Callaeidae

Family of birds From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Callaeidae (sometimes Callaeatidae) is a family of passerine birds endemic to New Zealand. It contains three genera, with five species in the family. One species, the huia, became extinct early in the 20th century, while the South Island kokako is critically endangered and may be extinct.

Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Infraorder:Passerides
Quick facts New Zealand wattlebirds, Scientific classification ...
New Zealand wattlebirds
Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Infraorder: Passerides
Family: Callaeidae
Sundevall, 1836
Genera

Callaeas
Philesturnus
Heteralocha

Close

Although sometimes known as wattled crows, they are not corvids and are only distantly related to crows - New Zealand wattlebirds is the informal name for this family used by the scientific community.[1]

Biology and evolution

They are ground-dwelling songbirds, 26–38 cm in length. They inhabit dense forests, where they feed on insects. They have strong legs and featherless wattles behind the bill. Their wings are rounded and unusually weak, giving them very limited powers of flight. They are monogamous and maintain permanent territories.[2]

These birds seem to be remnants of an early expansion of passerines to New Zealand. Their only close relative is the stitchbird.[3]

The phylogenetic relationships between the species shown below is based on a study published in 2022. The South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) was not sampled.[4]

Notiomystidae

Notiomystis cincta – stitchbird

Callaeidae
Callaeas

Callaeas wilsoni – North Island kokako

Callaeas cinereus – South Island kokako (possibly extinct)

Philesturnus

Philesturnus rufusater – North Island saddleback

Heteralocha

Heteralocha acutirostris – Huia (extinct)

Species

Gallery

References

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