New Zealand Robin

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New Zealand Robin
South Island Robin (P. australis australis)
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Petroicidae Genus: Petroica Species: P. australis
Binomial name
Petroica australis Sparrman, 1788

The New Zealand Robin or Toutouwai (Māori), (Petroica australis) is a sparrow-sized bird found only in New Zealand, where it has the status of a protected endemic species. The birds are sparsely distributed through South Island and Stewart Island, although the distribution is not continuous. The South Island Robin (P. a. australis), and the Stewart Island Robin (P. a. rakiura) are today accepted as subspecies. The species is closely related to the North Island Robin (formerly P. a. longipes, now considered a distinct species [Miller & Lambert, 2006]), and also to the extremely rare Black Robin (Petroica traversi) of the Chatham Islands.

The male's plumage is a dark slate grey whereas the female is dark grey-brown. On both birds the throat and belly are considerably lighter, in the male a cream colour. It is this bright breast that gave the birds their name, in comparison with the bright breast of the European Robin. The birds generally inhabit the forest fringe, and can often be found in the green belts of towns and cities.

[edit] Gallery

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (2004). Petroica australis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern

• Miller, Hilary C. & Lambert, David M. (2006): A molecular phylogeny of New Zealand’s Petroica (Aves: Petroicidae) species based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40(3): 844-855. DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.04.012 (HTML abstract)