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Tīeke
The saddlebacks or tīeke (Māori) are two species of New Zealand birds of the family Callaeidae. Both are glossy black with a chestnut saddle. Their taxonomic family is also known as that of the (New Zealand) "wattlebirds" and includes the two species of kōkako, and the extinct huia. All members of the family Callaeidae have coloured fleshy wattles on either side of the beak; the saddlebacks' are a vivid red. Taxonomy The genus ''Philesturnus'' was introduced in 1832 by the French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire to accommodate a single species, the South Island saddleback, which is therefore the type species of the genus. The name combines the honeyeater genus ''Philedon'' and the starling genus ''Sturnus''. The saddleback's common name derives from the demarcated brown plumage on its back, which resembles a saddle. The Māori name, , is onomatopoeic and comes from one of the species' calls: "ti-e-ke-ke-ke-ke". There are two species: * North Island saddleback – ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Island Saddleback
The North Island saddleback (''Philesturnus rufusater'') is a forest-dwelling passerine bird species endemic (ecology), endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It was once considered conspecific with the South Island saddleback. The IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened, while it is listed as a "relict" species in the New Zealand Threat Classification System. Saddlebacks are known in Māori language, Māori as ''tīeke''. Taxonomy and systematics René Lesson first described the species in 1828 from a specimen collected in the Bay of Islands four years earlier, using the binomial name ''Icterus rufusater''. The Specific name (zoology), specific name ''rufusater'' refers to the saddleback's plumage – a combination of the Latin words ''rufus'' 'reddish-brown', and ''ater'' 'black'. Their placement in the genus ''New World oriole, Icterus'' has since been revised, and the two saddleback species are now in their own genus, ''Philesturnus''. The name of this genus, created ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
