Kōkakos are of medium size, measuring 38 to 50 cm in length, weighing on average 219 g. Feathers are blue-grey in color, the beak, legs, and face mask are black. The beak is round and short, and the legs are long and slender. Wings are short and round with a wing span averaging only 50.2 to 52.1 cm, contributing to its limited flight capability. Directly under the beak is a cobalt blue wattle; a soft mass of tissue. There is one extinct and one extant subspecies of C. cinereus. The South Island subspecies, C. c. cinera, was recently declared extinct by the New Zealand Department of Conservation in 2007. The last documented sighting of South Island kōkakos was in 1967. The North Island subspecies, C. c. wilsoni, is classified as endangered. The distinction between the North and South island kōkakos are wattle coloring. The wattle of South Island kōkakos was bright orange, while the wattle of adult North Island kōkakos is cobalt blue. Adult wattles vary in the brightness and hue depending on the age and condition of the individual bird.
Kōkako eggs have an oval shape, and are pink-grey in color with variations of brown and purple streaks and spots. Eggs are 33 to 43.75 mm in length, 22.65 to 28.35 mm in width, and weigh (±1g) 15 to 16g. Young kōkakos have dull brown-green coloring on the majority of their feathers except for their abdomens and under their tails, which are yellow-brown. A nestling’s wattle is pink when first hatched and becomes pale blue with age. There is little distinction between males and females, both possessing the same patterns and colors.
Range mass: 210 to 245 g.
Average mass: 219 g.
Range length: 38 to 50 cm.
Range wingspan: 50.2 to 52.1 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike; male larger; ornamentation
Though kōkakos may be relatively well hidden and protected from avian predators, introduced mammalian species have little to no difficulty seeking out and obliterating entire clutches. Kōkakos adapted alongside diurnal avian predators that rely mainly on sight to detect prey. Introduced mammalian predators, in contrast, are nocturnal and rely heavily on sight, auditory, and olfactory cues. Nests are not only untidy in structure, but reek of feces. A nest of juveniles can be detected by the human nose more than ten meters away. A combination of the smell, sound of hatchlings begging, and the nocturnal foraging habits of these unfamiliar predators, make kōkakos' nests easy targets. Adult male and female kōkakos, when attacked by a mammalian predator will respond by deserting the nest and hiding until the threat has lifted.
Known Predators:
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
Kōkakos communicate to others of its species by an organ-like song. The native people of New Zealand, the Maori, call its haunting and unique song, “Te Koha Waiata”, translated as “the gift song”. Call phrasing is not sexually specific and can be observed in both pair-bonds and singular birds as a means of territorial defense, and is referred to as an antiphonic duet. An antiphonic duet is when one bird begins a phrase and after a pause the other ends it, alternating male and female contribution to the song. Kōkakos can distinguish between a single bird and a pair-bond by their ability to detect the spatial gap between the pair. Because territory is guarded year round, this duet behavior advertises that there are two protecting the territory to their surrounding neighbors, decreasing the likelihood of territory invasion and confrontation. A population of kōkakos will let their neighbors know where their territory is and if a pair-bond inhabits it by joining in a chorus, in which the surrounding population sings together at dawn. The defense of a territory or mate is not the only purpose for kōkakos' songs. One contributing factor to a female’s mate choice is the phrase type of the male’s song. There are 18 different phrases in a kōkako’s song, 86% of which are locally unique to each population. Given the choice, a female will pick a male from the same population in which she originated. Like most birds, kōkakos perceive their environments through visual, auditory, tactile and chemical stimuli.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Other Communication Modes: duets ; choruses
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Kōkakos were listed as an endangered species by 1994 and this status has not changed since. There are several reasons for the endangerment of kōkakos. The destruction of habitat by logging has left only 10% of kokakos' original native habitat, reducing territorial area available to juveniles and lowering food availability. The mammalian predators introduced to New Zealand by European settlers in the 1800s prey mainly on eggs, chicks, juveniles, and nesting females. The large numbers of mammalian predators have decreased fledging success. In the years during pest management 61% of birds fledged, while in years of no management the number was reduced to 29%. The female population of kōkakos has also been altered, leaving a large surplus of male-male bonds, which do not produce offspring. The introduction of browsing mammals, such as possums, goats, and deer, has caused food competition with kōkakos, and is also believed to play a role in the decline of kōkako populations.
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: no special status
Kōkakos are a long lived species. The North Island Kōkako Recovery Plan, conducted in 1999 to 2006, states that the oldest documented kōkako in the wild was 11 years old. The expected lifespan of a juvenile, who has fledged from the nest and is recruiting for a new territory, is estimated at 10.6 years old. It is believed that a kōkako can live 20 years or more. The main focus of breeding in captivity is to be able to release kōkakos into the wild to replace the dwindling, or nonexistent, populations that once flourished. Therefore, there are no known statistics for the oldest kōkako in captivity.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 11 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 10.6 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 20 years.
Kōkakos are found on the Northern Island of New Zealand in areas with specific hardwoods, such as podocarps, and a variety of shrubs. Their nests are primarily found in wooded gullies and ridges built towards the top of trees, well covered by canopy. When foraging for food, kōkakos stay primarily in the canopy and the upper understory. Kōkakos are territorial, and therefore require far reaching forests to accommodate. Territories vary in size depending on the region that is occupied, but on average live in territories of 4 to 12 ha.
