French Polynesia
- The Marquesas Islands - Page 5 |
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Marquesas Fairy Tern Gygis
microrhyncha (also called Little
White Tern, Little Fairy Tern) were common at sea and in villages
flying around trees, often many kilometres inland. They have
longer narrower bills than White Tern. It was thought to be
endemic to the Marquesas but hybrids have been reported from
Phoenix-Line Islands. Clements treats it as a subspecies of White
Tern Gygis alba
microrhyncha. |
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Marquesas Fairy Terns and White Terns
lay one egg on a tree branch without making a nest. They incubate
the egg between their legs until it hatches. This Marquesas Fairy
Tern chick looks barely a few days old as it hangs on to the branch. Oa Pou on 23 November 2010. |
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Endemic to the Marquesas Islands, Ultramarine Lorikeet
is being reintroduced to boost its population. Ua Huka between the
church and the restaurant on 29 November 2010. Our group saw three at
the Vaipee Botanical Gardens. |
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Endemic to the Marquesan Islands, male
Iphis Monarch, Ua Huka subspecies Pomarea iphis iphis, at
Vaipaee Botanical Gardens on 29 November 2010. We also saw the
endemic Fatu Hiva Monarch on Fatu Hiva and learned about the efforts
to control rats and wrap the tree trunks with metal sheeting so rats
can't climb up to the nests, but I wasn't able to get a photo. |
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Female or young male Iphis Monarch at
Vaipee Botanical Gardens on 29 November 2010. |
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Endemic to the Marquesas Islands,
White-capped Fruit-Dove at the Vaipee Botanical Gardens on Ua Huka
on 29 November 2010. |
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Endemic to the Marquesan Islands, Marquesan Reed-Warbler
on Ua Huka, subspecies Acrocephalus mendanae idae. 29
Nov 2010. |
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We returned to the
Aranui in whaleboats, lifted aboard by muscular Polynesian crew. |
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Semi-wild horses
of Ua Huka graze on sparse vegetation. The prolonged drought has
meant hardship for them. |
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Now go to
Page 6 |
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