Time Travel: New Zealand Avifauna Before Humans

06/23/24 • 15 min

Come on a time travelling journey with me to somewhere I wish I could go for a day! Pre-human New Zealand, when birds ruled the land.
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Books used for research:

Birdstories - Geoff Norman

References:

Brathwaite, D. H. (1992). Notes on the weight, flying ability, habitat, and prey of Haast’s Eagle (Harpagornis moorei). Notornis, 39(4), 239-247.
Carpenter, J. K., Innes, J. G., Wood, J. R., & Lyver, P. O’B. (2021). Good predators: the roles of weka (Gallirallus australis) in New Zealand’s past and present ecosystems. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 45(1), 1-14.
Gill, B. J. (2003). Osteometry and systematics of the extinct New Zealand ravens (Aves: Corvidae: Corvus). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 1(1), 43-58.
Gill, B. J., Furey, L., & Ash, E. (2020). The Moa Fauna (Aves: Dinornithiformes) of the Auckland and Coromandel Regions, New Zealand. Records of the Auckland Museum, 55, 85-100.
Holdaway, R. N. (1989). New Zealand's pre-human avifauna and its vulnerability. New Zealand journal of ecology, 11-25.
Holdaway, R. N., Worthy, T. H., & Tennyson, A. J. (2001). A working list of breeding bird species of the New Zealand region at first human contact. New Zealand journal of zoology, 28(2), 119-187.
McGlone, M. S. (1989). The Polynesian settlement of New Zealand in relation to environmental and biotic changes. New Zealand journal of ecology, 115-129.
Wood, J. R., Richardson, S. J., McGlone, M. S., & Wilmshurst, J. M. (2020). The diets of moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes). New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 44(1), 1-21.
Wood, J. R., Scofield, R. P., Hamel, J., Lalas, C., & Wilmshurst, J. M. (2017). Bone stable isotopes indicate a high trophic position for New Zealand’s extinct South Island adzebill (Aptornis defossor)(Gruiformes: Aptornithidae). New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 41(2), 240-244.
Worthy, T. H. (1990). An analysis of the distribution and relative abundance of moa species (Aves: Dinornithiformes). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 17(2), 213-241.
Worthy, T. H., & Scofield, R. P. (2012). Twenty-first century advances in knowledge of the biology of moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes): a new morphological analysis and moa diagnoses revised. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 39(2), 87-153.

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Birdstories - Geoff Norman

References:

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Previous Episode

New/Rare Bird Sightings In New Zealand

I hope some new/rare people venture outside their normal "podcast range" and find this episode!
Amendments:
I forgot to mention Southey in the list of authors responsible for the compilation of bird reports from the RAC. They are accurately cited below. My apologies!
Also, I meant black CURRAWONG, not burrawong! Sorry for that mistake - I was having trouble saying the name, and evidently still had trouble even when I thought I'd nailed it haha.
Follow me on instagram: matt.rossella
Support the podcast on patreon: patreon.com/blurbs439
References:
Miskelly, C. M. (2020). First record of rose-crowned fruit-dove (Ptilinopus regina) from New Zealand. Notornis, 67, 564-567.

Miskelly, C. M., Crossland, A. C., Sagar, P. M., Saville, I., Tennyson, A. J., & Bell, E. A. (2015). Vagrant and extra-limital bird records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2013–2014. Notornis, 62, 85-95.

Miskelly, C. M., Crossland, A. C., Sagar, P. M., Saville, I., Tennyson, A. J., & Bell, E. A. (2017). Vagrant and extra-limital bird records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2015-2016. Notornis, 64, 57-67.
Miskelly, C. M., Crossland, A. C., Saville, I., Southey, I., Tennyson, A. J., & Bell, E. A. (2019). Vagrant and extra-limital bird records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2017–2018. Notornis, 66, 150-163.
Miskelly, C. M., Crossland, A. C., Saville, I., Southey, I., Tennyson, A. J., & Bell, E. A. (2021). Vagrant and extra-limital bird records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2019–2020. Notornis, 68, 253-265.
Miskelly, C. M., Crossland, A. C., Saville, I., Southey, I., Tennyson, A. J., & Bell, E. A. (2023). Vagrant and extra-limital bird records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2021–2022. Notornis, 70(2), 60-73.
Williams, M., Gummer, H., Powlesland, R., Robertson, H., & Taylor, G. (2006). Migrations and movements of birds to New Zealand and surrounding seas. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.

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Next Episode

The Stitchbird (Hihi)

Come and learn all about New Zealand's only bird to be the sole member of its family.
Snitches get stitchbirds!
Follow me on instagram: matt.rossella
Support the podcast on patreon: patreon.com/blurbs439
References:

Angehr, G. R. (1984). A bird in the hand: Andreas Reischek and the Stitchbird. Notornis, 31(4), 300-311.
Duntsch, L. (2022). Genomic insights into the adaptive potential of the hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand bird (Doctoral dissertation, ResearchSpace@ Auckland).
Duntsch, L., Tomotani, B. M., de Villemereuil, P., Brekke, P., Lee, K. D., Ewen, J. G., & Santure, A. W. (2020). Polygenic basis for adaptive morphological variation in a threatened Aotearoa| New Zealand bird, the hihi (Notiomystis cincta). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 287(1933), 20200948.
Ewen, J. G., Flux, I., & Ericson, P. G. (2006). Systematic affinities of two enigmatic New Zealand passerines of high conservation priority, the hihi or stitchbird Notiomystis cincta and the kokako Callaeas cinerea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40(1), 281-284.
Ewen, J. G., Renwick, R., Adams, L., Armstrong, D. P., Parker, K. A., & North, N. Z. D. (2013). 1980-2012: 32 years of re-introduction efforts of the hihi (stitchbird) in New Zealand. Global Re-introduction Perspectives: 2013. Further case studies from around the globe, 68.
Low, M. (2010). Which factors limited Stitchbird population growth on Mokoia Island?. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 269-271.
Low, M., & Pärt, T. (2009). Patterns of mortality for each life‐history stage in a population of the endangered New Zealand stitchbird. Journal of Animal Ecology, 78(4), 761-771.
Makan, T., Castro, I., Robertson, A. W., Joy, M. K., & Low, M. (2014). Habitat complexity and management intensity positively influence fledging success in the endangered hihi (Notiomystis cincta). New Zealand journal of ecology, 53-63.
Rasch, G. (1985). The ecology of cavity nesting in the stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 12(4), 637-642.
Rippon, R. J., Alley, M. R., & Castro, I. (2011). Causes of mortality in a nestling population of free-living hihi (stitchbird—Notiomystis cincta). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 38(3), 207-222.
Roper, M. M., & Brunton, D. H. (2024). Do hihi lose access to supplemental feeders because of the presence of korimako?. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 51(2), 317-333.
Selwyn, R. E., Lenting, B., Beaven, K. C., & Irwin, E. T. (2022). Successful use of intraspecific parental fostering in the management of an endemic threatened bird: New Zealand’s hihi (Notiomystis cincta). Notornis, 69, 116-118.
Smith, C., Walker, L. K., & Ewen, J. G. (2015). Age and sex criteria for the hihi (Notiomystis cincta) with additional details on moult patterns. Notornis, 62(3), 135-142.