Prehistoric extinctions of Pacific island birds

Nearly all islands in Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia were inhabited by non-Western peoples.³ The Solomon islands may have been occupied as early as 30,000ybp,⁴ but the islands of western Polynesia and Micronesia may not have been colonized until 3500ybp, with some being colonized as recently as 1000ybp.

• Hawaii - Humans arrived on the Hawaiian islands about 1500-2000ybp. At least 60 endemic species went extinct after Polynesians arrived but before contact with Europeans,⁵ and another 20-25 species have been lost in the last two centuries.

• New Zealand, Punakaiti karst (South Island) - 50 known species of land birds prior to arrival of humans, 27 are extinct.

• Total loss from Polynesia may exceed 2000 species, 20% of known species of birds.