Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands consist of 29 atolls and 5 coral islands without lagoons arranged in two chains, the Ralik and the Radak chains, which extend in a northwesterly to southeasterly direction. No volcanic rocks are exposed in these islands. The principal islands shown in [figure 5] are as follows:

Ailuk (also called Ailu, Fisher, Krusenstern, Tindall, Watts).

Arhno (also called Arno, Aruno, Auru).

Bikar

Bikini

Ebon (also called Boston Atoll).

Elmore (also called Ailinglap, Ailinglapalap, Iringlob).

Eniwetok

Jaluit (also called Bonham, Taluit).

Kwajalein

Likieb (also called Likiep).

Majuro (also called Arrowsmith, Mezyuro).

Mejit

Maloelab

Mille (also called Mulgrave).

Namorik

Namu (also called Musquillo, Namo).

Rongelap

Wotje (also called Romanzov, Wotze, Wozzie).

Fig. 5. The Marshall Islands.

[ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION IN MICRONESIA]

The Micronesian islands were first explored and colonized by a a people who came from Malaysia. It is thought that these people spread into the Palau, Caroline, Mariana, Marshall, and Gilbert islands as a single wave of migration. Following this occupation, the people apparently underwent a normal process of cultural evolution and differentiation. Remains of stone walls, dikes, fences, pillars, graves, and other structures which may be found today at various islands in Micronesia were constructed by the ancestors of the islanders of the present day. It is thought by archeologists that the Polynesians moved eastward into the Pacific islands by way of Micronesia. The date of this wave of migration is thought to have been approximately 1200 A. D. What kinds of birds may have been exterminated by this earliest of human colonization cannot be ascertained. Edible species, particularly megapodes, rails, and pigeons, probably were eliminated or reduced in numbers, as is indicated by later discussions.

The first Europeans to visit Micronesia, as far as the present writer can ascertain, left no accounts of the birds significant for the study here reported upon. Magellan, on his trip around the world, was the leader of the first party of Europeans who touched at Guam; this was on March 6, 1521. Rota, Agiguan, Saipan, and Tinian were also discovered by this Portuguese sea captain in the service of the king of Spain. Eltano, one of Magellan's lieutenants, revisited the Pacific and stopped at Rota in 1524. After the voyage of Magellan, other seafarers, mostly in the service of Spain, visited the Micronesian islands. The Caroline Islands were apparently first observed by the Portuguese captain, Diego de Rocha, in 1526. Loyasa and Saavdera, both Spaniards, visited the Marshall Islands in 1526 and 1529, respectively.

One of the first travelers to record observations on the bird life was Henry Wilson. Wilson was captain of the schooner "Antelope" which became grounded on a reef in the Palau Islands in August, 1783. He lived with the islanders while the ship was being repaired and kept a journal of his observations (Wilson, 1788). Wilson also visited several other islands in western Micronesia. Adelbert von Chamisso (1821), as naturalist with the Russian expedition in the ship "Rurick," made observations of the animal life in Micronesia in 1817 and 1818. Under the command of Otto von Kotzebue, this Russian expedition made the first detailed exploration of the Marshall Islands; visits were made also to Guam and Rota and to Yap, Fais, Ulithi, Palau, and other island groups in western Micronesia. Freycinet's famous expedition in the ships "Uranie" and "Physicienne," visited Guam, Rota, and Tinian in 1819. Quoy and Gaimard, the naturalists of the expedition, obtained birds, which were among the first to be described from Micronesia. These two naturalists revisited the Marianas in 1829 on board the ship "Astrolabe." Scientific results of both of these expeditions (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824-'26 and 1830-'35) include texts and plates dealing with the birds obtained.

The French expedition in the corvette "La Coquille" visited Kusaie in June, 1824. Lesson (1829) wrote the zoology of this trip. Kittlitz (1836) of the expedition which sailed in the corvette "Le Seniavine" commanded by Lutké obtained birds at Kusaie in December and January, 1827-'28, at Guam in March, 1828, and at Lukunor and other islands of the Carolines. At Kusaie, Kittlitz found a rail (Aphanolimnas monasa) and a starling (Aplonis corvinus) which have not been obtained since his time. His specimens were deposited in St. Petersburg. He was one of the most competent of the early naturalists; his writings contain accounts of habits as well as descriptions and are accompanied by colored plates. The expedition which sailed on the "Astrolabe" and the "Zélée" in 1827-'40 under the command of Dumont d'Urville visited the Caroline Islands. The naturalists, Hombron and Jacquinot, obtained birds at Truk, including the interesting flycatcher, Metabolus rugensis, which they described (1841). The "Novara," in the course of its voyage around the world (1857-'59) visited the Caroline Islands in 1858. Birds were recorded from Ponapé, Lukunor and other islands by Pelzeln in his account of the birds of the expedition (1865).

