New Zealand wattlebird
The New Zealand wattlebird is a unique group of birds known for their distinctive wattles, which are folds of skin hanging from their faces, typically orange in color, except for the Northern Island kokako, which has blue wattles. These birds inhabit dense forests, where they build low nests and forage on the forest floor for insects, fruit, and berries. The wattlebird family includes several species, such as the North Island kokako and saddleback, which exhibit varying plumage, from gray and black to striking black and red. Unfortunately, New Zealand wattlebirds have experienced significant population declines due to habitat destruction from agriculture and logging, as well as predation by introduced species like cats and rats. Historically, both European settlers and Māori peoples have also collected their plumage for decorative purposes. Nesting occurs in spring and early summer, with females laying two to four eggs, which both parents help nurture. With lifespans of around 13 years, these birds are an integral part of New Zealand's ecological heritage, although some species, like the Huia, have become extinct, and others, such as the South Island kokako, are critically endangered.
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New Zealand wattlebird
New Zealand wattlebirds receive their name from the orange or black wattles, or folds of skin, that hang from their faces. These birds build nests low to the ground in dense forests where they forage on the ground for fruit, insects, and berries.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Callaeidae
Genus: Various (see below)
Species: Various (see below)
New Zealand wattlebirds have faced a great decline in population as people have cleared the birds' dense forest habitats for agriculture and logging. Other birds have lost their lives to predators, such as cats and rats, which European settlers introduced many years ago. These settlers and the Māori peoples have also collected the birds' plumage (feathering) for ornamentation. These birds forage on the ground for insects, fruit, and berries. The kokako and the saddleback also eat from all the other levels of the forest.
Kokakos have gray, black, and white plumage, while the saddlebacks are black and red. Wattles, or folds of bare flesh, hang down from the faces of these birds. The wattles are orange for all the birds except for the group of kokakos on Northern Island, which has blue wattles. Birds of all three species are between 10 and 21 inches (25 to 53 centimeters) long and weigh between three and nine ounces (77 to 240 grams). Wattlebirds have strong legs for walking and running, while their wings are small but still fine for short flights.
New Zealand wattlebirds usually mate in the spring and early summer. The female builds a flat platform nest high in a tree, up to 33 feet high (10 meters). She lays two to four pale gray or white eggs with purple-brown spots. The female incubates the eggs as the male brings food to her and flies alongside her when she leaves the nest to forage. After 18 to 25 days of incubation, the hatchlings break out of their shells. While they remain in the nest for another month they are called nestlings and receive food from both parents. The young stay with their parents for several months after they leave the nest but do not have any long-term contact with them after that time.
These birds have a lifespan of around 13 years.
The Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris) became extinct in 2017. The South Island Kokako (Callaeas cinereus) was labeled critically endangered in 2019 with less than 50 estimated remaining.
Species include:
North Island kokako Callaeas wilsoni
North Island saddleback Philesturnus rufusater
South Island saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus
Bibliography
"South Island Kokako." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2019, www.iucnredlist.org/species/103730380/156237250. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Winkler, D. W., et al. "Wattlebirds (Callaeidae)." Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2020, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/callae1/cur/introduction. Accessed 1 May 2024.