Birding in New Caledonia with Grandma

The Kagu (), Rhynochetos jubatus, is a long-legged blue-greyish bird endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the family Rhynochetidae, although a second, larger species of the genus Rhynochetos, the Lowland Kagu Rhynochetos orarius, has been described from Holocene subfossil remains.Balouet, J. C. and S. L. Olson. (1989). Fossil birds from Late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 469: 1-38 It is almost flightless, and builds a ground nest of sticks, laying a single egg. It has proved vulnerable to introduced predators, and is threatened with extinction. The remote habitat and rarity of this species mean that little is known of its habits.

The Crow Honeyeater (Gymnomyza aubryana) is a very large honeyeater with orange facial wattles. It superficially resembles a crow with its glossy black plumage. Crow Honeyeaters have long rounded wings and a long tail and neck. Their bill is long and bicolored- yellow below, black above. It has a loud, ringing sound.

This bird is endemic to New Caledonia and lives in humid forests on hills. It is relatively inconspicuous, and lives either in pairs or alone. It forages for invertebrates and nectar in the canopy and midstorey.

This bird is critically endangered due to introduced rats. It is spread throughout the island, though mostly in the south. It is estimated that there are between 50 and 250 birds left.

The Beach Stone-curlew, Esacus giganteus also known as Beach Thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird occurs in Australasia and the islands of South-east Asia.

It is less strictly nocturnal than most stone-curlews, and can sometimes be seen foraging by daylight, moving slowly and deliberately, with occasional short runs. It tends to be wary and fly off into the distance ahead of the observer, employing slow, rather stiff wingbeats.

The Beach Stone-curlew is a resident of undisturbed open beaches, exposed reefs, mangroves, and tidal sand or mudflats over a large range, including coastal eastern Australia as far south as far eastern Victoria, the northern Australian coast and nearby islands, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It is uncommon over most of its range, and rare south of Cairns.

A single egg is laid just above the high tide line on the open beach, where it is vulnerable to predation and human disturbance.

The Beach Stone-curlew is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and throughout Australia (with the exception of Tasmania). Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it makes up for its subdued plumage with its song-making ability. Like many other members of the Pachycephalidae, it is has a variety of musical calls.