10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

All the way back in 2011 I wrote about the confusing taxanomic enigma that is the Collared Kingfisher , a species that ranges from the Red Sea to Tonga in a bewildering variety of forms. Subspecies sacer , ‘Eua, Tonga. Subspecies pealei , National Park of American Samoa. Bryan Harry, USNPS. Photo by author. Subspecies vitiensis , Fiji.

United Arab Emirates 173

United Arab Emirates Micronesia Tonga Vanuatu 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

The large, crested Choiseul Pigeon ( Microgoura meeki ) inhabited Choiseul and perhaps nearby islands in the Solomon Islands. Solomon Islanders say that the species was driven to extinction by cats and dogs introduced by Europeans. Choiseul Pigeon ( Microgoura meeki ) by J.G.

Solomon Islands 272

Solomon Islands Guinea Mauritius Humane 272

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2011

The Collared Kingfisher isn’t the most widespread kingfisher in the world (a distinction that would probably go to the Common Kingfisher or the Pied Kingfisher ), but it is close, ranging from the African coast of the Red Sea through to Tonga and American Samoa. Subspecies sacer , ‘Eua, Tonga. Photo by author.

Samoa 166

Samoa Vanuatu United Arab Emirates Tonga 166