This kingfisher has not been made into a kingfisher, but it has also become extinct in the wild.

In the Micronesian island group, one of the three major island groups in the Pacific Ocean, there is a Pacific island country called the Federated States of Micronesia . However, the Federated States of Micronesia is not equivalent to the Micronesian Islands, because the latter also includes Palau, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Guam and other countries and regions.

Simplified Oceania map: the yellow line frames the entire Micronesian archipelago, while the red line frames the subset, which is the Federated States of Micronesia | Tintazul / wiki commons

If you haven’t gotten confused yet, try this:

One of three species of the Micronesian Kingfisher , found only in the Federated States of Micronesia in the Micronesian Islands.

Pearl of the Pacific

National emblem of the Federated States of Micronesia | Pbroks13 / wiki commons

On the national emblem of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), four stars (representing the four states of Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap) surround a sprouting coconut floating on the sea. This is in line with the image of a tropical island country with vast seas , sparse population and lush vegetation .

The major islands of the states in the FSM are all volcanic islands, and most of the small islands outside the main island are atoll islands. The climate is tropical marine, and the ecological environment is diverse, with many unique species . Fisheries are the main economic industry of the FSM, especially tuna. The country is rich in tourism resources, with unique island culture, beautiful primitive ecology and top diving resorts.

Mangrove crabs are a local delicacy | Stevenson John / flickr.com

Emerald in the Archipelago

The sea water blocks human communication, causing the Pacific islands to develop unintelligible languages ​​and cultural traditions. Geographical isolation also hinders the exchange of genes between birds, causing the kingfishers living here to gradually split into three independent species , each species distributed only on one island or group of islands (Guam, Pohnpei and Palau).

These three kingfishers were once lumped together as "Micronesian kingfisher" (Todiramphus cinnamominus), as three subspecies of the same species. But recent studies have led ornithologists to support their separation, calling them Guam kingfisher (T. cinnamominus), Pohnpei kingfisher (T. reichenbachii) and Palau kingfisher (T. pelewensis) according to their origin. The three kingfishers have similar colors and habits, and the main differences are in primary feathers and size - the Palau kingfisher is the smallest, while the Guam kingfisher is the largest.

Male Guam kingfisher at the Bronx Zoo, USA | Eric Savage / wiki commons

Compared to other kingfishers, the Micronesian kingfisher may be slightly less colorful, but it is still unforgettable. Its back is a deep iridescent green-blue, its head is a deep cinnamon color, with a blue-black eye pattern running behind the ear, and its abdomen is divided into two color patterns: one is a cinnamon color similar to the head, and the other is a white belly.

Female Guam kingfisher at the San Diego Zoo | Dick Daniels / wiki commons

The difference in belly color is caused by gender differences . But interestingly, in the Guam kingfisher, the belly of the male is cinnamon-colored, while the belly of the female and sub-adult birds is white; while the other two species are just the opposite , the belly of the adult male is white.

Pohnpei's kingfisher is a bit more subtle | Thibaud Aronson / wiki commons

Although there are slight differences in size, their body length is between 20 and 24 cm, with a wingspan of 20 cm, and they are medium-sized kingfishers. They prey on insects, small crustaceans, mouse pups, lizards, etc., and are typical opportunists .

The Palau kingfisher has a brighter cinnamon skull | Thibaud Aronson / wiki commons

Before the Micronesian kingfishers "split up", they had a beautiful jade-like Chinese common name - Guihong Feicui . This is a translation of the specific epithet "cinnamon-colored" of the Guam kingfisher (which was once the nominative subspecies of the Micronesian kingfisher). However, I believe that compared with "Guihong", everyone's attention should be focused on **"Feicui"**.

Qing Dynasty green jadeite incense burner | James St. John / wiki commons

But in fact, as the radicals indicate, the word "jadeite" that now refers to precious jade actually comes from birds . The "Shuowen Jiezi" of the Eastern Han Dynasty said: "Jadeite is a red-feathered bird. Cui is a green-feathered bird." If we relax the color scale a little and include reddish brown in red, the Micronesian kingfishers really have both colors.