Range elevation: 2 to 38 m.
Average elevation: 13 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
Callaeas cinereus, commonly known as kōkakos, is endemic to New Zealand. Kōkakos were historically found in abundance through out the North Island, but are now reduced to 15 populations, concentrated in the mainland’s northern and central forests. Populations can also naturally be found on islands 50 km from the North Island mainland. The estimated total amount of adult kōkakos as of 2010 was 1,538 adults, 769 of which were breeding pairs. In an effort of conservation, translocation programs from 1990 to 1997 have taken individuals from several different populations on the North Island mainland to Kapiti Island and the southern portion of the North Island.
Biogeographic Regions: oceanic islands (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
kōkakos' food habits vary from year-to-year, by season, and territory. In general they are omnivorous and feed on fruit, foliage, insects, flowers, and buds. In one study, three sample forest areas yielded more than 100 different food items eaten by kōkakos, reflecting the local ecology. The greatest portion of kōkakos' diets was composed of fruit followed by the leaves of dicotyledonous shrub and tree species within their territorial areas. This included, but was not limited to, the fruit and leaves of raukawa, fivefinger, tawa, and rearewa. A smaller contribution to kōkakos' diets includes sixpenny scale insects (Ctenochiton viridis), flowers, buds, and gymnosperm cones, respectfully, from greatest contribution to smallest.
The amount of time spent feeding varies, along with diet, from season to season. Less time is spent foraging during spring and summer months and is increased greatly from autumn to winter. The greatest amount of time spent feeding occurs during the winter months, even with the decrease in day length. The amount of sixpenny scale insects consumed is relatively low during much of the year, in exception to the spring months when these invertebrates encompass the majority of kōkakos' diets.
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: leaves; fruit; flowers
Primary Diet: omnivore
Kōkakos have no known negative effects on the economy.
In the process of kōkakos conservation efforts an onslaught on introduced mammalian predators has been implicated by areal poisoning and ground trapping. One of the main species targeted for pest control that affects kōkakos is Australian bush tail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). Possums were introduced to New Zealand in the 1800s by colonizing Europeans to create a base for fur trading. Possums have become so well-adapted to the island that their numbers are now in the millions, which not only affects kōkakos' already dwindling numbers, but the local establishment of farmed cattle and deer. Farmed cattle and deer are of great economic importance to the people of New Zealand and the possum carries a strain of bovine tuberculosis that can infect both cattle and deer. Controlling the population of possums for kōkakos benefits the population size and lowers the chance of infecting local farms. Because kōkakos can only be found in New Zealand, ecotourism contributes to economic growth.
Fruit makes up the largest portion of kōkakos' diets. Small fruits of a variety of plant species are consumed whole, allowing for the opportunity for seed dispersal. However, due to decreasing population numbers, poor flight capabilities, and stationary territorial lifestyles, kōkakos do not likely have a large ecological effect on the dispersal of seeds. This is also true regarding browsing and the defoliation of plants. Sixpenny scale insects, an important food source for kōkakos during spring months, live on the undersides of leaves and the leaves are systematically picked off. A pair of kōkakos was observed detatching 60 leaves in a 20 minute period. It is believed that when kōkakos flourished throughout New Zealand, before European settlement, it may have had a larger ecological effect on seed dispersal, browsing, and defoliation.
Kōkakos are monogamous birds that find, attract, and defend mates through song. After a juvenile fledges from the nest it begins recruitment for a pair-bond: 1 to 2 years after for females and 2 to 4 years after for males. Pair-bonding is not restricted to male and female matches, but can include female-female and male-male. Female-female pair-bonds will form an attachment to a territory for a short period of time, and attempt to mate at least once per season. These bonds are not recorded in recent literature due to increasing predation of nesting females by introduced mammalian species. In contrast, male-male pair-bonds occur regularly. Many experts believe that this is a recent phenomenon that is a direct result of the surplus male population, but others speculate that juvenile males will choose a same sex bond even when there are females available. Mating-pairs usually stay with the same partner for many years. Both the male and female are active in territorial protection and year round courtship rituals, including preening at the base of the beak and offerings of food to the female by the male. Kōkakos sexual selection is based on female choice. Females have been known to travel to up to nine different unpaired male territories before settling on a mate. Initially, the female is drawn to a male’s territory by the phrasing of his song, but a definitive choice is made based on the quality of resources within the territory and the physicality (body size, color of plumage, overall health) of the male. A male proves his physical health to the female by performing an “archangel” display, in which he lowers his head, extends his wings, and vigorously runs along branches near the female. During this display males are known to have leaves or twigs in their beak. Both the male and the female take part in mate guarding. Kōkakos' antiphonic duets relays the identity of the pair, how long they have been bonded, and the level of dedication to neighboring territories. During the dawn chorus a pair-bond or single kōkakos will perch at the top of a tall tree, usually a podocarp, within its territory and perform the duet or single song. The tall perch allows the birds to see their neighbors and enables them to be heard.
