Endemic Animals of Cook Islands

The Rarotonga monarch (Pomarea dimidiata ), also known as the Rarotonga flycatcher or kakerori, is a species of bird in the monarch flycatcher family Monarchidae. It is endemic to the Cook Islands. Less

The Atiu swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli ) is a species of bird in the swift family, endemic to Atiu in the Cook Islands.This small, dark swift measures 10 cm (3.9 in) long. It is sooty-brown above, slightly lighter below.Its natural habitats are the island's fernlands and mixed horticultural areas over which it feeds, and in makatea limestone caves within which it nests. The species is known on Atiu as kopeka. Less

The mewing kingfisher or Mangaia kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris ), known locally as the tanga‘eo, is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae, or kingfisher family. It is endemic to Mangaia in the Cook Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. Less

The Rarotonga starling (Aplonis cinerascens ) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is endemic to the Cook Islands.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The Mangaia swiftlet (Aerodramus manuoi ) is an extinct species of bird in the swift family. It became extinct during prehistoric times. It was endemic to Mangaia in the Cook Islands. It was closely allied with the extant Atiu swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli ) of Atiu, Mangaia's neighbouring island, though it was probably slightly larger.It was described from six fossil bones recovered from a Holocene rock shelter deposit on Mangaia. The coracoid ...
and carpometacarpus of the new species are larger and very different qualitatively from those of the Atiu species. This is the first species of Aerodramus to be described from fossils. Less