Pitufa.at » Photo Galleries » Tahanea - Birds of the Tuamotus

Seabirds are threatened by destruction of their habitat (they need shrubs and leaf trees, not coconut plantations), introduction of predatory species (rats, cats, etc.) and human hunters. Tahanea is one of the atolls where they can still breed undisturbed on a handful of motus on the southern side of the lagoon.

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1/36: Flocks of birds circle the southern motus and the motus inside the lagoon.
2/36: Brown booby starting after a plunge dive for fish.
3/36: Brown boobies build nests on the ground.
4/36: They usually lay two eggs.
5/36: Freshly hatched brown booby.
6/36: Brown booby chick.
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8/36: Masked booby taking off.
9/36: Masked booby.
10/36: Masked boobies lay the eggs directly on the sand.
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16/36: Red-footed boobies build their nests up in trees.
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18/36: Bristle-thighed curlews migrate to the South Pacific from Alaska.
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22/36: Frigate bird
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26/36: Fishing noddies.
27/36: Noddy
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29/36: Endemic tuamotu sandpiper.
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31/36: White terns
32/36: White tern chick
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