There are 34 species of birds that have been recorded living in the wild in
Nauru, one of which is
endemic to the island and two of which have been
introduced by humans. One species, the zebra finch, is now
locally extinct on Nauru. Out of the 25 species of birds that have been confirmed to occur natively on Nauru, 18 are non-breeding visitors. Only two land birds, the
Micronesian imperial-pigeon and the endemic
Nauru reed warbler, breed on Nauru.[1] Three species occurring on Nauru are listed as being
near-threatened on the
IUCN Red List and two are listed as being
vulnerable.[2][3][4][5][6]
Nauru is a small
atoll in the Pacific Ocean with an
equatorial climate. The island's environment has been described as one of the world's most modified due to
surface mining for phosphate, bombing during World War II, and rapid
urbanisation.[7] It was covered with tropical rainforest before the 19th century,[8] but its current vegetation consists of
strand,
shrubland, scattered coconut trees, and various ornamental and fruit trees.
Habitat destruction has most likely caused a decline in the numbers of some species, such as the Micronesian imperial-pigeon and the
black noddy.[7]
This list's
taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of the 2022 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 denote categories. Species without these tags are commonly occurring native species.
(A)
Accidental – A species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Nauru.
(E) Endemic – A species endemic to Nauru.
(I) Introduced – A species introduced to Nauru as a direct or indirect consequence of human actions.
(Ex) Extirpated – A species that no longer occurs in Nauru although populations exist elsewhere.
The family Cuculidae includes
cuckoos,
roadrunners and
anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. They are
brood parasites.[11]
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, mostly in habitats near water.[12]
Scolopacidae is a large, diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds that includes 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. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.[13]
Laridae is a family of seabirds consisting of
gulls,
terns, and
skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. Terns are generally smaller than gulls with more pointed wings and bills, many also having forked tails which help with aerial manoeuvrability. Both species can be found inland near lakes and rivers, however gulls have adapted well to human presence and can often be found in urban centers.[14] Black noddies are extensively hunted as food in Nauru.[15]
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.[16]
The procellariiforms are a group of medium-sized petrels, characterised by united nostrils with a medium
nasal septum and a long outer functional
primary flight feather.[17]
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. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.[18]
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.[20]
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, unlike other long-necked birds such as
storks,
ibises and
spoonbills.[21]
The family Acrocephalidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. Most have a generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass.[23]
The
estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the
Old World tropics and
Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.[24]
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.columb2.01.
S2CID216304444. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Cuckoos (Cuculidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.cuculi1.01.
S2CID241787139. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Plovers and Lapwings (Charadriidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.charad1.01.
S2CID216164780. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Sandpipers and Allies (Scolopacidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.scolop2.01.
S2CID216445504. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Elphick, Jonathan (2019). The Handbook of Bird Families. Richmond Hill, Ontario: Firefly Books. pp. 127–129.
ISBN0-2281-0119-0.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Tropicbirds (Phaethontidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.phaeth1.01.
S2CID243054855. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Shearwaters and Petrels (Procellariidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.procel3.01.
S2CID216494761. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Frigatebirds (Fregatidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.fregat1.01.
S2CID242682341. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Boobies and Gannets (Sulidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.sulida1.01.
S2CID216477098. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Pelicans (Pelecanidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.peleca1.01.
S2CID241914362. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (Ardeidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.ardeid1.01.
S2CID216231772. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.alcedi1.01.
S2CID242229243. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Winkler, David W.; Billerman, Shawn M.; Lovette, Irby J. (4 March 2020). Billerman, Shawn M.; Keeney, Brooke K.; Rodewald, Paul G.; Schulenberg, Thomas S. (eds.). "Waxbills and Allies (Estrildidae)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
doi:
10.2173/bow.estril1.01.
S2CID216266025. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
General
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 (6th ed.). Cornell University Press.