In the years following the middle of the Nineteenth Century, Godeffroy and Sons, of Hamburg, opened branches of its trading firm in Micronesia. Representatives of the company including Heinsohn and Peters, who were ship captains, obtained collections of birds at Palau and Yap. These were deposited in the Godeffroy Museum at Hamburg and reported on by Hartlaub and Finsch (Hartlaub, 1868; Hartlaub and Finsch, 1868a and 1872). Tetens became representative of Godeffroy and Sons at Yap in 1869 and obtained birds. Perhaps the most famous collector in this period was Johann Kubary. He went to Ponapé at the age of nineteen and traveled in Micronesia for many years for Godeffroy and Sons. He obtained birds at many of the islands of the Carolines, spending fourteen months at Truk. In 1873, one of his collections of some 200 birds was lost in a shipwreck. Hartlaub and Finsch, (Hartlaub and Finsch, 1872; Finsch, 1876a) described much of his material; Nehrkorn (1879) reported on nests and eggs which he obtained. Hartlaub and Finsch (1868b) also reported on birds obtained at Palau by Doctor Semper, which were deposited in the museum at Altona. Otto Finsch (1880b, 1880d, 1881b, 1881c) traveled in Micronesia about 1880, observing birds in the eastern Carolines and in the Marshalls.

One of the largest collections from Micronesia was made by Alfred Marche in the Marianas. He arrived there on April 22, 1887, and stayed until May, 1889. He obtained approximately 732 specimens of birds, nests, and eggs at Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, and Alamagan, which were deposited in the Paris Museum and reported on by Oustalet (1895-'96). Shortly after Marche's visit, Japanese collectors in the hire of Alan Owston, a professional collector of Yokahama, obtained birds in the Marianas and at Truk in the years 1894-'97. These went to the Rothschild collection at Tring and were reported on by Hartert in 1898 and 1900.

At the turn of the Twentieth Century, several ornithologists were visiting Micronesia. Alvin Seale (1901) obtained a collection of birds at Guam in the summer of 1900 which was deposited in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu. The U. S. Fish Commission steamer "Albatross" visited Micronesia from August, 1899, to March, 1900; birds obtained by the expedition were reported on by Townsend and Wetmore (1919). Paul Schnee (1901) spent approximately one year, 1899-1900, at Jaluit in the Marshalls and obtained records of birds. In 1899, Brandeis, on board the German ship "Kaiserland" visited many of the islands in the Marshalls and recorded birds. William Safford (1905) resided at Guam in the early part of this century and reported on the bird life in the course of his studies of the botany and native life. Bartsch (Mearns, 1909) also obtained a small collection of birds at Guam, this is in the United States National Museum.

In the first World War when the Japanese gained a mandated control over the islands of Micronesia, the Japanese ornithologists promptly visited the area, obtained collections, and published works concerning the birds. In 1922, Momiyama and Kuroda prepared a list of the birds of Micronesia. The work was published under the auspices of the Ornithological Society of Japan. Subsequent editions appeared in 1932 and 1942.

The Whitney South Sea Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History visited Micronesia from October, 1930, to December, 1931, with William F. Coultas as collector. Although experiencing some difficulty and being restricted somewhat in his travels by the Japanese officials, he managed to obtain collections at Ponapé (October 26, 1930, to January 1, 1931), Kusaie (January 15 to June 11, 1931), Guam (June 24 to August 30, 1931), Saipan and Tinian (September 1 to 26, 1931), and Palau (October 2 to December, 1931). Many of the species which he obtained are represented by large series of fine skins. Only part of his collections have been reported on by Mayr and his associates.

