Eunymphicus

Abstract: The avifauna of the Loyalty Islands comprises 62 species, including 14 breeding or erratic seabirds, 5 migratory birds, 7 herons, ducks and rails, 4 birds of prey, 28 indigenous land breeders (belonging to 33 subspecies) and 2 species introduced from the Grande Terre (main island of New Caledonia). Six species are endemic: 3 on the Grande Terre and in the Loyalty Islands (New Caledonian Friarbird Philemon diemenensis, Green-backed White-eye Zosterops xanthochrous, Striated Starling Aplonis striatus) and 3 only found in the Loyalty Islands (Ouvea Parakeet Eunymphicus uvaeensis, Large Lifou White-eye Zosterops inornatus and Small Lifou White-eye Z. minutus). Eunymphicus is an endemic genus of New Caledonia. Eight subspecies are endemic to both the Grande Terre and the Loyalty Islands and 11 are exclusive of the Loyalty Islands. Of the 24 taxa whose geographical origin could be identified, 58% are identical or similar to those on the Grande Terre, 105 km away, and 42% have affinities with birds in Vanuatu, twice as far away (225 km). The paths of cyclones could explain the specific influence of Vanuatu. The correlation between the islands’land area and the number of species that have successfully settled is very close (r = 0.97) and confirms this biogeographical standard. The land breeding species frequencies vary, with rare localized species limited to some islands (Bluefaced Parrotfinch Erythrura trichroa, Ouvea Parakeet), or possibly extinct (Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus) and others whose frequency varies widely from place to place (Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis, Gerygone Gerygone flavolateralis, Silvereye Zosterops lateralis), while others show high (Red-bellied Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus greyii), average (Melanesian Flycatcher Myiagra caledonica, Sacred Kingfischer Todiramphus sanctus) or low (Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica) frequencies that remain comparable between these islands. The species ecology has been determined with some species associated with wide forests, e.g. the Ouvea Parakeet, while others are typical of the open settings. The threats onto this avifauna are mainly linked to habitat destruction and the impact of introduced species. A specific effort should be made to ensure the protection of populations of that species for which there is the greatest concern, i.e. the Ouvea Parakeet

Abstract: We provide evidence for cooperative breeding in two endemic parrot species of New Caledonia, the New Caledonian Parakeet (Cyanoramphus saisseti) and the Horned Parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) We intensively monitored 11 breeding attempts in two nests of New Caledonian Parakeets over 5 years, and noticed that two males of different size fed the female and the chicks in each nest During one breeding attempt, the larger male guarded the female and the smaller male tried to copulate with her inside the nest Genetic analyses showed that males shared paternity During 17 breeding attempts in 11 Horned Parakeet nests, we observed two pairs sharing a nest on one occasion but we never saw feeding helpers

Abstract: Relationships and taxonomy in the parrot subfamilies Nestorinae, Loriinae and PIatycercinae are reviewed, using published information and museum material. These subfamilies seem to form a monophyletic group. The Neotropical genera Forpus, Amoropsittaca, Psilopsiagon and Bolborhynchus appear to be more closely related to other Neotropical parrots than to any member of this Old World group. Within this group, the Loriinae appear to have arisen from a. platycercine-Iike ancestral stock, with the fig-parrots Psittaculirostris showing intermediate characters. Because of the marked gap between the fig-parrots and other groups in these characters it is proposed that they be placed in a separate subfamily (Psittaculirostrinae). The Nestorinae may have- evolved from an early lory-like stock. Melopsittacus and Pezoporus are probably mere closely related to the Platycercinae than to other parrots, and Lathamus ought probably to be retained in the Loriinae, of which it may be a little-advanced form. Eunymphicus is merged with Cyanoramphus because of similarities in structure of skull, pattern of plumage, coloration, distribution and calls. Following other recent authors, Barnardius is kept separate from Platycercus.