Cocos Island's endemic bird species

COCOS ISLAND’S

ENDEMIC BIRD SPECIES

Located about 550 kilometres off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Cocos Island is an uninhabited area and one of the National Parks of Costa Rica. Its surface is less than 24 square kilometres.

This island has very wet climate and the oceanic character has beneficial effect on this region which has both volcanic and tectonic origins. The landscape is mountainous with the highest summit, Cerro Iglesias, at 575 metres of elevation.

There are four bays and several rivers and streams, draining the heavy rainfall into them. Thanks to mountains and tropical climate, Cocos Island has over 200 waterfalls. The dense tropical rain forest, with the higher cloud forest, involves typical flora and fauna.

In spite of about 90 reported bird species, only three land birds are endemic. We can find the Cocos Finch, the Cocos Flycatcher and the Cocos Cuckoo.

Introduced mammals may threaten the local ecosystems, and their populations need to be more under control. In addition, the human pressure has become a main concern.

Some legends are tied to Cocos Island, and the soil probably shelters a treasure left there by pirates… but the main treasure is the island itself, a natural setting for wildlife.

Endemic species:

Cocos Cuckoo - Coccyzus ferrugineus - Coulicou de Cocos

Cocos Finch - Pinaroloxias inornata - Spizin de Cocos

Cocos Flycatcher - Nesotricus ridgwayi - Tyranneau de Cocos

Some other non-endemic bird species:

Brown Noddy - Anous stolidus - Noddi brun

Buff-bellied Pipit - Anthus rubescens - Pipit farlousane

Great Frigatebird - Fregata minor - Frégate du Pacifique

Masked Booby - Sula dactylatra - Fou masqué

Red-footed Booby – Sula sula – Fou à pieds rouges

Sooty Tern - Onychoprion fuscatus - Sterne fuligineuse

White Tern – Gygis alba – Gygis blanche

Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia - Paruline jaune

Sources :

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Avibase (Lepage Denis)

BirdLife International (BirdLife International)