Other than the work of Coultas and that of the Japanese, there was little ornithological work done in the period between the two world wars, probably, at least in part, because of the "iron curtain," which Japan had thrown about her mandate. Bryan (1936) did visit Guam in the middle 1930's and published an account of the birds in the newspaper, Guam Recorder.

When the Micronesian islands were taken by the American forces in 1944, personnel attached to various units made observations on the bird life. The first reports, published or unpublished, were from the Marshalls, which were taken at the beginning of the campaign. Gleise, Genelly, Wallace, and others made contributions. In the Marianas considerably more observing and collecting were done by service personnel including Marshall, Stott, Borror, Strophlet, Buss, Watson, Arvey, Downs, and others. Marshall (1949) obtained also a collection of birds in the Palaus in 1945. The Laboratory of Mammalogy, United States Naval Medical Research No. 2, to which I was attached, collected at Guam (January to October, 1945), at Rota (October 17 to November 2, 1945), at Ulithi (August 11 to 23, 1945), at Palau (August 24 to September 24, 1945), and at Truk (November 24 to December 18, 1945). Following the end of the war, Harvey I. Fisher visited Micronesia and obtained a collection of birds at Yap, which is to be reported on in the near future. Larry P. Richards obtained 33 birds at Ponapé and 4 at Truk in the period from August 28, 1947, to February 10, 1948.

Descriptions of birds in Micronesia began with the naming of Halcyon c. cinnamomina in 1821; the most recent description is that of Rhipidura rufifrons mariae in 1946. In all, 131 descriptions have designated type localities in Micronesia. [Table 1] lists the dates (on the basis of ten-year intervals) when names of birds (synonyms or otherwise) were proposed. In the period from 1821 to 1860, twenty-five birds were made known to science by the earliest workers, including Kittlitz, Lesson, Bonaparte, and Pelzeln. In the period from 1861 to 1880, thirty-four birds were newly named, mostly by Hartlaub and Finsch, from the collections which the Godeffroy Museum obtained through the efforts of Kubary, Tetens, Peters, and Heinsohn. Nineteen original descriptions were published from 1881 to 1900, principally by Oustalet and Hartert, who studied the material of Marche and Owston, respectively. From 1901 to 1910, only four birds were described, but from 1911 to 1940, forty-seven descriptions were published, mostly by the Japanese following World War I. From 1931 to 1940, the number of known birds was increased by the efforts of Mayr, who studied the material of the Whitney South Sea Expedition. From 1941 to date only two original descriptions have appeared—only one was postwar. Except for possible undescribed subspecies in the northern Marianas, I think that the heyday of the taxonomist in ornithology in Micronesia is over. The field of avian ecology in Micronesia has barely been scratched.

Table 1. Compilation of the Dates (on the Basis of Ten-year Intervals) When Original Descriptions of Birds of Micronesia Appeared.

Table 1. Compilation of the Dates (on the Basis of Ten-year Intervals) When Original Descriptions of Birds of Micronesia Appeared.

YearsNo. of
descriptions		YearsNo. of
descriptions
1821-18308 1881-18909
1831-18408 1891-190010
1841-18504 1901-19104
1851-18605 1911-192010
1861-187011 1921-193015
1871-188023 1931-194022
1941-19492

[CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MICRONESIA]

The 206 kinds of birds of 150 full species known to occur in Micronesia belong to 91 genera of 37 families of 13 orders. In the following list, nonresident birds are marked with an *; birds introduced by man are marked with a [+].

