Biology
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The breeding season of the yellowhead is late compared to other birds in its range, but varies with climatic conditions (2). Individuals breed from early October until March on the valley floor in the Eglinton Valley, Fiordland National Park, but those at higher altitude in Eglinton and elsewhere start later (5). Clutches contain one to five eggs, usually three, which are then incubated exclusively by the female for about 20 days (3) (5). In low altitude areas, most pairs raise two broods a year, but elsewhere a single clutch appears to be more normal (5). Although the female has sole responsibility over the lengthy process of incubation, both parents spend a relatively long time caring for the chicks after hatching (3). The life expectancy of the yellowhead is five years, although two wild birds have been recorded at at least 16 years old (4).
The yellowhead is primarily insectivorous, but occasionally supplements its diet with fruit when in season (4).
Conservation
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A monitoring programme established in 1983 carefully tracks 14 populations of yellowheads in 12 key sites, and stoats have been trapped in key habitats during years of heavy seeding (4). Survival rates in the Eglinton Valley, Fiordland National Park, have been closely followed for more than ten years to monitor whether stoat control efforts are having a positive impact, and initial results show that intensive trapping of predators does benefit the yellowhead (3). In addition, birds have been translocated to three mammalian predator-free habitats, including Codfish Island in 2003, where individuals proceeded to successfully breed the following season (4). This species has also bred in captivity at Orana Park in Christchurch, providing potential for future re-introductions into suitable habitats. Should re-introductions ever be deemed necessary, they would help to bolster wild populations of this beautiful, brightly-coloured endemic bird and greatly increase its chances of survival (3) (4) (6).
Description
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This small bird earns its common name for the beautiful, glimmering, vivid-yellow colouration that adorns its head and breast, while the remainder of the plumage is brown with varying tinges of yellow and olive (3). The female and juvenile are similar, but slightly less brightly coloured than the male, with the crown and nape more brown in colour (3) (4). The male's commonest call is a trill or rapid shivering rattle, which has been likened to the pea whistle note of a canary (2).
Habitat
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Once found in podocarp/hardwood forests, the yellowhead now occupies beech forests, preferring those with fertile soils on river terraces, where food is abundant (3) (4). Nesting occurs in small cavities in large, old trees (4).
Range
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Endemic to New Zealand. Formerly widespread in the South and Stewart Islands, the yellowhead is now extinct on Stewart Island and has greatly declined on the South Island, with only a small number of fragmented populations left. Remaining strongholds exist in the Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks (4).
Status
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Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1).
Threats
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When Europeans first arrived in New Zealand the yellowhead was still abundant, but forest clearances, predation by introduced mammals and competition with introduced vespulid wasps (Vespula spp.) and birds all had a devastating effect on the species' survival (3) (6). As a result, this bird has disappeared from 75 percent of its former range (4). As with much of New Zealand's endangered fauna, habitat destruction has been a major cause of decline, with many forests still being cleared or modified by selective logging. Predation also poses a serious threat, with yellowheads suffering periodic population crashes when stoat (Mustela erminea) numbers erupt (4). These eruptions follow seasons of heavy beach seeding that occur every four to six years, which allow species up the food chain to multiply, with populations of insects, then mice, and then stoats, proliferating (4) (6). Stoats prey upon eggs, chicks and incubating adult females that are unable to escape from the nest hole, resulting in huge losses and a dramatically biased sex ratio (4) (6). Black rats (Rattus rattus) brought over on ships are also excellent climbers, and prey upon eggs, chicks and incubating females (3) (4). It is also thought that stoat control initiatives in certain areas may have reduced predation on the increasing rat population (3) (6). Competition for insects and honeydew from introduced vespulid wasps has contributed to the bird's disappearance from beech honeydew forests in the northern South Island, and introduced finches are thought to also be competing for food and contributing to the species' decline (6).
Yellowhead (bird)
provided by wikipedia EN
The yellowhead or mohua (Mohoua ochrocephala) is a small insectivorous passerine bird endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Once a common forest bird, its numbers declined drastically after the introduction of rats and stoats, and it is now near threatened.
