus ventures offshore following schools of tuna © Steve Cranwell; Fiji Parrotfinch Erythrura pealii is a forest dweller © Paddy Ryan. Opposite page: Plumage of the Kadavu Shining Parrot Prosopeia splendens © Jörg Kretzschmar. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Fiji: An Island Nation 2 Why Birds? 3 Fiji’s Birds 6 Endemic Birds 6 CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS Knowledge Base: What do we Know? 8 Threatened Birds 12 Protected Areas 17 The Importance of Forest 22 Seabirds and Shorebirds 26 Introduced Predators 32 Laws, Restrictions and Sustainable Natural Resource Use 38 Climate Change 42 FIJI: STATE OF BIRDS 2013 FIJI: STATE 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION FIJI: AN ISLAND NATION WHY BIRDS? I Fiji is a central Pacific archipelago comprised estimated population of 837,000 in 2007, with Birds have been of immense cultural significance NTRODUCT of at least 320 islands, of which about 100 are a growth rate of about 0.7% per year. to Fijians in a variety of ways – they were key to inhabited, including the four main islands of Viti successful inter-island navigation; the feathers Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu. The Fiji has a strong tourism industry as well as large of some were important as a trade item and sugar and textile industries, and has one of the 2 I land area totals 18,333 km , 87% of which is on prized for edging fine mats; and some were an ON Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Most islands are of more developed of the Pacific Island economies. important food source. Today, many mataqali | F geologically recent volcanic origin, while some Amongst ethnic Fijians, traditional values remain (landowning clans) have a bird as their clan are atolls or raised reefs (makatea). Fiji also strong, especially those relating to ownership of totem. IJI 2 : has a marine EEZ of 1,290,000 km , though the AN and connection to the land. Birds are wonderful flagships for conservation, distribution of birds at sea is poorly known. I for several reasons: SLAN The Republic of the Fiji Islands has been an • They are by far Fiji’s most conspicuous form D N independent nation since 1970 and had an • Birds are excellent predators of agricultural of terrestrial wildlife – they sing, they are ation pests. Our owl probably consumes more rats fairly easy to observe and identify, and there than all other predators in Fiji. is a limited number of species. Biodiversity / WHY BIR conservation in Fiji requires the support • Birds can tell us what is happening to our of landowners and the populace, who can environment. This information may be better understand, participate in and support important not only to their survival but to ours conservation if they are familiar with and D too. Birds are likely to be excellent indicators S? knowledgeable about the species of concern. of climate change. • Birds play a key role in the dispersal of seeds, • Birds are inspirational. They are the best- thereby maintaining the health and diversity known faunal group worldwide and many bird of our native forests. species are much-loved. Therefore they can help us to disseminate conservation messages • Birds are distributed around the world in to local, regional and global populations. similar patterns to other biodiversity. The best-known bird species are flagships for Birds have long been used as indicators of OF BIRDS 2013 FIJI: STATE all other biodiversity and the habitat where the state of the world’s ecosystems, providing they are found. Surveying the birds of one insights into habitat loss, deterioration, and hectare of Fiji forest takes an experienced pollution. team two mornings, while it would take years to adequately survey all the small animals and plants in this hectare. Left: Kadavu Shining Parrot Prosopeia splendens © Jörg Kretzschmar. Above: Barn Owls Tyto alba © Jörg Kretzschmar. 2 3 INTRODUCTION WHY BIRDS? I BIRDS AND CLIMATE CHANGE NTRODUCT BIRDS AS INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS Climate change is a significant threat that many Birds offer us life-saving information about of Fiji’s birds, habitats and biodiversity may I the environment we share with them. already be facing. By using birds to measure ON and predict the implications of changing This was vividly demonstrated by the | WHY BIR decline of birds of prey and especially the climate and landscapes, we will be much better Peregrine Falcon (Ganivatu), which in the placed to counteract these threats. 1950-70s declined almost to extinction as Climate change can affect birds directly, a result of pesticides such as DDT. It was through changes in temperature or rainfall. It D S? / BIR the decline of the birds that led to exposure can affect the timing of events like migration or of the persistent toxic chemicals in the breeding. It can also lead to increased pressure environment, and the international outcry D from competitors, predators, parasites, S AN was stimulated by a widespread interest in diseases and disturbances like fires or storms. birds. Subsequently, the recovery of these D birds of prey in continental North America Climate change can also combine with other CHANGE CLIMATE and Europe is one of the great conservation major threats like habitat loss and alien success stories of all time. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus nesiotes invasive species to make the overall impact © Clayton White. worse. FIJI’S FUTURE CLIMATE As the best-studied group of living things (after (www.pacificclimatechangescience.org) humans), birds are a strong indicator of how climate change will affect other, less well-studied • Temperature will continue to increase groups. • More very hot days • Changing patterns of rainfall Fiji has recently released a new Fauna and Flora • More extreme rainfall days series of banknotes and coins with a strong • Less frequent but more intense cyclones OF BIRDS 2013 FIJI: STATE representation of birds including the Fiji Petrel, • Sea level will continue to rise the Red-throated Lorikeet, the Kadavu Shining • Ocean acidification will continue Parrot and the Peregrine Falcon. Left: Fiji’s new currency denotes fauna and flora © Reserve Bank of Fiji. Right: Climate change and habitat loss pose significant threats to some of Fiji’s endemic bird species © Jörg Kretzschmar. 4 5 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION FIJI’S BIRDS ENDEMIC BIRDS I Fiji is home to a variety of very special birds, The annual migration of these birds is one of NTRODUCT and some of these have been of great cultural the wonders of the animal world and Fiji is COMMON significance as Fijians evolved their national fortunate to be a destination for some of them. ENGLISH NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME FIJIAN NAME DISTRIBUTION IN FIJI identity. As a group of oceanic islands, Fiji Unfortunately, birds undertaking annual migration Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi Kacaunigau Gau I does not have a large number of bird species, are highly vulnerable to a variety of threats ON Fiji Goshawk Accipiter rufitorques Reba, Latui Widespread (not S.Lau) including severe weather during the migration, but many of those that can be observed here | FIJI’ Barking Pigeon Ducula latrans Soqe Widespread can be found nowhere else in the world. Their collisions with man-made structures (e.g. wind Golden Dove Ptilinopus luteovirens Ko, Bunako Viti Levu, Ovalau, Gau conservation is therefore Fiji’s responsibility. turbines and mobile phone towers) and habitat Orange Dove Ptilinopus victor Bune, Bunedamu Vanua Levu, Taveuni + islands loss along their migration route or their wintering S Whistling Dove Ptlilinopus layardi Soqeta Kadavu, Ono BIR Fiji’s best-known birds are the landbirds, of which grounds. Many of Fiji’s migrant shorebirds need there are 57 native breeding species. There are Collared Lory Phigys solitarius Kula Widespread (not S.Lau) D mudlflats; these are not plentiful and in some S / EN also 12 introduced landbird species that have places, such as the Suva Peninsula, mudflats are Red-throated Lorikeet Charmosyna amabilis Kulawai Viti Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau Masked Shining Parrot Prosopeia personata Kaka, Ka Viti Levu become established; some of these, such as the under threat from habitat conversion.