What Bird Am I?

[gthang]

Hot on the heels of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, here is the day's first question:

Not sure if anyone remembers, but earlier last century, there was a bird believed to be extinct, that is, until 1948, when a few pairs were rediscovered in New Zealand. They had been moved into nearby sanctuaries after the rediscovery, and now have over 60 birds in the wild. Anyone care to have a stab at what bird it is?

And no cheating, answer's gotta be from memory.

A few hours from now, I'll post another question, about an entirely different bird.

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Gthang

nice question

i must confess to knowing the answer though...

so i'll leave it for others to have a crack

atb
Tim

[Jurij Hanžel]

I'm bluffing now: the only bird from New Zealand that I know of (and was nearly extinct) is Kakapo.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I think it's Takahe, although aren't there more than 60 birds now?

[Tim Allwood]

that's my answer too fifey!

[alcedo.atthis]

"I think it's Takahe, although aren't there more than 60 birds now?"

There were only 4 official sightings of takahe between 1800 and 1900, so by 1930 the takahe was presumed extinct.

http://www.kcc.org.nz/birds/takahe/_geoffreyorbell.JPGBut there was a man, Dr Geoffrey Orbell, who believed there were still takahe in the valleys of the Murchison Mountains. He spent his weekends and holidays tramping through the valleys with his friends in search of the takahe. It took many trips and LOTS of walking, but he found them!



Dr Geoffrey Orbell rediscovered the takahe on the 20th of November 1948. It turned out there were about 250 takahe living in the valleys of the Murchison Mountains and the neighbouring ranges. The valley where Dr Orbell rediscovered the takahe was named ‘Takahe Valley’ and the Lake nearby was named 'Lake Orbell'
In 1847 the takahe was given the scientific name ‘Notornis mantelli' after the scientist Walter Mantell, who discovered takahe bones in the North Island. However the takahe is now recognised in the same grouping as the pukeko, so its scientific name changed to 'Porphyrio mantelli hochstetteri'
Takahe Timeline
Before people arrived in NZTakahe lived throughout New Zealand
Peole arrivedTakahe numbers dropped due to introduced predators, habitat loss and being eaten.
The last population survived, unknown, in the Murchison Mountains.
1800-19004 official recorded sightings of takahe
By 1930 Takahe presumed extinct
1940s & 1950s Red deer became established in the Murchison Mountains
1948 Takahe rediscovered by Dr Geoffrey Orbell. Around 250 Takahe found living in the Murchison Mountains.
Early 1970s Wildlife Service staff noticed a decline in Takahe numbers
1976 Intensive helicopter hunting of deer began in the Murchison Mountains (Ground shooters had been culling deer since 1948.)
1981 Around 120 Takahe remain
1983 Wildlife Service started moving fertile eggs to nests where Takahe had infertile eggs (they took the infertile eggs away)
1985 Opening of chick-rearing unit at Burwood Bush near Mossburn, South Island.
1985 First takahe relocated to Maud Island
1990s DOC started translocating takahe to other offshore islands - Mana, Kapiti and Tiritiri Matangi
1991 First two takahe translocated to Tiritiri Matangi Island
1995-1997 Flight Centre New Zealand sponsored the Takahe Recovery Programme. They now continue to support the programme through an annual donation.
1987-1992 Annual releases of captive reared takahe into the Stuart Mountains; total of 58 over this period
1991-1999 Annual releases from Burwood Bush into the Murchison Mountains; total of 96 over this period
1999/2000 Summer counting season (The count is carried out by the Department of Conservation)
Murchison Mountains = 133
Elsewhere in Fiordland = 4 (These two figures are minimum counts, there may be a few more that didn’t get counted.)
Burwood Bush Captive Rearing Unit = 20 takahe over 1 year old
Te Anau and Mt Bruce Wildlife Centres = 5
Four offshore islands (Maud, Mana, Kapiti, Tiritiri Matangi) = 59 adults

Total Adult Takahe 1999/2000 season = 221


2004/2005
Numbers provided by the Department of Conservation

Murchison Mountains = 147 and elsewhere in Fiordland = 4 (These two figures are minimum counts, there may be a few more that didn’t get counted.)
Burwood Bush Captive Rearing Unit = 27
Te Anau and Mt Bruce Wildlife Centres = 4
Four offshore islands (Maud, Mana, Kapiti, Tiritiri Matangi) = 76 adults

Total Adult Takahe 2004/2005 season = 259

Credit to :-Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc 1999
Site contents updated April 2005
Regards

Malky

[James Lowther]

They are easy to see and very confiding on Tiritiri Matangi, just a short boat trip from Auckland, monstrously large too!

[gthang]

Sorry I took so long. extremely busy at work and home (spring cleaning and Mother's Day) so finally here goes.

The correct answer is Takahe, but if the Kakapo had a similar experience, then that's also correct. So congrats to everyone who replied. I'll see if I can stump anyone, but I doubt it:

This bird is found in tropical rainforests, and its bright coloration warned many predators to steer clear, and the reason why stumped scientists for many years until they finally captured one...

(Crosses fingers)
Hope this is a toughie...

[affe22]

From what I can tell, the answer could be a number of things. There are two genera of birds that produce toxins like the poison dart frogs. One is the genus
Pitohui, which contains six different species and is endemic to New Guinea. I also found that a second species of bird, the blue-capped ifriti, was just recently identified as having the same type of toxin. It also lives on New Guinea. I only saw pictures of the hooded pitohui, which is black, red, and bright orange, and the ifritit, which is brown, yellow, and blue. So, I guess those birds are my guesses.

[Tim Allwood]

Pitohuis (New Guinea Shrike-thrushes) but I've no idea which one

Tim

[jacana]

hooded pitohui (Pitohui dichrous).

[gthang]

Yep, Pitohui is the one I was thinking of.

My eggs are huge for my size.

Any takers for this one?

[jacana]

any of the kiwis

[Tim Allwood]

to easy that one...

anyone know if any of the other pitohuis are brightly coloured? It's one area i don't have a guide for as it may be a few years before i get there.

I did do some work on them and used the field guide a few years back but cant remember and would like to know if it's a generic trait or not...?

Tim

[gthang]

Regarding the pitohui family, did a google search for the batrachotoxin-secreting bird, and found these photos:

Also, the third photo shows a pitohui on a somebody's hand. keep in mind that this will not hurt a handler unless the feathers are touched.

[gthang]

Here's a website that has fact of the Day, and the FOTD for May 29/30 of last year happened to be about Pitohuis:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mentalfloss.com/images/facts/pb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mentalfloss.com/archives/archive2004-05-29.htm&h=162&w=216&sz=9&tbnid=SQTPn1rWiJcJ:&tbnh=75&tbnw=100&hl=en&start=18&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpitohui%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

On another site, the blue-capped ifrita (Ifrita kowaldi) was listed as another poisonous bird. In total, 5 birds, all of genus Pitohui and Ifrita, have been found that have this chemical defense mechanism

[gthang]

Other Pitohuis are Variable Pitohui (which is intermediate in toxicity), and Brown Pitohui (least toxic), and the Hooded Pitohui is the most toxic.

Pitohui is pronounce pit-oo-ee, kind of like spitting.

[alcedo.atthis]

" but if the Kakapo had a similar experience,"

For info and update :-

http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/news/release-21-03-05.html


Regards


Malky