Chatham Islands Snipe
Coenocorypha pusilla
The smallest snipe of New Zealand and the only snipe present on the Chatham Islands. A small, rotund wader with mottled brown and black plumage. Note long bill and pale lower breast and belly. Confined to Mangere, Little Mangere, Rangatira, Rabbit Islands, Star Keys, and sometimes Pitt Island. Found in dense vegetation during the day but more active at night when it moves to more open habitat. Male call is a loud “chup chup” which gradually builds to a “queeyoo queeyoo.” Harsher “chep” alarm call often heard at night. Can be heard at night performing a unique flight display known by the Maori name “hakawai.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Coenocorypha pusilla
- Authority
- (Buller, 1869)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Genus
- Coenocorypha
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Plumbeous Pigeon
Patagioenas plumbea
Large dark pigeon of forest interior. Overall purplish-gray, slightly darker and browner on wings. Pale eye. Sexes alike. Note plainer appearance and longer tail than many other doves and pigeons. Most similar to Ruddy Pigeon but plumage grayer (not reddish) and eye paler. Usually quite secretive, staying in the canopy where singles or pairs feed on fruits. Found from lowlands into subtropical zone, up to 2,300 m (7,500 ft). More often heard than seen; listen for the cooing “who-cooks-for-you” song with the last two notes drawn out.
Huayco Tinamou
Rhynchotus maculicollis
Large, streaky tinamou of upper elevations of the east side of the Andes. The highland version of Red-winged Tinamou, similar in voice and habits. Fairly rare and local in tall grass in the high Andes from NW Argentina to the La Paz area in Bolivia. Prefers steep hillsides and slopes, largely absent from the altiplano. From other montane tinamous by characteristic plaintive, two part whistled song, for which it is named (“HUAY-co”). Shy and retiring, can be quite difficult to see, most often found by voice.
Foxy Cisticola
Cisticola troglodytes
A small, distinctive, bright rufous upland cisticola. Remarkably plain: rufous on the upperparts and buff below. The unmarked face often has a gentle expression. Found locally in savanna and dry woodland. Inconspicuous and somewhat secretive. Can be similar to Rufous and Siffling Cisticolas but always plainer and more rufous. The vocalizations include a rising squeaky note and lower spitting notes.
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