Justification This species is classified as Vulnerable because it has a very small range and population. Intensive conservation efforts aim to improve its status, but the long-term survival of the four remaining translocated populations is uncertain in the long term with all requiring intensive and ongoing management.

Family/Sub-family Meliphagidae

Species name author (Du Bus & Gisignies, 1839)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Turbott (1990)

Taxonomic note Driskell et al. (2007) suggest that this species is taxonomically distinct from the Meliphagidae and should be placed in a new family of its own which takes the name Notiomystidae, more closely related to the Callaeidae (New Zealand wattlebirds).

Identification 18 cm. Small, sexually dimorphic passerine. Male, distinctive velvet-black head, back, upper breast. White erectile ear-tufts. Black underlined on breast with golden-yellow. Black wings with golden-yellow shoulder patches, white wing-bars. Remainder of underparts pale brown. Female, grey-brown with white wing-bar. Small non-distinctive ear-tufts of same grey-brown. Voice Male, loud explosive whistle see-si-ip, low warbling song of up to three minutes. Alarm calls stitch, whee whee whee.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

500 - 2,000

stable

60 km²

Yes

Ecology: It is found in most forest-types, but requires mature forest for breeding as nesting is in tree-holes. It feeds on nectar, fruit and arthropods, depending on availability and requirements^1,7. It has a highly variable breeding system, and is the only bird species known to mate facing each other⁹. Forced copulation by males occurs during the breeding season¹⁴. It lays between three to five eggs.

Threats Its extinction on the mainland may have been due to the introduction of black rat Rattus rattus or avian disease¹, although it probably also declined owing to forest loss in parts of its range¹³. Factors limiting the translocated populations have not yet been confirmed⁵, but declines in the translocated population on the island of Mokoia were attributed to aspergillosis and the discontinuation of supplementary feeding¹², and recent declines on Tiritiri Matangi have been attributed to an outbreak of Salmonella¹⁵. It appears to require large expanses of mature forest to survive which represents a major hurdle to conservation efforts¹⁰.

Conservation measures underway The first translocations in the 1980s failed, but three island populations were established between 1991 and 1995. Translocated birds are given supplementary food, and nest boxes are usually provided. Research to identify factors limiting the new populations indicates that translocation methods, population establishment and availability of food are not key issues on Mokoia^3,4, but food shortages and competition for food with other endemic honeyeaters may be a problem on Kapiti⁸. Further islands are being assessed for population establishment. A small captive population is held, but numbers have gradually declined¹¹. The provision of supplementary food has been shown to significantly increase productivity in translocated populations¹². The population on Little Barrier Island is monitored and efforts are ongoing to generate an accurate population assessment.

Conservation measures proposed Protect, monitor and, where necessary, enhance populations on existing transfer sites. Research the species's requirements to aid establishment of additional populations. Establish at least one more self-sustaining population. Survey the population on Little Barrier and establish viability and trends. Maintain a captive-breeding population for research and advocacy. Raise public awareness².

References 1. Angehr (1984). 2. Armstrong (1996). 3. Armstrong and Perrott (2000). 4. Armstrong et al. (1999). 5. D. P. Armstrong in litt. (1999). 6. S. Boyd in litt (1999). 7. Castro et al. (1994b). 8. Castro et al. (1994a). 9. Castro et al. (1996). 10. I. Castro in litt. (1999). 11. Rasch et al. (1996). 12. Castro et al. (2003). 13. Department of Conservation (2005). 14. Low (2005). 15. Ewen et al. (2007).

Further web sources of information

New Zealand Govt - Dept of Conservation - Recovery Plan

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Rachel McClellan (BirdLife International)

Contributors D. P Armstrong, S Boyd, I Castro, John G Ewen (Zoological Society of London)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Notiomystis cincta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/9/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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