Norfolk thrush
| Norfolk thrush | |
|---|---|
| File:Turdus.p.poliocephalus.jpg | |
| Norfolk Island thrush | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Turdidae |
| Genus: | Turdus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | T. p. poliocephalus
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Turdus poliocephalus poliocephalus (Latham, 1801)
| |
The Norfolk thrush (Turdus poliocephalus poliocephalus), also known as the grey-headed blackbird or guava bird, is an extinct bird in the thrush family endemic to Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Tasman Sea. It is the extinct nominate subspecies of the Tasman Sea island thrush (Turdus poliocephalus).
Description
[edit | edit source]
The Norfolk thrush was mainly dark brown in colour, with a pale grey-brown head and upper breast. It was about 21 cm in length, with a wingspan of 34 cm and a weight of 55 g. It had a yellow bill, orbital ring and legs. Males and females were similar in size and appearance.[1]
Habitat
[edit | edit source]The Norfolk thrush used to be common in forest and was often seen in gardens adjacent to rainforest remnants.[2]
Behaviour
[edit | edit source]Breeding
[edit | edit source]The subspecies nested in trees, including the introduced lemon tree. The clutch size was 2–4.[3]
Feeding
[edit | edit source]The Norfolk thrush foraged mainly on the ground, in leaf litter, for small invertebrates, seeds and fallen fruit.[4]
Status and conservation
[edit | edit source]The subspecies became extinct around the late 1970s, with the last confirmed record in 1975. The cause of its extinction is attributed to a combination of clearing of native vegetation and predation by rats and feral cats. Additional factors were competition with introduced song thrushes and common blackbirds, as well as by interbreeding with the latter species producing sterile offspring.[5][6]
Notes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- Higgins, P.J.; Peter, J.M.; & Cowling, S.J. (eds). 2006. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 7: Boatbill to Starlings. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Natural History Museum image reference 12226
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