Pacific home to one-quarter of birds facing extinction
Updated
A new report shows one quarter of all birds in the world that face extinction are found in the Pacific region, including Australia and New Zealand.
The data has been released in a 2008 Red List report published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in partnership with BirdLife International.
The Cook Islands Natural Heritage Project's Gerald McCormack says the Cook Islands have six unique species of bird, and five of these are on the list.
The Cook Islands News reports the Pacific region has the "dubious honour" of having the highest bird extinction rate in the world.
A total of 384 bird species in the region are threatened, with 44 classed as critically endangered, meaning they are only one step away from extinction.