Mating System: monogamous
Once a mating pair is established in a territory, nesting and reproduction begins. The breeding season runs on average from October to March, but for some ‘good’ seasons can extend six months after. ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ seasons seem to have a correlation with fruit availability, which makes up a large portion of kōkakos' diets. During a mating season kōkakos have been known to attempt breeding up to five times. In the event of a nest failure, due to predation or infertile eggs, the female can begin to re-nest within 4 to 5 weeks. In a successful season a pair has been known to fledge three clutches, each clutch containing an average of two eggs, at most three, which are laid at a one day interval. The average output of fledged offspring per season is six, assuming it is a ‘good’ season. In the event of a ‘bad’ season the youngest chick, which was laid last, usually does not fledge. Once laid, the eggs are incubated for 18 days on average before hatching, and chicks weigh 15 to 16 g at birth. During the first ten days of the chick’s life it experiences a growth rate of 10 g per day. The chicks stay in the nest for a period of 34 to more than 42 days before fledging, and even after fledging stay with their parents for 10 to 12 weeks. After a juvenile has fledged, on average, a female becomes sexually mature in 1 to 2 years, while a male becomes sexually mature within 2 to 4 years. At this time both the male and female begin recruitment for a pair-bond.
Breeding interval: Kokakos have been known to breed up to five times within one, annual breeding season.
Breeding season: The breeding season for Kokakos begins in October and runs until February.
Range eggs per season: 3 to 9.
Average time to hatching: 18 days.
Range fledging age: 31 to 42 days.
Average fledging age: 34 days.
Range time to independence: 10 to 12 weeks.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 to 2 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2 to 4 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
At birth, kōkakos are altricial and are incapable of taking care of themselves. A day old chick hatches with its eyes closed, no feathers, and limited movement, relying entirely on parental care for the first month and a half of its life. For kōkakos, the parental investment of the female is much more involved than that of the male. Pre-fertilization the female builds the nest almost completely on her own. The male does present some twigs and foliage to the female for nest building, while performing an ‘archangel’ display (found in greater detail in the mating system section). Male kōkakos are not incapable of building a nest. It is common for males to build nests when they form male-male pair-bonds. The nest is a bowl shaped, untidy mass made of a twig base, and entwined moss, lichen, ferns, treefern scales, epiphytic orchid, and dead wood built 2 to 32 m above the ground. The longest recorded time for nest construction is 11 days, but usually it is only a 2 to 5 day process. When the female begins construction she randomly gathers bits and pieces, spending very little time, but as the time to lay her eggs becomes closer she focuses more on the construction.
Before hatching, females and eggs are most vulnerable to predation. Nests are generally well hidden from areal predators by the thick canopy, but are defenseless against introduced mammalian predators, such as possums. When a nest is threatened by indigenous avian predators, such as Australasain harriers and New Zealand falcons, the pair will flee the nest to hide and delay returning until it is safe to come back or desert the nest completely. In the event of a mammalian threat males will hide and delay returning, while females either hide with the male or stay on the nest to become prey along with their eggs. When a nest is threatened by cuckoos, however, kōkakos will launch a physical attack on the invading bird.
Before fledging, both the male and the female will take part in feeding young, foraging with one another. Food for the chicks is brought back to the nest in the beak and throat. Parental investment is reduced as the brood becomes more independent. The length before independence varies from nest to nest. Some parents will allow their offspring to stay in their territory and continue to supply them with food, while others attempt to drive offspring away even before fledging. During the nesting and post-fledging period chicks become familiar with and learn localized song phrasing, leading to later mate choice. When juveniles finally leave the nest they begin to search for a territory of their own, and despite their limited powers of flight, travel reasonably long distances until they settle on a specific area. As an example, juvenile kōkakos in the Rotoehu forest would travel on average 1,450 m in search of a suitable territory.
Parental Investment: altricial ; female parental care ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Male, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female)
Die Lappenkrähe (Callaeas cinereus, Syn.: Callaeas cinerea), auch Kokako genannt, ist ein Singvogel aus der Familie der Lappenvögel, der auf Neuseeland vorkommt und als vom Aussterben bedroht eingestuft wird.
Die Lappenkrähe ist ein circa 38 cm großer, blaugrauer Vogel mit einer schwarzen Gesichtsmaske. Der Schnabel ist schwarz und relativ kurz, die Flügel sind kurz und abgerundet. Auf beiden Seiten des Schnabels befinden sich leuchtend gefärbte Hautlappen. Diese sind bei der auf der Nordinsel lebenden Unterart blau, bei der Unterart der Südinsel dagegen orange.
Die Lappenkrähe kommt nur auf Neuseeland vor. Die Nominatform C. c. cinereus, die auf der Südinsel lebte, ist wahrscheinlich ausgestorben (gleichwohl gibt es mehrere unbestätigte Sichtungen, zuletzt im März 2011). Die Unterart C. c. wilsoni lebt in einigen Wäldern und Naturschutzgebieten der Nordinsel. Die Population ist in den letzten Jahren deutlich zurückgegangen und wird jetzt noch auf 1000 bis 1400 geschätzt. Durch Schutz der verbleibenden Lebensräume versucht man, den Bestand zu erhalten, was 2021 erste Erfolge zeigte.[2]
Die Lappenkrähe bevorzugt Küstenwälder mit einer artenreichen Vegetation. Sie ernährt sich hauptsächlich vegetarisch von Früchten, Blüten, Nektar und Knospen.
In der Regel werden drei Eier gelegt, in Jahren mit gutem Nahrungsangebot kommt es auch zu Mehrfachbruten.
