Chatham snipe
| Chatham snipe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Suborder: | Scolopaci |
| Family: | Scolopacidae |
| Genus: | Coenocorypha |
| Species: | C. pusilla |
| Binomial name | |
| Coenocorypha pusilla (Buller, 1869) | |
The Chatham Island snipe or Chatham 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 Island snipe feed by probing into the ground in search of worms, amphipods, insects and larvae.[2]
Scientific discovery
In 1868 the Chatham Island 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
- ↑ BirdLife International (2013). "Coenocorypha pusilla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- 1 2 "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
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Chatham Island snipe discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 14 October 2016