Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Fernbird (Megalurus punctatus) - HBW 11, p. 580
French: Mégalure matata
German: Farnsteiger
Spanish: Yerbera Maorí
Other common names: New Zealand Fernbird; Snares Fernbird (caudatus); Chatham Fernbird (rufescens)
Taxonomy: Synallaxis punctata Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, South Island, New Zealand.
Often placed in a monotypic genus, Bowdleria, a treatment supported by certain anatomical features, but data derived from DNA-DNA hybridization suggest that it is closely related to M. timoriensis and, in particular, M. gramineus; further research required. Distinctive race caudatus possibly a separate species. Considerably larger Chatham Is race rufescens (also with throat and most of underparts white) now extinct; was sometimes treated as a separate species, and has been suggested that it might be more closely related to Fijian Megalurulus rufus tha.. View all taxonomy...
Often placed in a monotypic genus, Bowdleria, a treatment supported by certain anatomical features, but data derived from DNA-DNA hybridization suggest that it is closely related to M. timoriensis and, in particular, M. gramineus; further research required. Distinctive race caudatus possibly a separate species. Considerably larger Chatham Is race rufescens (also with throat and most of underparts white) now extinct; was sometimes treated as a separate species, and has been suggested that it might be more closely related to Fijian Megalurulus rufus than to other races of present species. Five extant subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- vealeae (Kemp, 1912) - North I, in New Zealand.
- punctatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830) - South I, in New Zealand.
- stewartianus (Oliver, 1930) - Stewart I.
- vealeae (Kemp, 1912) - North I, in New Zealand.
- punctatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830) - South I, in New Zealand.
- stewartianus (Oliver, 1930) - Stewart I.
- wilsoni (Stead, 1936) - Codfish I (off NW Stewart I).
- caudatus (Buller, 1894) - Snares Is (S of Stewart I).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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Adult on bush in reed bed, flies off and calls, returns to same perch, then flies again. Locality Bushy Point, Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand (ssp punctatus)
Martin Kennewell 27 November 2008 3 years ago 29 sec 3.6 -
A bird in rushes, calling Locality Otatara, South Island, New Zealand (ssp punctatus)
Brooke Clibbon 20 November 2005 5 years ago 31 sec 3.2 -
Adult creeping around in (windy) bush, then flies off. Locality Bushy Point, Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand (ssp punctatus)
Martin Kennewell 27 November 2008 3 years ago 30 sec 3
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An endemic bird of New Zealand. It is a poor flier and not often seen above the vegetation it inhabits.
Locality Sinclair Wetlands, South Island, New Zealand
Glenda Rees 31 August 2011 16 weeks ago 3.9 -
This great little bird popped up during our wader count at Awarua Bay on Nov 6th. Just managed to take a couple of shots before
Locality Awarua Bay Wildlife Refuge, Bluff, South Island, New Zealand (ssp punctatus)
Neil Robertson 6 November 2010 1 year ago 3.3 -
A young bird on a bush
Locality Stewart Island, New Zealand
Aleix Comas 29 December 2001 2 years ago 2.6
- No sound recordings available yet
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