Die Lappenkrähe (Callaeas cinereus, Syn.: Callaeas cinerea), auch Kokako genannt, ist ein Singvogel aus der Familie der Lappenvögel, der auf Neuseeland vorkommt und als vom Aussterben bedroht eingestuft wird.
Ko te Kōkako he manu ngahere nō Aotearoa. He manu nō te ngāhere, he rahi, he hina ngā huruhuru. He ōrangi kita ngā werewere kei ngā taha ō ngā ngutu. He reo reka. Ko te ingoa pūtaiao ko Callaeas cinerea wilsoni.
I ēnei rā, he ruarua noa iho ngā kōkako e ora tonu ana i tēnei moutere. Ko wai kāore e tautoko i te whakaaro me āta tiaki tēnei puipuiaki kei ngaro i tēnei, tōna whenua ake, pērā tonu i te moa, i te hōkioi, me te tōtōrori?
Ko te ingoa reo Pākehā ko te Blue-wattled Crow, engari he ingoa tawhito tērā.
Ko te Kōkako he manu ngahere nō Aotearoa. He manu nō te ngāhere, he rahi, he hina ngā huruhuru. He ōrangi kita ngā werewere kei ngā taha ō ngā ngutu. He reo reka. Ko te ingoa pūtaiao ko Callaeas cinerea wilsoni.
I ēnei rā, he ruarua noa iho ngā kōkako e ora tonu ana i tēnei moutere. Ko wai kāore e tautoko i te whakaaro me āta tiaki tēnei puipuiaki kei ngaro i tēnei, tōna whenua ake, pērā tonu i te moa, i te hōkioi, me te tōtōrori?
Ko te ingoa reo Pākehā ko te Blue-wattled Crow, engari he ingoa tawhito tērā.
The South Island kōkako (Callaeas cinereus) is a possibly extinct forest bird endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Unlike its close relative, the North Island kōkako (C. wilsoni), it has largely orange wattles, with only a small patch of blue at the base, and was also known as the orange-wattled crow (though it was not a corvid). The last accepted sighting in 2007 was the first considered genuine since 1967, although there have been several other unauthenticated reports.[1]
The South Island kōkako was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He coined the binomial name Glaucopis cinerea.[2][3] The specific epithet cinereus is Latin meaning "ash-grey" or "ash-coloured".[4] Gmelin based his description on the "cinereous wattle-bird" that had been described and illustrated in 1781 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds. Latham had examined a specimen in the Leverian Museum in London that had come from New Zealand.[5]
The North Island kokako was formerly considered as subspecies of Callaeas cinerea, but since 2001 North Island birds have been officially recognised as C. wilsoni, and genetic evidence confirms their difference.[6] Although the genus Callaeas is masculine, the species epithet cinerea is not masculinised to match, though some authors have argued it should be.[6]
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Like the North Island kōkako, this was a slate-grey bird with long legs and a small black mask; Reischek considered its plumage slightly lighter than the North Island species. Its wattles were distinctly orange in colour with a dark blue base; young birds had much lighter wattles.[7] It seems to have spent more time on the ground than the North Island species, but been a better flier.[8] Kōkako have distinctive organ- and flute-like duetting calls. Early explorer Charlie Douglas described the South Island kōkako call: "Their notes are very few, but the sweetest and most mellow toned I ever heard a bird produce."[9] Based on extant records, South Island kōkako eggs were larger than their North Island counterparts.[10]
At the time of European settlement, South Island kōkako were found on the West Coast from northwest Nelson to Fiordland, as well as Stewart Island, Banks Peninsula, and the Catlins. Subfossil bones suggest they were formerly found throughout the South Island, but forest burning by Polynesians eliminated them from dry eastern lowland forest.[8] Introduced mammalian predators and forest clearance by settlers reduced their numbers further: by 1900 the bird was uncommon in the South Island and Stewart Island, and had almost disappeared by 1960.[8] Its vulnerability compared to the North Island species was perhaps due to its foraging and nesting close to the ground.[11]
The South Island kōkako was formally declared extinct by the Department of Conservation in 2007, as it had been 40 years since the last authenticated sighting at Mt Aspiring in 1967.[12] In November 2013, however, the Ornithological Society of New Zealand accepted as genuine a reported sighting by two people near Reefton in 2007, and changed the bird's New Zealand Threat Classification status from "extinct" to "data deficient". Eleven other sightings from 1990 to 2008 were considered to be only "possible" or "probable".[13]
A supposed kōkako feather was found in 1995,[14] but examination by scientists at the National Museum showed it to be from a blackbird, though doubt over this conclusion exists due to the morphology of the feather and the identity of the feather used for the DNA test.[1] Unconfirmed sightings of South Island kōkako and reports of calls have continued,[15][16][17][18] but no authenticated recent remains, feathers, droppings, video, or photographs exist. The IUCN Red List status of the species is, as of 2016, Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct).[19] The most recent unconfirmed sighting was in November 2018, in the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park.[20] A potential kōkako call, consisting of a "a distinct couple of soft long notes" was recorded at Heaphy Track on 29 December 2021, followed by a sighting of "a bird of the right size and colour".[21][22]
The South Island kōkako (Callaeas cinereus) is a possibly extinct forest bird endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Unlike its close relative, the North Island kōkako (C. wilsoni), it has largely orange wattles, with only a small patch of blue at the base, and was also known as the orange-wattled crow (though it was not a corvid). The last accepted sighting in 2007 was the first considered genuine since 1967, although there have been several other unauthenticated reports.
