New Zealand Little Bittern
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Little Bittern (Ixobrychus novaezelandiae) is an extinct
and enigmatic species of heron
in the Ardeidae family. It was endemic to New Zealand
and was last recorded alive in the 1890s.
Common name
s for this species include New Zealand Bittern, Spotted Heron, and Kaoriki (Maori
). The scientific species name also has numerous junior synonyms.
(Ixobrychus minutus), or conspecific with the Australian Little Bittern
, though it was first described by Alexander Callender Purdie
in 1871 as Ardeola Novae Zelandiae. In 1980 New Zealand paleontologist Peter L. Horn found subfossil bones of a bittern from Lake Poukawa
which he named Dupetor flavicollis. In 1991 Philip Millener identified Horn’s material as remains of the New Zealand Little Bittern.
of New Zealand, with most records from Westland
. Although subfossil
remains have been found in the North Island
, reports of living birds may have been of misidentified Australasian Bittern
s. The first scientific specimen was reportedly obtained at Tauranga
in the North Island by a Reverend Mr Stack in 1836, but is now untraceable. The holotype
specimen in the Museum of New Zealand was taken from the head of Lake Wakatipu
in Otago
. Recorded habitat for the species includes the wooded margins of saline lagoons and creeks.
quotes a Mr Docherty, who was familiar with the bird in Westland:
and worms in captivity, when given in water.
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
and enigmatic species of heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
in the Ardeidae family. It was endemic to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was last recorded alive in the 1890s.
Common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s for this species include New Zealand Bittern, Spotted Heron, and Kaoriki (Maori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
). The scientific species name also has numerous junior synonyms.
Taxonomy
The species has sometimes been regarded as a subspecies of Little BitternLittle Bittern
The Little Bittern is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, native to the Old World, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia, and Madagascar. Birds from temperate regions in Europe and western Asia are migratory, wintering in Africa and further south in...
(Ixobrychus minutus), or conspecific with the Australian Little Bittern
Australian Little Bittern
The Black-backed Bittern , also known as the Black-backed Least Bittern or Australian Little Bittern, is a little-known species of heron in the Ardeidae family found in Australia and southern New Guinea...
, though it was first described by Alexander Callender Purdie
Alexander Callender Purdie
Alexander Callender Purdie was a New Zealand naturalist and botanist.Purdie was born in the parish of Fenwick, East Ayrshire, Scotland. After his schooling he moved to Glasgow acquiring a trade as a wire worker which he pursued in England and Scotland for several years, while also following his...
in 1871 as Ardeola Novae Zelandiae. In 1980 New Zealand paleontologist Peter L. Horn found subfossil bones of a bittern from Lake Poukawa
Lake Poukawa
Lake Poukawa is a small shallow hardwater lake in the Hawke's Bay Region, North Island, New Zealand. It is located about 20 km south-west of Hastings, New Zealand, close to the settlement of Te Hauke. It is the largest lake lying within a peatland in the active tectonic Poukawa depression, between...
which he named Dupetor flavicollis. In 1991 Philip Millener identified Horn’s material as remains of the New Zealand Little Bittern.
Description
Although a small bittern, the species was larger (length about 14.75 inches (38 cm)) than the Little Bittern (25–36 cm). Few specimens are known, and of these there is even doubt about the sex of some, making published descriptions unreliable. Differences from Little Bittern include a larger buff patch on the upperwing, black upperparts streaked light brown, underparts streaked dark brown and rufous-buff.Distribution and habitat
In recent times the bird is only known with certainty to have inhabited the South IslandSouth Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand, with most records from Westland
Westland District
Westland District is a territorial authority on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Its population is - Government :The Westland District is governed by an elected Council, headed by an elected Mayor. The Mayor is elected at large. The current Mayor is Maureen Pugh. Councillors are...
. Although subfossil
Subfossil
Subfossil refers to remains whose fossilization process is not complete, either for lack of time or because the conditions in which they were buried were not optimal for fossilization....
remains have been found in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, reports of living birds may have been of misidentified Australasian Bittern
Australasian Bittern
The Australasian Bittern , also known as the Brown Bittern, is found in south-western and south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Ouvea. Populations in Australia and New Zealand have declined in the 20th century.It is a large bittern, patterned and streaked brown, buff...
s. The first scientific specimen was reportedly obtained at Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
in the North Island by a Reverend Mr Stack in 1836, but is now untraceable. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen in the Museum of New Zealand was taken from the head of Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu is an inland lake in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of Otago Region, near its boundary with Southland.With a length of , it is New Zealand's longest lake, and, at , its third largest...
in Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
. Recorded habitat for the species includes the wooded margins of saline lagoons and creeks.
Behaviour
Walter BullerWalter Buller
Walter Lawry Buller KCMG was a New Zealand lawyer, naturalist and ornithologist.Buller was the author of A History of the Birds of New Zealand , with illustrations by John Gerrard Keulemans. In 1882 he produced the Manual of the Birds of New Zealand as a cheaper, popular alternative...
quotes a Mr Docherty, who was familiar with the bird in Westland:
"They are to be found on the salt-water lagoons on the seashore, always hugging the timbered side of the same. I have seen them in two positions, viz.:— standing on the bank of the lagoon, with their heads bent forward, studiously watching the water; at other times I have seen them standing straight up, almost perpendicular; I should say this is the proper position for the bird to be placed in when stuffed. When speaking of lagoons as the places where they are to be found, I may mention that I caught one about two miles in the bush, on the bank of a creek; but the creek led to a lagoon. They live on small fishes or the roots of reeds; I should say the latter, because at the very place where I caught one I observed the reeds turned up and the roots gone. They are very solitary, and always found alone, and they stand for hours in one place. I heard a person say that he had opened one and found a large egg in it. They breed on the ground in very obscure places; I never heard their cry."
Feeding
The bittern is recorded as eating mudfishBrown mudfish
The brown mudfish, Neochanna apoda, is a galaxiid of the genus Neochanna, endemic to New Zealand, where it lives on the southwest coast of North Island and on the northwest coast of the South Island...
and worms in captivity, when given in water.