Editing Pitcairn Islands (section)

=== Fauna ===
{{see also|List of birds of the Pitcairn Islands|List of mammals of Pitcairn}}
Between 1937 and 1951, [[Irving Johnson]], skipper of the {{convert|96|ft|adj=on|order=flip}} brigantine ''Yankee Five'', introduced five [[Galápagos tortoise|Galápagos giant tortoises]] to Pitcairn. Turpen, also known as [[Mr Turpen]], or Mr. T, is the sole survivor. Turpen usually lives at Tedside by Western Harbour. A protection order makes it an offence should anyone kill, injure, capture, maim, or cause harm or distress to the tortoise.<ref>[http://www.government.pn/Laws/Endangered%20Species%20Protection%20Ordinance.pdf Endangered Species Protection Ordinance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225212137/http://www.government.pn/Laws/Endangered%20Species%20Protection%20Ordinance.pdf |date=25 February 2013 }}, 2004 revised edition. government.pn</ref>

The birds of Pitcairn fall into several groups. These include seabirds, wading birds and a small number of resident land-bird species. Of 20 breeding species, Henderson Island has 16, including the unique flightless [[Henderson crake]]; Oeno hosts 12; Ducie 13 and Pitcairn six species. Birds breeding on Pitcairn include the [[fairy tern]], [[Brown noddy|common noddy]] and [[red-tailed tropicbird]]. The [[Pitcairn reed warbler]], known by Pitcairners as a "sparrow", is endemic to Pitcairn Island; formerly common, it was added to the [[endangered species]] list in 2008.<ref>{{Cite iucn|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22714832/94429444|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|date=October 2016|access-date=2018-10-23|archive-date=23 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023234246/https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22714832/94429444|url-status=live}}</ref>

A small population of [[humpback whale]]s migrate to the islands annually, to [[overwintering|over-winter]] and breed.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Catharine Horswill (a1) and Jennifer A. Jackson (a1) |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/marine-biodiversity-records/article/div-classtitlehumpback-whales-wintering-at-pitcairn-island-south-pacificdiv/0BF206BF5F0916C6712156BECA98C799 |title=Humpback whales wintering at Pitcairn Island, South Pacific |journal=Marine Biodiversity Records |year=2012 |volume=5 |doi=10.1017/S1755267212000693 |publisher=Cambridge.org |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |bibcode=2012MBdR....5E..90H |access-date=2018-01-03 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202120007/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/marine-biodiversity-records/article/div-classtitlehumpback-whales-wintering-at-pitcairn-island-south-pacificdiv/0BF206BF5F0916C6712156BECA98C799 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Important bird areas ====
The four islands in the Pitcairn group have been identified by [[BirdLife International]] as separate [[Important Bird Area]]s (IBAs). Pitcairn Island is recognised because it is the only nesting site of the [[Pitcairn reed warbler]]. Henderson Island is important for its endemic land-birds as well as its breeding [[seabird]]s. Oeno's ornithological significance derives principally from its [[Murphy's petrel]] colony. Ducie is important for its colonies of [[Murphy's petrel|Murphy's]], [[herald petrel|herald]] and [[Kermadec petrel]]s, and [[Christmas shearwater]]s.<ref>BirdLife International. (2012). [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19786 Important Bird Areas factsheet: Pitcairn Island] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510004443/http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19786 |date=10 May 2013 }}</ref>