Chronic deforestation because of many years of nickel mining are evident in the Southern hills and mountains. This has caused a decline of birds in New Caledonia as well as other animal species.
However, endemic birds and other animals can still be found in the protected forest patches at Rivière Bleue and Mount Koghi.
Visitors also enjoy the lovely scenery and beautiful beaches. Isle of Pines (Ile de Pins) – in the south – is also popular with birders.
Photos of Birds found in New Caledonia
Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), also known as the Brown Bittern
Barred Honeyeater (Phylidonyris undulata): Fairly common in the drier heath areas at Rivière Bleu and Mt. Koghi
Beach Stone-curlews (Esacus giganteus) – Uncommon
Black-winged Petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis) – Seabird
Blue Noddy (Procelsterna cerulea)
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus)
Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Cloven-feathered Dove (Drepanoptila holosericea) – A rare find – said to be found at Rivière-Bleue and Mt. Koghi
Coenocorypha also known as the New Zealand snipes
Crow Honeyeaters (Gymnomyza aubryana)
Dark Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera incana)
Double-banded Plovers (Charadrius bicinctus), known as the Banded Dotterel in New Zealand – Range: Winters in New Caledonia
Fan-tailed Cuckoos (Cacomantis flabelliformis)
Fan-tailed Gerygone (Gerygone flavolateralis)
Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta)
Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera) – Seabird
Green-naped Lory – Range: Inhabit rainforests, open forests, woodlands and mangroves.
Grey-eared Honeyeater or Dark-brown Honeyeater (Lichmera incana)
Grey Fantails (Rhipidura fuliginosa)
Great Frigatebirds (Fregata minor) – Seabirds
Green-backed White-eye (Zosterops xanthrochrous): Common on the main island and the Isle of Pines (part of New Caledonia)
Horned Parakeets (Eunymphicus cornutus)
Kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus): An almost flightless bird that may be found in the Rivière Bleue National Park, New Caledonia and in the forest by the Grand Kaori
Long-tailed Trillers (Lalage leucopyga)
Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina caledonica)
Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis)
New Caledonian Cuckooshrike (Coracina analis) – Endemic
New Caledonian Crow (Corvus moneduloides)
New Caledonian Cuckoo-shrikes (Coracina analis) – Have a very distinct loud shrill call
New Caledonian Friarbird (Philemon diemenensis): Fairly common in forest patches at Rivière-Bleue, and common on Isle of Pines
New Caledonian Grassbird or New Caledonian Thicket-birds (Megalurulus mariei)
New Caledonian Imperial-pigeon (Ducula goliath) aka Notou Imperial-Pigeon – May be found at Rivière-Bleue in New Caledonia
New Caledonian Fairy Tern (Sterna nereis exsul)
New Caledonia Lories or Deplanche’s Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus deplanchii)
New Caledonian Myzomela (Myzomela caledonica): Sparse in open forest and heath at Riviere Bleue and Mt. Koghi, also seen in the fig at Kou-Bougny, Isle of Pines
New Caledonian Parakeet (Cyanoramphus saisetti) – Endemic
New Caledonian Rail (Gallirallus lafresnayanus)
New Caledonian Red-fronted Parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae saisseti)
New Caledonian Whistler (Pachycephala caledonica)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) – Global occurrence. – ID: Black/brown – white Bird of Prey feeding on fish
Red-bellied Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus greyii)
Red-headed Parrot-finches (Erythrura psittacea)
Red-throated Parrotfinches (Erythrura Psittacea) also known as the red-throated or red-faced parrot finch – Range: New Caledonia grasslands or open country bordering forested areas – Fairly common at Rivière Bleue in the heath, and also along forest edge on Mt. Koghi and along the Pic Nga track on the Isle of Pines
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) – Range: The long-billed and short-winged form (S. d. gracilis) breeds in New Caledonia
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris)
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) – Range: Found in the mangroves, forests, and river valleys of New Caledonia
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus / Chalcites lucidus)
Silvereye or Wax-eye (Zosterops lateralis)
Small Lifou White-eye (Zosterops minutus): These bright yellow, small birds are very common on Lifou
Southern Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus pachycephaloides)
Streaked Fantail (Rhipidura verreauxi or Rhipidura spilodera)
Striated Starling (Aplonis striata) – Fairly common
Swamp Harriers or Australasian Harrier (C. approximans)
Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
White-bellied Goshawk (Accipiter haplochrous): A scarce endemic in the protected areas of New Caledonia
White-browed Crakes (Porzana cinerea)
White-necked Petrel (Pterodroma cervicalis)
White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygia)
Yellow-bellied Robin (Eopsaltria flaviventris) – Common in the forest at Rivière Bleue; on the Isle of Pines along the track to Pic Nga
Zebra Doves (Geopelia striata, also called Barred Ground Dove) – Introduced Species.
Below are photos of birds found in New Caledonia (endemics, vagrants and wintering populations). Each image is linked to the respective species page with additional information about them and more photos.
