A new genus and species of pigeon (Aves: Columbidae) from Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group

Abstract

An extensive fossil record of birds has now been described from many islands in the Pacific, as comprehensively reviewed by Steadman (2006a). In recurrent cases across the breadth of the Pacific, up to half the birds are extinct (Steadman 2006a) – for example, extinct-bird remains have been found in New Caledonia (Balouet and Olson 1989), Fiji (Worthy 2000, 2001), the Tongan and Cook Island groups (Steadman 1989a, 1993, 1995), Samoa (Steadman 1994), Niue (Steadman et al. 2000), Society Islands (Steadman 1989a), Marquesas (Steadman 1989a; Steadman and Rolett 1996), Hawaii (James and Olson 1991; Olson and James 1991), and Easter Island (Steadman 1995). Among the extinct taxa are many species of columbids (Balouet and Olson 1987, 1989; Steadman 1989a, 1989b, 1992, 1997, 2006a, 2006b; Worthy 2001; Worthy and Wragg 2003; Wragg and Worthy 2006).