Class AVES—birds
Page
Order Procellariiformes—albatrosses, petrels, and allies
Family Diomedeidae—albatrosses
Diomedia nigripes Audubon* Black-footed Albatross[63]
Family Procellariidae—petrels and shearwaters
Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus Lesson Wedge-tailed Shearwater[64]
Puffinus pacificus cuneatus Salvin Wedge-tailed Shearwater[65]
Puffinus tenuirostris (Temminck)* Short tailed Shearwater[66]
Puffinus nativitatus Streets Christmas Shearwater[66]
Puffinus lherminieri dichrous Finsch and Hartlaub Dusky Shearwater[66]
Pterodroma rostrata rostrata (Peale)* Tahiti Petrel[69]
Pterodroma hypoleuca hypoleuca Salvin Stout-billed Gadfly Petrel[70]
Order Pelecaniformes—tropic birds, boobies, cormorants, frigate birds and allies
Family Phaëthontidae—tropic birds
Phaëthon aethereus mesonauta Peters* Red-billed Tropic Bird[70]
Phaëthon rubricauda rothschildi (Mathews) Red-tailed Tropic Bird[71]
Phaëthon lepturus dorotheae Mathews White-tailed Tropic Bird[72]
Family Sulidae—boobies and gannets
Sula dactylatra personata Gould Masked Booby[75]
Sula sula rubripes Gould Red-footed Booby[75]
Sula leucogaster plotus (Forster) Brown Booby[76]
Family Phalacrocoracidae—cormorants
Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucus (Vieillot) Little Pied Cormorant[78]
Family Fregatidae—frigate birds or man-o'-war birds
Fregata minor minor (Gmelin)* Pacific Man-o'-War[79]
Fregata ariel ariel (Gray) Least Man-o'-War[80]
Order Ciconiiformes—herons, storks, and allies
Family Ardeidae—herons and bitterns
Butorides striatus amurensis Schrenck* Amur Green Heron[81]
Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert)* Cattle Egret[82]
Egretta intermedia intermedia (Wagler)* Plumed Egret[82]
Demigretta sacra sacra (Gmelin) Reef Heron[84]
Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus)* Black-crowned Night Heron[87]
Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis Mathew Rufous Night Heron[87]
Gorsachius goisagi (Temminck)* Japanese Bittern[89]
Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus (Raffles)* Malay Bittern[90]
Ixobrychus sinensis (Gmelin) Chinese Least Bittern[93]
Ixobrychus eurhythmus (Swinhoe)* Shrenck's Least Bittern[93]
Dupetor flavicollis flavicollis (Latham)* Black Bittern[94]
Order Anseriformes—ducks, geese, swans, and allies
Family Anatidae—ducks, geese, and swans
Anas oustaleti Salvadori Marianas Mallard[94]
Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Australian Gray Duck[98]
Anas querquedula Linnaeus* Garganey Teal[100]
Anas crecca crecca Linnaeus* European Teal[100]
Anas crecca carolinensis Gmelin* Green-winged Teal[100]
Anas acuta acuta Linnaeus* Pintail[101]
Anas acuta tzitzihoa Vieillot* Pintail[101]
Anas penelope Linnaeus* Widgeon[102]
Anas clypeata Linnaeus* Shoveller[102]
Aythya fuligula (Linnaeus)* Tufted Duck[103]
Aythya valisineria (Wilson)* Canvas-back[103]
Order Falconiformes—vultures, hawks, falcons
Family Accipitridae—hawks, harriers, and allies
Accipiter soloënsis (Horsfield)* Chinese Goshawk[104]
Accipiter virgatus gularis (Temminck and Schlegel)* Asiatic Sparrow Hawk[104]
Pandion haliaetus melvillensis Mathews Osprey[105]
Family Falconidae—falcons and caracaras
Falco peregrinus japonensis Gmelin* Peregrine Falcon[105]
Order Galliformes—megapodes, pheasants, and allies
Family Megapodidae—megapodes
Megapodius lapérouse senex Hartlaub Micronesian Megapode[106]
Megapodius lapérouse lapérouse Gaimard Micronesian Megapode[109]
Family Phasianidae—quails, pheasants, and allies
Coturnix chinensis lineata (Scopoli)[+] Painted Quail[113]
Gallus gallus (Linnaeus)[+] Red Jungle Fowl[114]
Phasianus colchicus Linnaeus[+] Ring-necked Pheasant[115]
Order Gruiformes—cranes, rails, and allies
Family Rallidae—rails, gallinules, and coots
Rallus philippensis pelewensis (Mayr) Banded Rail[116]
Rallus owstoni (Rothschild) Guam Rail[118]
Rallina fasciata (Raffles)* Malay Banded Crake[120]
