Chatham snipe
Chatham snipe | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Charadriiformes |
Family: | Scolopacidae |
Genus: | Coenocorypha |
Species: | C. pusilla
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Binomial name | |
Coenocorypha pusilla (Buller, 1869)
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Synonyms | |
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The Chatham snipe or Chatham Island snipe (Coenocorypha pusilla) is a species of wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, and is only found on a few islands in the south of the Chatham Islands group.[2]
Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate grassland.
Chatham snipe feed by probing into the ground in search of worms, amphipods, insects and larvae.[2]
Scientific discovery
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Chatham_snipe_or_Chatham_Island_snipe_%28Coenocorypha_pusilla%29_Auckland_museum.jpg/220px-Chatham_snipe_or_Chatham_Island_snipe_%28Coenocorypha_pusilla%29_Auckland_museum.jpg)
In 1868 the Chatham snipe was collected by naturalist Charles Traill and was sent to ornithologist Walter Buller who described it as a new species of snipe. On an exploratory mission to the islands in 1871, Henry Travers only found the snipe on Mangere Island.[3] Attempts to return snipe to main Chatham Island would be hampered by the presence of introduced mammals and of weka, which are predators of snipe chicks.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Coenocorypha pusilla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22693137A93385774. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693137A93385774.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Story: Wading birds - Chatham Island snipe". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ "Tutukiwi, the Chatham Island snipe". New Zealand Birds Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ Mulligan, Jesse; Toki, Nicola (14 October 2016). "Critter of the Week". RNZ. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
External links
[edit]- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Chatham Island snipe discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 14 October 2016