Acrocephalus aequinoctialis - Known locally as the bokikokiko, the Kiritimati reed warbler is found only on Kiritimati and Teraina Island. The bokikokiko is larger than most warblers, but shares the common trait of being highly vocal and having a primary diet of insects. Breeding pairs are monogamous and maintain a territory of about 2 hectares. A typical clutch contains four eggs and the nesting site is usually located just below the canopy of an octopus bush, a small shrub of about 3 meters.
- - - - -
Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is the world’s largest atoll. It has a land area of 388 square kilometers and comprises 70% of Kiribati’s total land area. Kiritimati has been set aside as a wildlife sanctuary. Banaba is the only true island in Kiribati; the others are coral atolls. Banaba had been mined extensively for its rich deposits of phosphate, an ingredient used in manufacturing fertilizer. The mining operations began in 1900, ended in 1979, and resulted in stripping away almost 90% of the island.