La Kokako (Callaeas cinerea) estas arbara birdo kiu estas endemia de Novzelando. Ĝi estas ardezgriza kun tre brilnigra beko, malhelbluaj pendantaj bridoj kaj nigran maskon al la okuloj. Ĝi estas unu el tri specioj de la novzelandaj bridobirdoj, el kiuj la aliaj du estas la endanĝeritaj Tieke kaj la formortinta Huia.
El kokako (Callaeas cinerea) es una especie de ave paseriforme endémica de los bosques de Nueva Zelanda. Es de color gris con una máscara negra y carúnculas azules a ambos lados del pico. Junto con el tieke es el único superviviente de la familia Callaeidae, a la que pertenecía la extinta huia. En el pasado las poblaciones de kokako se extendían por toda Nueva Zelanda pero han sido diezmadas por los mamíferos depredadores invasores importados por el hombre a las islas como los gatos, posums, armiños y ratas, reduciendo significativamente su área de distribución. Había dos subespecies de kokako, el de la isla Norte (C. c. wilsoni) y el de la isla Sur (C. c. cinerea), aunque se cree que el kokako de la isla sur, que tenía las carúnculas de color naranja está actualmente extinto.
El kokako fue descrito científicamente por primera vez por el naturalista alemán Johann Friedrich Gmelin en 1788. Su nombre específico viene del adjetivo latino cinereus (gris). Se han descrito dos subespecies. La subespecie nominal de la isla Sur probablemente se ha extinguido, sobreviviendo únicamente el kokako de la isla norte (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni).
El kokako parece proceder de una expansión temprana de los paseriformes en Nueva Zelanda y es una de las tres especies de la familia Callaeidae que allí vivían. Las otras dos son el tieke y la extinta huia. Estas aves neozelandesas no tienen parientes cercanos aparte del hihi, y su relación taxonómica con las demás aves permanece incierta.[2]
El kokako es ligeramente mayor que una paloma, mide unos 38 centímetros de largo, el plumaje de su cuerpo es de color gris azulado y tiene una máscara negra que va de la frente a los ojos. Su pico también es negro, como los ojos, relativamente corto, puntiagudo y curvado hacia abajo. Tiene las alas cortas y redondeadas mientras que su cola es larga y bastante ancha. A ambos lados del pico tiene carúnculas redondeadas de colores brillantes. Estos colgajos de piel son de color azul en los adultos de la subespecie superviviente de la isla Norte, y de color naranja, con una pequeña mancha azul en la base, en la extinta subespecie de la isla Sur. El color de la carúncula se desarrolla con la edad, siendo rosáceo en los juveniles.
El kokako tiene un hermoso canto que puede escucharse a kilómetros de distancia. Las parejas reproductoras suelen cantar juntas en sesiones que pueden durar hasta una hora en las primeras horas de la mañana. Las diferentes poblaciones de las distintas regiones de la isla norte poseen diferentes cantos, por lo que se piensa que al menos parcialmente los kokakos aprenden a cantar imitando a los congéneres de su población.
Los kokakos no son buenos voladores y rara vez vuelan más de cien metros seguidos, porque sus alas son relativamente cortas y redondeadas. Prefiere saltar de rama en rama con sus poderosas patas grises. Más que volar planean, se les puede observar trepando a los árboles más altos, como los rimus y los matais, para después planear a los árboles circundantes. Su nicho ecológico se ha comparado con el de las ardillas voladoras. Su dieta consta de hojas, frondas de helechos, flores, frutos e invertebrados.
En la mitología maorí el kokako aparece en varias historias. En una de ellas el kokako ayudó a Māui dándole agua mientras luchaba con el sol. El kokako sació la sed del héroe con el agua que almacenaba en sus regordetas crestas colgantes. Māui recompensó la amabilidad del kokako alargando sus patas para que fueran largas y esbeltas y así pudiera saltar con agilidad por el bosque para buscar comida.
El kokako aparece en el reverso del billete de billete de 50 dólares neozelandeses.[3]
El kokako de la isla Norte está catalogado como especie amenazada, con menos de 400 parejas reproductoras (en septiembre de 2004). Sobrevive en pequeños poblaciones en algunos bosques nativos de las islas mayores en los que se han realizado programas para erradicar las especies foráneas con fondos gubernamentales. Además existen programas de cría en cautividad para ayudar a mantener la población. Se han establecido nuevas poblaciones en pequeñas islas libres de depredadores invasores. Se espera que estos esfuerzos de conservación consigan la supervivencia de la especie. En 2005 se avistaron kokakos en el bosque de Pureora, parque forestal de Whirinaki Forest Park y el Parque nacional Te Urewera. Recientemente se trasladaron 20 kokakos de Urewera a Ngapukeriki, un bosque sometido a intenso control de depredadores. Se pueden observar kokakos con relativa facilidad en la isla Tiritiri Matangi, donde los bosques en regeneración están lo suficientemente bajos para proporcionar vistas cercanas.
