Birds
Tuamotu Kingfisher
Todiramphus gambieri · also called Niau kingfisher
Confined entirely to a single Pacific atoll, a Tuamotu kingfisher ranks among the rarest birds on Earth, its entire future dependent on the survival of one small island under pressure from introduced rats and shrinking habitat.
Overview
The Tuamotu kingfisher, Todiramphus gambieri, is a Critically Endangered kingfisher restricted entirely to forest and coastal habitat on a single atoll within the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Its extraordinarily limited range, status as one of the rarest birds in the world, and vulnerability to introduced rats and habitat loss make it one of the most conservation-critical kingfishers found anywhere on Earth.
An entire species on one island
With its whole global population confined to a single atoll, the Tuamotu kingfisher has no fallback if conditions on that one island deteriorate further, a level of vulnerability shared by few other birds anywhere in the world.
Status
Critically Endangered, with an extremely small and declining population restricted entirely to a single atoll within the Tuamotu Archipelago.
Tuamotu Kingfisher: common questions
How rare is the Tuamotu kingfisher?
This species is considered one of the rarest birds in the world, with its entire global population confined to a single atoll within the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia.
Why is the Tuamotu kingfisher so endangered?
This species is threatened by introduced rats preying on eggs and chicks, along with ongoing habitat loss and degradation, pressures made especially severe because the entire population exists on just one small island.
Could a single event wipe out the Tuamotu kingfisher?
Yes, this species is highly vulnerable to any single catastrophic event, such as a cyclone or disease outbreak, since its entire population is restricted to one atoll with nowhere else to retreat to.
Is the Tuamotu kingfisher related to other endangered Pacific kingfishers?
Yes, this species belongs to a group of similarly range-restricted Pacific island kingfishers facing comparable threats, including the equally Critically Endangered Marquesan kingfisher and the extinct-in-the-wild Guam kingfisher.