The Chatham tomtit (Petroica macrocephala chathamensis) is a subspecies of tomtit found on some of the smaller islands of New Zealand. It is most similar in plumage to the South Island tomtit, the nominate subspecies.[2] The New Zealand government is implementing a plan to help this species and other bird species recover.[3] The holotype is in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[4]
| Chatham tomtit | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Infraorder: | Passerides |
| Family: | Petroicidae |
| Genus: | Petroica |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | P. m. chathamensis
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Petroica macrocephala chathamensis (CA Fleming, 1950)
| |
Distribution
editThe Chatham tomtit has been extinct on Chatham Island since the 1970s. This subspecies now has a population of about 1,000 birds and is currently restricted to the rat-free islands of Rangatira, Mangere and Pitt.[5]
References
edit- ^ Terranature.org
- ^ Govt.nz
- ^ Govt.nz
- ^ "Petroica macrocephala chathamensis; holotype". Collections Online. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
- ^ chathams.co.nz Archived May 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine