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Tuvalu, previously known as the Ellice Islands, is an island country in Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of six atolls and three reef islands (islands made of rocks from coral skeletons), with a total land area of 26 km² (10 sq mi). Its climate is hot and humid, with annual rainfall varying from 2,500–3,500 mm (98–138 in). The soil is very weakly developed, consisting mostly of coral sand and calcium carbonate-rich regosols. Vegetation on the islands predominantly consists of coconuts, screw palms, Casuarina, creepers, and grass, although some native forest exists. Previously, the islands were likely covered with Pisonia woodland.[1][2]

There are 37 species of birds that have been recorded on Tuvalu, one of which has been introduced by humans. Thirteen of these species breed on Tuvalu, nine of which are seabirds. The Pacific reef-heron, Pacific imperial-pigeon, and buff-banded rail, along with the introduced red junglefowl, are the remaining breeding species. Nine species of shorebird, eight species of seabirds, mallards, and long-railed koels are migratory visitors to the islands.[3] Four species of birds found in Tuvalu are globally threatened; the bristle-thighed curlew, bar-tailed godwit, and gray-tailed tattler are near-threatened, while the Phoenix petrel is endangered.[4][5][6][7] Before the arrival of humans, the birds of Tuvalu may have also included kingfishers, Acrocephalus warblers, Aplonis starlings, Prosobonia sandpipers, and fruit doves. However, higher sea levels at that time might have eliminated fresh water sources on most of the atolls, making them unsuitable for pigeons or starlings.[1]

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, genera and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of the 2021 edition of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account.

The following codes have been used to show several categories. Species without any tags are commonly occurring native species.

• (A) Accidental – a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Tuvalu.
• (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Tuvalu as a direct or indirect consequence of human action.

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.[8]

• Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A)

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.[9]

• Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I)

Pigeons and doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.[10]

• Pacific imperial-pigeon, Ducula pacifica

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs.[11]

• Long-tailed koel, Urodynamis taitensis

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.[12] The buff-banded rail only established a breeding population in 1972.[1]

• Buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide.[13]

• Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva
• Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (A)
• Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (A)

Sandpipers and allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Some species have highly specialised bills adapted to specific feeding strategies.[14]

• Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis
• Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (A)
• Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
• Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
• Sanderling, Calidris alba
• Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes
• Wandering tattler, Tringa incana

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving, but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water.[15]

• Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
• Black noddy, Anous minutus
• Blue-gray noddy, Anous ceruleus (A)
• White tern, Gygis alba
• Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
• Gray-backed tern, Onychoprion lunatus (A)
• Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus
• Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana
• Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii

Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.[16]

• White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
• Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda (A)

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with a medium nasal septum and a long outer functional primary flight feather.[17]

• Phoenix petrel, Pterodroma alba (A)
• Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus (A)
• Christmas shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis (A)
• Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni (A)

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. They are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for days at a time.[18]

• Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
• Great frigatebird, Fregata minor

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.[19]

• Masked booby, Sula dactylatra (A)
• Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
• Red-footed booby, Sula sula

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted.[20]

• Pacific reef-heron, Egretta sacra

See also

• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region
• Funafuti Conservation Area

References

Specific

General

• Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Tuvalu". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
• Clements, James F.; Schulenberg, Thomas S.; Illif, Marshall J.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Fredericks, T. A.; Gerbracht, J. A.; Lepage, Daniel; Sullivan, Brian L.; Wood, Christopher L. (2021). The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. 15 (6 ed.). Cornell University Press.

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