Rallina eurizonoïdes eurizonoïdes (Lafresnaye)* Philippine Banded Crake[121]
Aphanolimnas monasa (Kittlitz) Kusaie Black Rail[121]
Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae Hachisuka White-browed Rail[123]
Gallinula chloropus subsp. near orientalis Horsfield Gallinule[126]
Gallinula chloropus guami Hartert Gallinule[127]
Porphyrio porphyrio pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Purple Swamphen[129]
Fulica atra atra Linnaeus* Common Coot[131]
Order Charadriiformes—shorebirds, gulls, and auks
Family Charadriidae—plovers, turnstones, and allies
Squatarola squatarola (Linnaeus)* Black-bellied Plover[131]
Pluvialis dominica fulva (Gmelin)* Pacific Golden Plover[132]
Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus Bonaparte* Semipalmated Plover[134]
Charadrius dubius curonicus Gmelin* Ring-necked Plover[135]
Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis Deignan* Kentish Plover[135]
Charadrius mongolus stegmanni Stresemann* Mongolian Dotteral[135]
Charadrius leschenaultii Lesson* Large Sand Dotteral[137]
Family Scolopacidae—snipe, sandpipers, and allies
Numenius phaeopus variegatus (Scopoli)* Whimbrel[137]
Numenius tahitiensis (Gmelin)* Bristle-thighed Curlew[139]
Numenius madagascariensis (Linnaeus)* Long-billed Curlew[140]
Limosa lapponica baueri Naumann* Pacific Godwit[140]
Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus)* Greenshawk[141]
Tringa melanoleuca (Gmelin)* Greater Yellow-legs[142]
Tringa glareola Linnaeus* Wood Sandpiper[142]
Actitus hypoleucos Linnaeus* Common Sandpiper[143]
Heteroscelus brevipes (Vieillot)* Gray-tailed Tattler[144]
Heteroscelus incanus (Gmelin)* Amer. Wandering Tattler[145]
Arenaria interpres interpres (Linnaeus)* Turnstone[147]
Gallinago megala Swinhoe* Marsh Snipe[149]
Gallinago gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus)* Common Snipe[150]
Crocethia alba (Pallas)* Sanderling[150]
Calidris tenuirostris (Horsfield)* Asiatic Knot[151]
Erolia minuta ruficollis (Pallas)* Little Stint[151]
Erolia subminuta (Middendorff)* Least Sandpiper[152]
Erolia melanotos (Vieillot)* Pectoral Sandpiper[152]
Erolia acuminata (Horsfield)* Sharp-tailed Sandpiper[152]
Erolia ferruginea (Pontoppidan)* Curlew Sandpiper[153]
Limicola falcinellus sibirica Dresser* Broad-billed Sandpiper[154]
Family Phalaropidae—phalaropes
Phalaropus lobatus (Linnaeus)* Northern Phalarope[154]
Family Laridae—gulls and terns
Larus argentatus vegae Palmén* Herring Gull[154]
Chlidonias leucopterus (Temminck)* White-winged Black Tern[155]
Sterna hirundo longipennis Nordmann* Black-billed Com. Tern[155]
Sterna sumatrana sumatrana Raffles Black-naped Tern[156]
Sterna lunata Peale Spectacled Tern[160]
Sterna anaetheta anaetheta Scopoli Bridled Tern[160]
Sterna fuscata oahuensis Bloxham Sooty Tern[161]
Sterna albifrons sinensis Gmelin* Least Tern[161]
Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides (King) Crested Tern[162]
Procelsterna cerulea saxatilis W. E. Fisher* Blue-gray Tern[164]
Anoüs stolidus pileatus (Scopoli) Common Noddy[165]
Anoüs tenuirostris marcusi (Bryan) White-capped Noddy[170]
Gygis alba candida (Gmelin) White Tern[174]
Gygis alba pacifica (Lesson) White Tern[180]
Order Columbiformes—pigeons, doves, and allies
Family Columbidae—pigeons and doves
Columba livia Gmelin[+] Blue Rock Pigeon[182]
Ptilinopus porphyraceus ponapensis (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove[182]
Ptilinopus porphyraceus hernsheimi (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove[184]
Ptilinopus porphyraceus pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch Crimson-crw'd Fruit Dove[185]
Ptilinopus roseicapillus (Lesson) Marianas Fruit Dove[186]
Ducula oceanica monacha (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon[190]
Ducula oceanica teraokai (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon[193]