El kokako de la isla sur fue declarado oficialmente extinto por el Departamento de conservación de Nueva Zelanda el 16 de enero de 2007.[4] No se ha producido un avistamiento confirmado desde hace varias décadas, aunque ha habido avistamiento no confirmado muy ocasionalmente. El departamento de conservación pidió a testigos de los avistamientos más recientes que los mantuvieran en secreto.[5][6] In los años 1990 Timberlands, la empresa estatal encargada de realizar las tareas que realizaba el servicio forestal de Nueva Zelanda en los bosques de la costa occidental encontró algunas pruebas de presencia del kokako en las investigaciones sobre la ecología de los bosques nativos que realizó como parte de su programa de explotación sostenible.[7]
El kokako (Callaeas cinerea) es una especie de ave paseriforme endémica de los bosques de Nueva Zelanda. Es de color gris con una máscara negra y carúnculas azules a ambos lados del pico. Junto con el tieke es el único superviviente de la familia Callaeidae, a la que pertenecía la extinta huia. En el pasado las poblaciones de kokako se extendían por toda Nueva Zelanda pero han sido diezmadas por los mamíferos depredadores invasores importados por el hombre a las islas como los gatos, posums, armiños y ratas, reduciendo significativamente su área de distribución. Había dos subespecies de kokako, el de la isla Norte (C. c. wilsoni) y el de la isla Sur (C. c. cinerea), aunque se cree que el kokako de la isla sur, que tenía las carúnculas de color naranja está actualmente extinto.
Callaeas cinereus
Le Glaucope cendré (Callaeas cinereus), aussi appelé kōkako en māori, est une espèce d'oiseaux endémique de Nouvelle-Zélande, vivant en milieu forestier.
Il possède un plumage gris et arbore un masque noir ainsi que des bajoues vivement colorées caractéristiques. Il fait partie de la famille des Callaeidae au même titre que le Huia dimorphe (Heteralocha acutirostris), aujourd'hui éteint, et que le Créadion rounoir (Creadion carunculatus), fortement menacé. Auparavant largement répandu à travers les deux îles principales de la Nouvelle-Zélande, l'introduction de prédateurs exotiques tels que phalangers renards, furets, hermines, chats, rats et souris ont fortement contribué à réduire la population de glaucopes cendrés à quelques groupes variant entre quelques et plusieurs centaines d'individus, disséminés à travers l'Île du Nord.
Il existe deux sous-espèces de glaucope cendré, bien que l'une d'entre elles soit à présent éteinte.
Sa sous-espèce Callaeas cinereus wilsoni, se distingue par des bajoues d'un bleu pastel (ces dernières sont en fait roses à la naissance mais la couleur évolue avec l'âge). Cette espèce est menacée suivant les critères de la Liste rouge de l'UICN puisque l'on ne compte que 400 couples à l'état sauvage (recensement de septembre 2004). Cependant, le kōkako fait l'objet d'un actif programme de préservation de la part du D.O.C. (Department of Conservation), ministère de l'environnement néo-zélandais. En effet, celui-ci s'est fixé comme objectif d'atteindre d'ici 2020 le quota de 1 000 couples répartis dans une vingtaine de réserves sur l’île principale et sur quelques îles préservées telles Tiritiri Matangi, Île de Kapiti ou Little Barrier Island. Ce projet repose essentiellement sur le contrôle des espèces invasives, et notamment des opossums et des rats, ainsi que sur un intense programme de réintroductions dans différents sites où le kōkako était présent il y a encore quelques décennies de cela. C'est pourquoi, les écologues sont optimistes sur une survie à long terme du glaucope cendré.
Sa sous-espèce Callaeas cinereus cinereus, aux bajoues orange, a été officiellement déclarée éteinte par le D.O.C. le 16 janvier 2007[1]. Il n'y a pas eu une seule observation confirmée de cette sous-espèce depuis plusieurs dizaines d'années, même si quelques-unes non confirmées ont eu lieu de manière anecdotique.
Le kōkako est célèbre pour son chant, extrêmement puissant et varié, ressemblant, de loin, à des notes d'orgues. Les appels que lancent les mâles pour délimiter leur territoire portent à des kilomètres à la ronde. Cette mélopée est très étrange, donnant une impression de ralenti par rapport aux chants des autres oiseaux. Les couples se forment généralement pour la vie (qui pourrait atteindre une vingtaine d'années) et chantent généralement de concert durant une heure environ tôt le matin. Ces chants différent suivant les individus et chaque population possède ce qui pourrait être considéré comme un « dialecte ».
Le kōkako vole mal et ne soutient pas plus de 100 m en battant des ailes. Ces dernières sont d'ailleurs particulièrement courtes et arrondies, ce qui explique certainement ses piètres performances. Pour se déplacer, le glaucope cendré préfère se déplacer, toujours avec son conjoint, en sautillant de branche en branche à travers l'épais feuillage des forêts humides primaires qui constituent son habitat. Il passe la journée à patrouiller son territoire à la recherche de feuilles, de crosses de fougères, de fleurs, de fruits et d'insectes. Il utilise pour cela ses puissantes jambes. En fait, il se comporte d'une certaine manière comme les écureuils des forêts occidentales. Ses arbres de prédilection sont les Podocarpus néo-zélandais tels le rimu ou le mataï.
