Pomarea fluxa
The Eiao Monarch (Pomarea fluxa) was a striking passerine endemic to Eiao Island in the northern Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. This critically endangered species, unfortunately declared extinct in 1998, was a member of the Monarchidae family, closely related to other *Pomarea* species found across Polynesian islands. Adults measured approximately 17-18 cm (6.7-7.1 inches) in length, with distinct sexual dimorphism. Males boasted a glossy black plumage with a contrasting white patch on ...
Historically, the Eiao Monarch inhabited the dense native dry forest and moist broadleaf forest remnants of Eiao Island, at elevations from sea level to the island's highest points. It favored areas with a well-developed understory and canopy for foraging and nesting.
The Eiao Monarch was primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates gleaned from leaves and bark, and occasionally snatched in flight.
Little is known about the specific daily activities of the Eiao Monarch due to its extreme rarity prior to extinction, but observations suggest it was an active, arboreal insectivore. It likely forged primarily in the mid-canopy and understory, gleaning insects from foliage and branches, similar ...
The Eiao Monarch was strictly endemic to Eiao Island, one of the northernmost islands in the Marquesas archipelago, French Polynesia. Its historical distribution was limited entirely to this small island, roughly 50 square kilometers (19 sq mi) in area. Within Eiao, it primarily inhabited the rem...
Extinct
- The Eiao Monarch was one of six *Pomarea* species endemic to the Marquesas Islands, all of which are critically endangered or extinct. - It was declared extinct in 1998, with the last confirmed sighting in 1977. - Its extinction is primarily attributed to habitat destruction by introduced lives...