Possessing a treasure is a crime? Not yet

Tang Dynasty poet Chen Ziang wrote about the emerald bird on the South China Sea: "Emerald nests in the South China Sea, male and female pearl trees", but unfortunately because of its beautiful feathers, it "died in Yanzhou, and left its feathers in the shade of Yutang". The result of being loved by people is that the bird is killed for its feathers and becomes an ornament . It can be said to be the bird version of "the crime of possessing a treasure".

The kingfisher hairpin made in the 19th century is beautiful, but many white-breasted and blue-breasted jadeites have lost their lives because of it | Nalin Singapuri / wiki commons

But the fate of Micronesian kingfishers tells another story.

Micronesian kingfishers live in the forest and do not like to show up. They have a wide range of diets and there is no hunting on the island. They should be a very stable population, but their number has dropped sharply due to human influence .

The Guam kingfisher is the worst hit of the three species, having been extinct in the wild for decades , with only a small number of individuals being rescued and bred in captivity.

The cause of their population collapse was the invasion of brown tree snakes , which suddenly appeared in Guam after World War II and before 1952, and quickly destroyed the fragile ecological balance on Guam. Many lizards and birds on the island no longer exist, and the Guam kingfisher is just one of them.

With abundant food and few natural enemies, the brown tree snake population on Guam quickly reached unprecedented density | Pavel Kirillov / wiki commons

In 1986, American researchers moved the remaining 29 wild Guam kingfishers from the island into an artificial environment for protection, and no new individuals have been found on the island since then. Today, all Guam kingfishers in the world are captive individuals, but fortunately their artificial breeding status is still good, and in recent years conservationists are seeking opportunities to release them back into the wild .

A male Guam kingfisher at the San Diego Zoo, part of a breeding program | Dick Daniels / wiki commons

At the same time, the number of Pohnpei kingfishers also declined rapidly, falling by 63% between 1983 and 1994. Although some experts pointed out that this alarming data may be related to the over-optimistic valuation of the survey data in 1983, the data from the following decades show that the trend of the Pohnpei kingfisher population is certain to decline rapidly .

The direct cause of their decline has not yet been determined, but scientists believe that climate change is to blame.

Saving the Pohnpei Kingfisher

In Pohnpei, the largest state in the FSM and home to the capital, Palikir, Micronesian kingfishers could once be seen feeding on telephone wires along the forest edge.

This is why the FSM is extremely concerned about the protection of its environment and ecology . As the "last paradise", the FSM retains many pristine ecosystems, which is the reason why tourists come to the FSM and the foundation of the FSM's tourism economy.

The small island on the southern barrier reef of Pohnpei can be said to meet all people's imaginations of a "tropical paradise" | Patrick Nunn / wiki commons

However, with climate change and rising sea levels, the low-lying archipelago habitats and their endemic species are facing a pessimistic outlook. "The impacts of climate change are being felt on our disappearing coasts," said Marcoto Robert, Chief Attorney General and Attorney General of the FSM. "The nations that are first to be affected by climate change must now prepare to use international law to influence global energy use."

In addition to vigorously promoting the development and utilization of renewable energy in the country, the FSM also actively participates in international organizations, seeking the understanding and support of various countries and regions in their concern for climate change.

China has provided equipment and materials needed for environmental protection to several developing countries, including the Federated States of Micronesia, including wind and solar power generation and lighting equipment, solar mobile power supplies, biogas equipment, etc. At the United Nations Climate Change Conferences held in Cancun, Durban and Doha, China shared its domestic experience in energy conservation and emission reduction, and pledged to increase environmental protection assistance to the least developed countries, small island countries and African countries to help them develop clean energy and improve their ability to cope with climate change.

Chuuk Lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. Not only is it attractive for its natural environment, but it also contains many World War II naval remains, and has now been developed into a unique underwater museum | Matt Kieffer / flickr.com

The benign interaction between species and their living environment maintains the health of the earth's ecology and is also conducive to human survival . The disappearance of each species will bring unfortunate consequences. The extinction of species that has occurred in modern times is endless, and humans should hear the alarm bells ringing.

As the national anthem of the FSM sings, "We work together, with our hearts, our voices and our hands, until we make these islands, another promised land." - May the kingfishers fly long over the emerald islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Author: Ditang

Editor: Old Cat

This article comes from GuokrNature (ID: GuokrNature)

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