Taxonomy
The yellowhead was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the flycatchers in the genus Muscicapa and coined the binomial name Muscicapa ochrocephala.[2] The specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek ōkhros meaning "pale yellow" and -kephalos meaning "-headed".[3] Gmelin based his account on the "yellow-headed fly-catcher" that had been described in 1783 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds.[4] The naturalist Joseph Banks had provided Latham with a watercolour painting of the bird by Georg Forster who had accompanied James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific Ocean. The inscription on the painting includes the year 1774 and the location "Queen Charlotte's Sound". Queen Charlotte Sound is on the north coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This picture is the holotype for the species and is in the collection of the Natural History Museum in London.[5] The yellowhead in now one of three species placed in the genus Mohoua that was introduced in 1837 by the French naturalist René Lesson.[6] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[6]
The yellowhead was known in the 19th century as the "bush canary", after its trilling song.[7] It is also known as mohua from the Māori mōhoua.[8] Recent classification places this species and its close relative, the whitehead, in the family Mohouidae.
Distribution and habitat
The yellowhead and the whitehead have allopatric distributions as, conversely, the latter is found only in the North Island and several small islands surrounding it. Although abundant in the 19th century, particularly in southern beech forests on the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura, mohua declined dramatically in the early 20th century due to the introduction of black rats and mustelids; nesting in tree holes makes them more vulnerable to predators.[9]
Today they have vanished from almost all of the South Island's forests and exist in less than 5% of their original range.[9][7] On mainland South Island there is currently a small population of mohua in the Marlborough Sounds and around Arthur's Pass,[9] but a quarter of the population lives in the beech forests of the Catlins. The mohua number about 5000.[7]
Conservation
In New Zealand, mohua have the status of a protected threatened endemic species. Conservation efforts are being made to ensure its survival and mohua populations have been established on several predator-free offshore islands, such as Breaksea Island in Fiordland and Ulva Island. Birds have been captive-bred at Orana Park in Christchurch.[9]
In 2003, 39 mohua were translocated from Breaksea Island to predator-free Codfish Island / Whenua Hou, and more were introduced to Whenua Hōu from the Catlins in 2018, increasing the island's population to about 1000.[10] More releases are planned to islands in Fiordland.[10]
Mōhua on predator-free Ulva Island
Pest control efforts by the Department of Conservation have managed to stabilise some mainland mohua populations. For example, where biodegradable 1080 poison was used to control rats in the Dart valley, there was a more than 80% survival rate, compared with just 10% in untreated areas.[11] The population of mohua in the Landsborough valley has increased four-fold since 1998, thanks to an intensive programme of pest control, including aerial 1080. The population is now strong enough for birds to be transferred out to establish a new population on Resolution Island. Similar aerial 1080 operations in the Catlins[12] and the Hurunui,[13] Hawdon and Eglinton valleys[14] have had equally encouraging results. DOC and TBfree New Zealand noted in March 2014 that there was a significant repopulation in the Catlins of other avian species, including bellbird and tomtit due to the reduction of predators.[15]
Popular culture
Since the redesign of New Zealand's currency in 1991 a yellowhead has appeared on the reverse side of the New Zealand $100 note.[7]
References
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^ BirdLife International (2022). "Mohoua ochrocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T22705397A209465053. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
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^ Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (1789). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 2 (13th ed.). Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Georg. Emanuel. Beer. p. 944.
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^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
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^ Latham, John (1783). A General Synopsis of Birds. Vol. 2, Part 1. London: Printed for Leigh and Sotheby. p. 342, No. 37.
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^ Lysaght, Averil (1959). "Some eighteenth century bird paintings in the library of Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820)". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Historical Series. 1 (6): 251-371 [308, No. 157].
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^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2023). "Whiteheads, sittellas, Ploughbill, Australo-Papuan bellbirds, Shriketit, whistlers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
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^ a b c d Graves, Andrea (July–August 2016). "Mōhua: the story of the bird on our $100 note". New Zealand Geographic. 140.
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^ "Yellowhead | New Zealand Birds Online". nzbirdsonline.org.nz. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
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^ a b c d Quinlivan, Mark; Logan, Mel (8 May 2019). "How our native mōhua bird went from 'rare' to 'common' in just 21 years". Newshub. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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^ a b "Genetic boost for threatened mōhua living on Whenua Hōu". Stuff. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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^ Making mohua safe at Lake Wakatipu
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^ TVNZ: 1080 poison pays off for endangered NZ bird
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^ Department of Conservation
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^ 1080: The Facts: 1080 helping mohua
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^ Department of Conservation (7 March 2014). "Catlins mōhua increase after pest control". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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Yellowhead (bird): Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The yellowhead or mohua (Mohoua ochrocephala) is a small insectivorous passerine bird endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Once a common forest bird, its numbers declined drastically after the introduction of rats and stoats, and it is now near threatened.
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