La culture māori fait à de nombreuses reprises référence au kōkako. Dans la plus célèbre d'entre elles, il donne à boire au héros Māui lors de son combat contre le soleil en imbibant ses plumes d'eau et en les lui présentant afin de le rafraîchir. Māui récompense le kōkako pour son soutien en lui étirant les jambes jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient suffisamment longues et puissantes pour lui permettre de se déplacer dans les arbres pour rechercher sa nourriture.
Le glaucope cendré figure sur le verso du billet de 50 $ néo-zélandais.
Il est également l'icône de la protection des forêts primaires de Nouvelle-Zélande et de la lutte contre l'abattage des arbres par les industries forestières dans les années 1980.
Callaeas cinereus
Le Glaucope cendré (Callaeas cinereus), aussi appelé kōkako en māori, est une espèce d'oiseaux endémique de Nouvelle-Zélande, vivant en milieu forestier.
Il kokako dell'Isola del Sud (Callaeas cinereus (Gmelin, 1788)) è un uccello passeriforme della famiglia Callaeidae, probabilmente estinto[2].
Misura 38 cm di lunghezza, per 200-250 g di peso[3].
Si tratta di uccelli dall'aspetto robusto e massiccio, con piccola testa arrotondata, forte becco ricurvo, lunga coda dall'estremità squadrata, ali piccole e arrotondate e zampe lunghe e forti, dagli artigli ben sviluppati.
Nel complesso, questi uccelli sono molto simili all'affine kokako dell'Isola del Nord (un tempo considerato loro conspecifico), dal quale differiscono per la mascherina facciale meno estesa ma dai contorni più netti, la colorazione generale più scura e la coda leggermente più corta in proporzione alle dimensioni totali[4].
Il piumaggio è in massima parte di color grigio cenere, con tendenza ad assumere riflessi azzurrini su testa, collo e petto, mentre dorso e ali sono più scure e tendenti all'ardesia, e la coda è anch'essa dello stesso colore, con orli delle penne di colore olivastro. Fra i lati del becco e l'occhio è presente una mascherina nera, mentre su ciascun lato del becco è presente una caruncola appiattita di colore arancione con base azzurrina, più grande nel maschio rispetto alla femmina.
Il becco e le zampe sono di colore nero, mentre gli occhi sono di colore bruno scuro.
Si tratta di uccelli dalle abitudini diurne, che vivono da soli o in coppie, muovendosi perlopiù fra i rami bassi o al suolo, ma essendo in grado di scalare agevolmente alberi anche alti saltellando di ramo in ramo grazie alle forti zampe. Questi uccelli sono cattivi volatori, ma possono planare di albero in albero senza grossi problemi.
Anche il kokako dell'Isola del Sud emette caratteristici forti richiami, che risultano tuttavia lievemente differenti da quelli della sua controparte dell'Isola del Nord[5].
La loro dieta è in massima parte vegetariana, componendosi di foglie, frutti e bacche, nonché di fiori, germogli, nettare ed altro materiale di origine vegetale, mentre insetti ed altri piccoli invertebrati vengono mangiati solo raramente.
La nidificazione avviene durante la primavera e l'estate australi: si tratta di uccelli rigidamente monogami, coi due sessi che collaborano nella costruzione del nido (una grossa coppa di fibre vegetali e ramoscelli grossolanamente intrecciati) e nell'allevamento della prole (coi giovani che rimangono per circa due mesi presso il nido dopo la schiusa, continuando a seguire i genitori ancora per molte settimane prima di allontanarsene del tutto), mentre la cova è appannaggio esclusivo della femmina, che viene nel frattempo nutrita dal maschio.
Come intuibile dal nome comune, il kokako dell'Isola del Sud è endemico dell'Isola del Sud, in Nuova Zelanda: diffuso in passato lungo tutta la costa occidentale dell'isola, oltre che in alcune isole circonvicine (Stewart Island) e con avvistamenti anche sulla penisola di Banks[6], l'ultimo avvistamento ritenuto attendibile di questi animali risale al 2007 ed è stato effettuato nel distretto di Buller[7].
Il kokako dell'Isola del Sud è stato dichiarato estinto dal Dipartimento della Conservazione della Nuova Zelanda il 16 gennaio 2007[8]. Negli anni '90, i ricercatori della Timberlands, l'ente governativo autonomo che gestiva le foreste della costa occidentale neozelandese, riscontrarono alcune prove della presenza di questo uccello nel corso delle loro ricerche sull'ecologia delle foreste primarie per un programma di gestione sostenibile[9][10]. Tutti i presunti avvistamenti più recenti sono stati smentiti dal Dipartimento della Conservazione[11].
url (aiuto). Il kokako dell'Isola del Sud (Callaeas cinereus (Gmelin, 1788)) è un uccello passeriforme della famiglia Callaeidae, probabilmente estinto.
Nordkokako, Callaeas wilsoni, (maori: 'Kōkako') er ein sjeldan og trua sporvefugl med storleik som ein liten kråkefugl, endemisk til New Zealand. Han levde tidlegare i habitat med blanda skog over store delar av begge hovudøyane og over Stewart Island/Rakiura i sør. I dag truleg utdøydd på Sørøya, gjenlevande populasjon lever på få, spreidde stader på Nordøya og på nokre små, nærliggjande øyar.
