• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note

Todiramphus veneratus and T. youngi (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as T. veneratus following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	C2a(ii)

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2022	Vulnerable	C2a(ii)
2016	Near Threatened	C2a(ii)
2014	Near Threatened	C2a(ii)
2012	Not Recognised
2008	Not Recognised
2004	Not Recognised
2000	Not Recognised
1994	Not Recognised
1988	Not Recognised

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	low
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	204 km2
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	204 km2
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	7500-15000 mature individuals	medium	estimated	2021
Population trend	decreasing	-	inferred	-
Generation length	3.5 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	1	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	100%	-	-	-

Population justification: Using variable distance point-transect surveys at 46 stations, Kesler et al. (2010) found that in undeveloped upland forests (i.e. those probably most suitable) this species can occur at density up to 240 birds/km². Based on their methodology,  the majority of these are assumed to be mature individuals; the density is therefore set arbitrarily to 170-210 mature individuals/km². Although ZoBell and Furnas (2017) found the species to be present in habitat they designated as 'agricultural', their survey sites were all in close proximity to forest and had scattered trees. In other areas of the island, clearance has been more extensive and given this species' dependence on trees with capacity for cavity excavation for nesting, in these areas it is assumed to be absent. A coarse GIS exercise suggests there is c.80 km² of suitable habitat now on the island yielding an absolute maximum of  c.13,600-16,800 mature individuals. However, it must also be acknowledged that density estimates were made in the most suitable habitats for this species and there is a considered here a reasonable chance the species' population size falls below 10,000 mature individuals. The population size is therefore broadly thought to comprise 7,500-15,000 mature individuals in the absence of a more accurate exercise that quantifies land cover on the island.

Trend justification: ZoBall and Furnas (2017) found that localities that were degraded (areas of forest converted to agriculture), had more non-native birds than native species, and the presence of non-native birds was negatively associated with the presence of the Moorea Kingfisher (see also Wray 2013). In more extreme examples of clearance on the island, the species is assumed to be absent, or at least not breeding, since the latter requires trees with capacity for cavity excavation (see Kesler et al. 2010). Global Forest Watch (2022) data are not available for Mo'orea such that estimating a rate of habitat clearance is not possible, however satellite data (Google Earth 2021) show the expansion of some urban areas and clearance of native forest between 2014 and 2019. Given ongoing clearance and degradation is thought to be causing losses in kingfisher territories (V. ZoBell in litt. 2022), the population is inferred to be declining.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
French Polynesia	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
French Polynesia	Vallée d'Opunohu

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Plantations	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rural Gardens	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Altitude	0 - 300 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development	Tourism & recreation areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Moorea Kingfisher Todiramphus youngi. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/moorea-kingfisher-todiramphus-youngi on 24/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 24/11/2024.