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Air Tahiti Magazine 52
nature © a.gouni - sop manu martin triste ou merle des moluques (acridotheres tristis). cet oiseau originaire d asie, fut introduit en polynesie vers 1910 pour lutter contre les insectes. agressif, il met en peril les especes endemiques. common (or molucca) mynah (acridotheres tristis). originally from asia, this bird was introduced in french polynesia around 1912 to fight insects. agressive, it is a danger to endemic species. des oiseaux on y trouve ainsi,que ne font pas nichant a terre, ce les souches originelles, sur les continents. > caracteres morphologiques seulement. des variations qui correspondent a des adaptations relatives, notamment, a la nourriture speciale qu elles trouvent sur chaque ile ou a l absence de mammiferes predateurs. on y trouve ainsi, des oiseaux nichant a terre, ce que ne font pas les souches originelles, sur les continents. les mutations les plus visibles chez ces oiseaux touchent essentiellement a la forme du bec, aux couleurs du plumage ou a l aptitude a voler. ces oiseaux endemiques representent l une des principales richesses du patrimoine naturel de la polynesie francaise. mais il s agit de populations tres petites, donc tres vulnerables. actuellement, par exemple, dix-neuf especes sont menacees sur les trente et une especes terrestres indigenes recensees. suite au processus de colonisation naturelle millenaire, puis a des introductions dues a l homme, on compte aujourd hui plus d une centaine d especes differentes. on les classe en cinq grandes categories : les oiseaux terrestres nicheurs, les oiseaux terrestres migrateurs, les oiseaux marins nicheurs, les especes introduites et les oiseaux dits visiteurs occasionnels. il faudrait y ajouter les especes disparues. les connaissances sur l avifaune, la faune des oiseaux, polynesienne ne sont pas en mesure de permettre l identification definitive des oiseaux > this is how, for instance, on some islands birds may nest on the ground while the original, continental stock does not. the most visible mutations in these birds are essentially in beak shape, colors of plumage or flying ability. these endemic birds are some of the main riches of french polynesia s natural heritage. however, they survive in very small populations, and are thus extremely vulnerable. today, for example, 19 out of 31 inventoried indigenous species are threatened with extinction. the natural, age-old colonization process and man-made introductions have resulted in the presence of over 100 species. they are classified in five great categories : nesting land birds, migrating land birds, nesting seabirds, migrating seabirds, imported species and birds called occasional visitors . one should add extinct species. the current state of knowledge on polynesian avifauna bird life does not allow the definitive identification of birds that disappeared after the arrival of polynesians and, later, after the arrival of westerners in the 1760s. however, it is estimated that about twelve species became extinct after the coming of the first inhabitants, and another twenty since the 18th century. ancient polynesians considered birds as emanations of the gods and some were truly worshipped. > instance, on this is how, for may nest on some islands birds the ground while the original, continental stock does not. 42 r e v u e d e b o r d n ° 5 2 / a i r ta h i t i / o n - b o a r d m a g a z i n e n ° 5 2
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