Nordkokakoar er store sporvefuglar, 38 centimeter og veg 230 gram, har mørk, gråblå fjørdrakt, ei svart maske frå auga og framover. Halen er lang. Nebbet er svart, kraftig og nedbøygd. Beina er òg svarte. Ein hudfold som heng ned frå nebbrota er i klår blå farge på underarten på Nordøya. Underarten på Sørøya hadde oransje hudflik. Kjønna er like og ungfuglane har avdempa farger med svakt lyseraude hudfliker. Desse fuglane spring rundt på bakken heller enn å flyge, og flyg sjeldan over lange distansar.
Dette er fuglar som lever i skogsområde i lågland med høg blanda barskog som inkluderer hardvedsortar av slekta Podocarpus og andre i gultrefamilien, og elles inneheld stort utval av planteartar. Då europeisk kolonisering tok til, var arten utbreidd i skogshabitat på heile Nordøya, vestlege Sørøya og på Stewart Island. I dag reknast dei som utdøydde på Sørøya og på Nordøya er han avgrensa til små skogshabitat, dei sterkaste populasjonane i Urewera Range, Bay of Plenty og King Country. Dessutan i små mengder i Northland, åsane Hunua Ranges søraust for Auckland, i sørlege Waikato og nordlege Taranaki. Det finst små bestandar på Little Barrier Island, Tiritiri Matangi Island og Kapitiøya.
Kokakoparet vernar territorium heile året, hannar vernar det over fleire år. Hoa byggjer reiret høgt, men under trekrona. Egglegging kan skje i perioden frå oktober til desember, og dei legg eitt kull i sesongen, på 2-3 egg. Hofuglane startar hekking når dei er ca. eit år gamle, forventa levealder er ikkje kjent, men ein kjenner eit individ som blei 11 år, truleg kan somme leve i over 20 år. Paret kan synge duett med strofer av orgel eller fløyteliknande tonar. Eit typisk rop er eit langsamt, klårt 'ko-ka-ko-o-o-o' som òg er opphavet til artsnamnet på maori.
Føda består hovudsakleg av blad og frukt med tilskot av virvellause dyr, men dei kan òg ete insekt og mate ungar med insekt.
Arten har status som endemisk verna og trua, bestanden estimert til ca. 1500 individ og er aukande, men avhengig av vernetiltak. Trugsmål er habitatstap ved hogst og fragmentering av skog, samt av innførte predatorar som rotter og røyskattar.[1]
Underartane i rekkjefølgje etter Clementslista versjon 6.6 frå august 2011:[2]
Nordkokako, Callaeas wilsoni, (maori: 'Kōkako') er ein sjeldan og trua sporvefugl med storleik som ein liten kråkefugl, endemisk til New Zealand. Han levde tidlegare i habitat med blanda skog over store delar av begge hovudøyane og over Stewart Island/Rakiura i sør. I dag truleg utdøydd på Sørøya, gjenlevande populasjon lever på få, spreidde stader på Nordøya og på nokre små, nærliggjande øyar.
Kokako (Callaeas) é um gênero de aves da família Callaeidae. Há duas espécies de kokako endêmicas de cada uma das principais ilhas da Nova Zelândia, sendo que a do sul está provavelmente extinta.[1][2]
Kokako (Callaeas) é um gênero de aves da família Callaeidae. Há duas espécies de kokako endêmicas de cada uma das principais ilhas da Nova Zelândia, sendo que a do sul está provavelmente extinta.
保全状況評価 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
分類 界 : 動物界 Animalia 門 : 脊索動物門 Chordata 亜門 : 脊椎動物亜門 Vertebrata 綱 : 鳥綱 Aves 目 : スズメ目 Passeriformes 科 : ホオダレムクドリ科 Callaeatidae 属 : Callaeas 種 : ハシブトホオダレムクドリハシブトホオダレムクドリ (Callaeas cinereus) は、スズメ目ホオダレムクドリ科に分類されるニュージーランド固有の鳥である[1]。
青い光沢のある灰色の羽、青い肉垂、黒い目先、長い脚、短い嘴と長い先の丸まった尾が主な特徴。幼鳥の肉垂は薄いピンク色で目先の黒い部分が小さい[1]。現存するセアカホオダレムクドリと絶滅したホオダレムクドリとともにホオダレムクドリ科を構成する[2]。
過去にはカラス (blue-wattled crow) と呼ばれていたこともある[3]。
飛翔距離は短く木の幹を跳ぶように移動する[1]。
この項目は、鳥類に関連した書きかけの項目です。この項目を加筆・訂正などしてくださる協力者を求めています（ポータル鳥類 - PJ鳥類）。 ハシブトホオダレムクドリ (Callaeas cinereus) は、スズメ目ホオダレムクドリ科に分類されるニュージーランド固有の鳥である。
青い光沢のある灰色の羽、青い肉垂、黒い目先、長い脚、短い嘴と長い先の丸まった尾が主な特徴。幼鳥の肉垂は薄いピンク色で目先の黒い部分が小さい。現存するセアカホオダレムクドリと絶滅したホオダレムクドリとともにホオダレムクドリ科を構成する。
過去にはカラス (blue-wattled crow) と呼ばれていたこともある。
飛翔距離は短く木の幹を跳ぶように移動する。
