Islands Endemic Bird Families
Ticking all bird families of the world challenge takes you around the globe with some mandatory stops on certain 9 islands, which hold 28 endemic bird families. This page reviews these islands, from west to east:
Caribbean endemic bird families
Two of the 7 Caribbean endemic bird families appear on all 4 islands of the Great Antilles: Todies (Todidae, 5 species) and Spindalises (Spindalidae, 4 species). Actually, the Western Spindalis distribution span a bit off the Antilles boundaries up to the Mexican island of Cozumel.
The other 5 families are endemic to 3 islands:
Cuba: Cuban Warblers (Teretistridae, 2 species)
Hispaniola, which consists of Dominican Republic and Haiti holds 3 families:
- Palmchat (Dulidae, 1 species)
- Chat-Tanagers (Calyptophilidae, 2 species)
- Hispaniolan Tanagers (Phaenicophilidae, 4 species)
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rican Tanager (Nesospingidae, 1 species)
Madagascar endemic bird families
The first 2 of the 5 Malagasy endemic bird families are also endemic Orders (Mesitornithiformes & Leptosomiformes). The globe’s 4th biggest island holds the following:
- Mesites (Mesitornithidae, 3 species)
- Cuckoo-roller (Leptosomidae, 1 species, actually not a real endemic since appears on the nearby Comoro Islands.)
- Ground-Rollers (Brachypteraciidae, 5 species)
- Asities (Philepittidae, 4 species)
- Malagasy Warblers (Bernieridae, 11 species)
Following Clements 2021 & IOC 2023.1, Vangas are not endemic family as it used to be, and included in the family of Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies. (Vangidae).
Borneo endemic bird family
Three countries share the 3rd biggest island: Indonesia, Malaysia and the tiny Brunei. Borneo holds one monotype endemic family:
- Bristlehead (Pityriasidae, 1 species)
Sulawesi endemic bird family
This Indonesian Island holds one monotype endemic family:
- Hylocitrea (Hylocitreidae, 1 species)
New Guinea endemic bird families
7 endemic birds families put New Guinea on the top of this list. Two countries share the 2nd biggest island: Indonesia hold West Papua and Papua New Guinea is a free state.
- Ploughbill (Eulacestomatidae, 1 species)
- Tit Berrypecker and Crested Berrypecker (Paramythiidae, 2 species)
- Mottled Berryhunter (Rhagologidae, 1 species)
- Ifrita (Ifritidae, 1 species)
- Melampittas (Melampittidae, 2 species)
- Satinbirds (Cnemophilidae, 3 species)
- Berrypeckers and Longbills (Melanocharitidae, 11 species)
New Caledonia endemic bird family
May be titled as the only Oceania endemic bird family, or as the most remote bird family:
- Kagu (Rhynochetidae, 1 species)
New Zealand endemic bird families
6 endemic bird families and one endemic Order (Apterygiformes), on easy to travel New Zealand:
- Kiwis (Apterygidae, 5 species)
- New Zealand Parrots (Strigopidae, 3 species)
- New Zealand Wrens (Acanthisittidae, 2 species)
- Whiteheads (Mohouidae, 3 species)
- Wattlebirds (Callaeidae, 3 species)
- Stitchbird (Notiomystidae, 1 species)
