The Chatham fernbird (''Poodytes rufescens'') is an extinct bird species that was endemic to the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) ( Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about t ...

. It was historically known only from

Mangere Island Mangere Island (Moriori: ''Maung’ Rē'') is part of the Chatham Islands archipelago, located about east of New Zealand's South Island and has an area of . The island lies off the west coast of Pitt Island, south-east of the main settlement i ...

, but fossils have been found on

Pitt Island Pitt Island is the second largest island in the Chatham Archipelago, New Zealand. It is called ''Rangiauria'' in Māori and ''Rangiaotea'' in ''Moriori.Government of New Zealand, Dept. of Conservation (1999) Chatham IslandsConservation Manage ...

and

Chatham Island Chatham Island ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) is by far the largest island of the Chatham Islands group, in the south Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is said to be "halfway bet ...

as well. Its closest living relative is the

New Zealand fernbird The New Zealand fernbird or simply fernbird (''Poodytes punctatus'') is an insectivorous bird endemic to New Zealand. In the Māori language, it is named or . Taxonomy The New Zealand fernbird was described by the French zoologists Jean Quoy ...

or matata (''Poodytes punctatus''). It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the New Zealand fernbird, but is now widely recognized as its own species. Both fernbirds were formerly placed in their own genus ''Bowdleria''; they were later moved to ''Megalurus'' and most recently ''Poodytes''.

Description

The Chatham fernbird reached a length of 18 cm. Its wings were 5.9 to 6.7 cm. In contrast to the New Zealand fernbird, it had unspotted white underparts, a chestnut-brown crown, a distinct white loral spot, and a dark red-brown back. It was insectivorous but nothing more is known about its ecology.

Extinction

The first individual known to science was collected in 1868 by New Zealand naturalist Charles Traill on Mangere Island by "knocking it over with a stone". He sent it to Sir

Walter Buller Sir Walter Lawry Buller (9 October 1838 – 19 July 1906) was a New Zealand lawyer and naturalist who was a dominant figure in New Zealand ornithology. His book, ''A History of the Birds of New Zealand'', first published in 1873, was publish ...

, who described it as a new species in 1869. In 1871 the population was described as rather common on Mangere but reduced on Pitt Island. The reasons for its extinction were apparently brush fires,

overgrazing Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature ...

by goats and rabbits and predation by rats and feral cats. The last specimen was shot for the collection of

Lionel Walter Rothschild Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild, (8 February 1868 – 27 August 1937) was a British banker, politician, zoologist and soldier, who was a member of the Rothschild family. As a Zionist leader, he was present ...

in 1895 shortly after the introduction of cats to Mangere Island, and it was regarded as extinct by 1900.Day, David (1981): The Doomsday Book of Animals Museum specimens can be seen in the

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Auck ...

, in the

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Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

, in the

Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more ...

, in the

World Museum, Liverpool World Museum is a large museum in Liverpool, England which has extensive collections covering archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences. Special attractions include the Natural History Centre and a planetarium. Entry to t ...

, in the American Museum of Natural History, in

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and Stockholm.

Gallery

Image:Chatham Fernbird.png, Chatham fernbird (above) File:Bowdleria rufescens (AM LB8541-2).jpg, alt=Image of Chatham fernbird mount from the collection of Auckland Museum, Chatham fernbird mount from the collection of

Auckland Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Auckla ...

References

External links

Osteology and Steology and Systematics of the Fernbirds (Bowdleria: Sylviidae ''Notornis'' 37''Chatham Island Fernbird. Bowdleria rufescens.''
by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book ''Extinct Birds of New Zealand'', by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
''Bowdleria punctata (Fernbird) / B. rufescens (Chatham Islands fernbird)''
Artwork by Johannes Keulemans, 1873 {{Taxonbar, from1=Q913105, from2=Q28819554 Poodytes Extinct birds of the Chatham Islands Bird extinctions since 1500 Birds described in 1869 Species made extinct by human activities Taxa named by Walter Buller

Description

Extinction

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links