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

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
B1ab(iii); D	B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D	B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D1+2

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2020	Critically Endangered	B1ab(iii); D
2018	Critically Endangered	D
2016	Critically Endangered	D
2015	Critically Endangered	D
2013	Critically Endangered	D
2012	Critically Endangered	D
2011	Critically Endangered	D1
2010	Critically Endangered	D1
2009	Critically Endangered	D1
2008	Critically Endangered
2006	Critically Endangered
2004	Critically Endangered
2000	Critically Endangered
1996	Critically Endangered
1994	Critically Endangered
1988	Threatened

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

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	4 km2	medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	16 km2
Number of locations	1	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	25-100 mature individuals	good	observed	2019
Population trend	increasing	good	observed	2001-2011
Generation length	3.33 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	1-3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	33-100%	-	-	-

Population justification: In 2014, there were an estimated 43 territorial adults (20 in Maruapo, 13 in Papehue and 10 in Tiapa), plus at least ten more non-territorial birds (Blanvillain et al. 2015), fledging 12 young (LPO 2014). In 2015, 53 adults (but only 13 breeding pairs) fledged 14 young (Blanvillain et al. 2018). The population size has continued to rise, and in 2018 the population size was estimated at 79 adults (Blanvillain 2019, Blanvillain et al. 2020), followed by an estimated 91 adults in 2019 (C. Blanvillain in litt. 2020). The species has a low reproductive rate; a study found that only 56% of pairs attempt to lay an egg in any year. (Blanvillain et al. 2018). Between 2015 and 2019, the number of breeding individuals was 26, 28, 28, 34 and 48 (C. Blanvillain in litt. 2020). Therefore, the number of mature individuals is placed in the band 25-100 mature individuals.

The distances between the range valleys are small, and an individual transferred from Maruapo to Tiapa in 2009 was found to have moved back to its original Maruapo territory in 2012 (Blanvillain et al. 2013). However, differences have been observed between the calls of individuals in each valley, and ringed individuals have not been confirmed to move between the valleys spontaneously (C. Blanvillain in litt. 2020). The species is therefore thought to have 1-3 subpopulations.

Trend justification: It was apparently rare throughout the 20th century and, during the period 1986-1991, was noted in only four valleys (several pairs at each locality) out of 39 visited (Monnet et al. 1993). In 1998, 25 birds were located in four valleys containing isolated populations of 5–7 birds each (Blanvillain et al. 2003). Following the initiation of a recovery programme in 1998, the population size began to increase slowly. Twenty-eight birds were recorded in 2000 (Blanvillain et al. 2003). In 2001, a further population of 33 birds was discovered upstream beyond several waterfalls, in one of the species's range valleys (Blanvillain et al. 2018). The total population in 2006 was estimated at 40-45 individuals (P. Raust in litt. 2005, Gouni et al. 2007). In the mid-2000s, the population size declined slightly, and by 2009, the population size was estimated at 33 individuals (Ghestemme 2009). From 2009 onwards, the population size has continued to increase. There were 36 known mature birds in 2010 (Blanvillain et al. 2013), 40 individuals (including seven fledglings) in 2011 (Ghestemme et al. 2011) and 43-44 individuals in 2012 (Blanvillain 2012). In 2014, there were an estimated 43 territorial adults (20 in Maruapo, 13 in Papehue and 10 in Tiapa), plus at least ten more non-territorial birds (Blanvillain et al. 2015). In 2015, 53 adults (but only 13 breeding pairs) fledged 14 young (Blanvillain et al. 2018). The rate of population increase has accelerated, and in 2018 the population size was estimated at 79 adults (Blanvillain 2019, Blanvillain et al. 2020), followed by an estimated 91 adults in 2019 (C. Blanvillain in litt. 2020).

The rate of population increase has been estimated at 1% per year from 1998-2012, 11% per year from 2012 onwards, and 17% per year from 2016 (SOP-Manu 2018, Blanvillain et al. 2020).

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

Country/Territory	IBA Name
French Polynesia	Vallées Maruapo, Papehue, Hopuetamai et Orofero

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Altitude	80 - 400 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Climate change & severe weather	Storms & flooding	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Acridotheres tristis	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Likely to Return		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Past Impact
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Capra hircus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Circus approximans	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Miconia calvescens	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Plasmodium relictum	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Pycnonotus cafer	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Competition, Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Rattus rattus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Likely to Return		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Past Impact
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Spathodea campanulata	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		No decline		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Wasmannia auropunctata	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Likely to Return		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Past Impact
		Stresses Competition, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases - Circus approximans	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases - Todiramphus veneratus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species disturbance, Competition
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Viral/prion-induced diseases - Avipoxvirus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Tahiti Monarch Pomarea nigra. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/tahiti-monarch-pomarea-nigra on 21/12/2024.
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 21/12/2024.