Ducula oceanica townsendi (Wetmore) Micronesian Pigeon[194]
Ducula oceanica oceanica (Lesson and Garnot) Micronesian Pigeon[195]
Ducula oceanica ratakensis (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Pigeon[197]
Streptopelia bitorquata dusumieri (Temminck)[+] Philippine Turtle Dove[198]
Gallicolumba canifrons (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Ground Dove[201]
Gallicolumba xanthonura xanthonura (Temminck) White-thrt'd Ground Dove[203]
Gallicolumba xanthonura kubaryi (Finsch) White-thrt'd Ground Dove[207]
Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis Finsch Nicobar Pigeon[209]
Order Psittaciformes—lories and parrots
Family Psittacidae—lories, parrots, and allies
Trichoglossus rubiginosus (Bonaparte) Ponapé Lory[211]
Order Cuculiformes—cuckoos, plantain-eaters
Family Cuculidae—cuckoos, anis, and allies
Cuculus canorus telephonus Heine* Common Cuckoo[213]
Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi Moore* Oriental Cuckoo[214]
Eudynamis taitensis (Sparrman)* Long-tailed New Zealand Cuckoo[214]
Order Strigiformes—owls
Family Strigidae—owls
Otus podarginus (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Scops Owl[215]
Asio flammeus flammeus (Pontoppidan)* Short-eared Owl[217]
Asio flammeus ponapensis Mayr Short-eared Owl[218]
Order Caprimulgiformes—goatsuckers and allies
Family Caprimulgidae—goatsuckers
Caprimulgus indicus jotaka Temminck and Schlegel* Jungle Nightjar[219]
Caprimulgus indicus phalaena Hartlaub and Finsch Jungle Nightjar[219]
Order Apodiformes—swifts and hummingbirds
Family Apodidae—swifts
Collocalia inexpectata pelewensis Mayr Edible Nest Swiftlet[221]
Collocalia inexpectata bartschi Mearns Edible Nest Swiftlet[222]
Collocalia inquieta inquieta (Kittlitz) Carolines Swiftlet[224]
Collocalia inquieta rukensis Kuroda Carolines Swiftlet[225]
Collocalia inquieta ponapensis Mayr Carolines Swiftlet[226]
Order Coraciiformes—kingfishers, rollers, and allies
Family Alcedinidae—kingfishers
Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina Swainson Micronesian Kingfisher[227]
Halcyon cinnamomina pelewensis Wiglesworth Micronesian Kingfisher[229]
Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii (Hartlaub) Micronesian Kingfisher[230]
Halcyon chloris teraokai Kuroda White-collared Kingfisher[233]
Halcyon chloris orii Takatsukasa and Yamashina White-collared Kingfisher[235]
Halcyon chloris albicilla (Dumont) White-collared Kingfisher[235]
Halcyon chloris owstoni Rothschild White-collared Kingfisher[237]
Family Coraciidae—rollers
Eurystomus orientalis connectens Stresemann* Dollar Bird[238]
Order Passeriformes—perching birds
Family Hirundinidae—swallows
Hirundo rustica gutteralis Scopoli* Eastern Barn Swallow[239]
Family Campephagidae—cuckoo-shrikes
Edolisoma tenuirostre monachum (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird[239]
Edolisoma tenuirostre nesiotis (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird[241]
Edolisoma tenuirostre insperatum (Finch) Cicada Bird[242]
Family Dicruridae—drongos
Dicrurus macrocercus harterti S. Baker[+] Black Drongo[244]
Family Corvidae—crows, magpies, and jays
Corvus kubaryi Reichenow Marianas Crow[244]
Family Turdidae—thrushes
Luscinia calliope calliope (Pallas)* Siberian Rubythroat[248]
Monticola solitaria philippensis (Müller)* Chinese Blue Rock Thrush[248]
Turdus obscurus obscurus Gmelin* Dusky Thrush[248]
Family Sylviidae—Old World warblers
Psamathia annae Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Bush-warbler[249]
Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia (Quoy and Gaimard) Nightingale Reed-warbler[251]
Acrocephalus luscinia syrinx (Kittlitz) Nightingale Reed-warbler[254]
Acrocephalus luscinia yamashinae (Takatsukasa) Nightingale Reed-warbler[256]
Acrocephalus luscinia nijoi (Yamashina) Nightingale Reed-warbler[257]
Family Muscicapidae—Old World flycatchers
Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae Oustalet Rufous-fronted Fantail[261]
Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis Hartert Rufous-fronted Fantail[262]
Rhipidura rufifrons mariae R. H. Baker Rufous-fronted Fantail[263]
Rhipidura rufifrons versicolor Hartlaub and Finsch Rufous-fronted Fantail[264]
Rhipidura rufifrons kubaryi Finsch Rufous-fronted Fantail[265]
Rhipidura lepida Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Fantail[266]
Metabolus rugensis (Hombron and Jacquinot) Truk Monarch[269]
Monarcha godeffroyi Hartlaub Yap Monarch[272]
Monarcha takatsukasae (Yamashina) Tinian Monarch[274]
Myiagra oceanica erythrops Hartlaub and Finch Micronesian Broadbill[275]
Myiagra oceanica freycineti Oustalet Micronesian Broadbill[277]
Myiagra oceanica oceanica Pucheran Micronesian Broadbill[279]
Myiagra oceanica pluto Finsch Micronesian Broadbill[280]
Muscicapa narcissina narcissina Temminck* Narcissus Flycatcher[282]
Muscicapa griseisticta (Swinhoe)* Chinese Gray-spotted Flycatcher[282]
Colluricincla tenebrosa (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Morning Bird[282]
Family Artamidae—wood-swallows
Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis Finsch White-breasted Wood-swallow[284]
Family Sturnidae—starlings
Aplonis opacus opacus (Kittlitz) Micronesian Starling[286]
Aplonis opacus ponapensis Takatsukasa and Yamashina Micronesian Starling[288]
Aplonis opacus angus Momiyama Micronesian Starling[289]
Aplonis opacus kurodai Momiyama Micronesian Starling[291]
Aplonis opacus orii (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Starling[292]
Aplonis opacus guami Momiyama Micronesian Starling[293]
Aplonis opacus aeneus (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) Micronesian Starling[297]
Aplonis pelzelni Finsch Ponapé Mountain Starling[299]
Aplonis corvinus (Kittlitz) Kusaie Mountain Starling[301]
Sturnus philippensis (Forster)* Violet-backed Starling[302]
Sturnus cineraceus Temminck* Ashy Starling[302]
Family Meliphagidae—honey-eaters
Cleptornis marchei (Oustalet) Golden Honey-eater[302]
Myzomela cardinalis rubratra (Lesson) Cardinal Honey-eater[304]
Myzomela cardinalis dichromata Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater[307]
Myzomela cardinalis major Bonaparte Cardinal Honey-eater[307]
Myzomela cardinalis saffordi Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater[309]
Myzomela cardinalis kurodai Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater[312]
Myzomela cardinalis kobayashii Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater[313]
Family Zosteropidae—white-eyes
Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata (Kittlitz) Bridled White-eye[316]
Zosterops conspicillata saypani Dubois Bridled White-eye[318]
Zosterops conspicillata rotensis Takatsukasa and Yamashina Bridled White-eye[319]
Zosterops conspicillata semperi Hartlaub Bridled White-eye[320]
Zosterops conspicillata owstoni Hartert Bridled White-eye[321]
Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasai Momiyama Bridled White-eye[322]
Zosterops conspicillata hypolais Hartlaub and Finsch Bridled White-eye[323]
Zosterops cinerea cinerea (Kittlitz) Micron. Dusky White-eye[326]
Zosterops cinerea ponapensis Finsch Micron. Dusky White-eye[327]
Zosterops cinerea finschii (Hartlaub) Micron. Dusky White-eye[328]
Rukia palauensis (Reichenow) Palau Greater White-eye[330]
Rukia oleaginea (Hartlaub and Finsch) Yap Greater White-eye[331]
Rukia ruki (Hartert) Truk Greater White-eye[332]
Rukia sanfordi (Mayr) Ponapé Greater White-eye[333]
Family Ploceidae—weaver-finches
Erythrura trichroa trichroa (Kittlitz) Blue-faced Parrot-finch[336]
Erythrura trichroa clara Takatsukasa and Yamashina Blue-faced Parrot-finch[337]
Erythrura trichroa pelewensis Kuroda Blue-faced Parrot-finch[338]
Lonchura nigerrima minor (Yamashina) Black-faced Weaver-finch[339]
Lonchura punctulata cabanisi (Sharpe)[+] Phil. Nutmeg Mannikin[340]