These central Pacific islands-Teraina (or Washington Island), Tabuaeran (Fanning Island) and Kiritimati (Christmas Island, 364 km²)-are politically part of Kiribati (see also Secondary Area s125). Native vegetation includes coastal strand vegetation, limited areas of mangroves and relict stands of inland forest. Secondary vegetation and coconut plantations predominate today, and the islands have been further altered as a result of guano extraction and, on Kiritimati, the testing of nuclear weapons. The islands constitute a Secondary Area because a restricted-range species, Bokikokiko Acrocephalus aequinoctialis, is endemic to (and common on) the group. A further two restricted-range species are known from the islands: Tuamotu Sandpiper Prosobonia cancellata (see EBA 214), which is extinct on Kiritimati where the type-specimen was collected, and Kuhl's Lorikeet Vini kuhlii (see EBA 211), which is believed to have been introduced to the islands by early Polynesian voyagers (1,000 birds minimum on Teraina, c.50 on Tabuaeran: Watling 1995). Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis (classified as Vulnerable), a restricted-range species which breeds in western Alaska (Secondary Area s002), winters on islands in the Pacific region including the northern Line Islands.

Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the World. Priorities for biodiversity conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series 7. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Northern Line Islands. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/eba/factsheet/433 on 06/01/2025.