Rifleman
Acanthisitta chloris
New Zealand’s smallest bird. Tiny endemic wren with fragmented distribution across both islands. Often found in patches of mature forest and scrub. Constantly moving across tree trunks and within the canopy. More common in higher-altitude beech forest. Males are smaller, with bright green on the head and back. Females are mainly yellowish-brown. Note the short wings, the stumpy tail, and the slender, upturned black bill. Utters an almost constant high-frequency “zipt,” “pip,” or “chuck” calls while foraging that are often inaudible to people. Distinguished from South Island Wren by smaller size and shorter legs; rarely feeds on forest floor. Habitats unlikely to overlap.
Identification
A rifleman is an infantry soldier armed with a rifled long gun. Although the rifleman role had its origin with 16th century hand cannoneers and 17th century musketeers, the term originated in the 18th century with the introduction of the rifled musket. By the mid-19th century, entire regiments of riflemen were formed and became the mainstay of all standard infantry, and rifleman became a generic term for any common infantryman.
Taxonomy
Genus: Acanthisitta; Family: Acanthisittidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Acanthisitta chloris
- Authority
- (Sparrman, 1787)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acanthisittidae
- Genus
- Acanthisitta
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Diard's Trogon
Harpactes diardii
Chunky, sluggish bird of lowland and foothill tropical broadleaved forests. Male has brilliant crimson underparts, a black head, and a triangular pinkish nape. Female is brown-headed with a sharp and solid white line between head and red breast. Red-headed Trogon female has a thinner, incomplete white collar. Often perches quietly at middle levels, frequently in pairs. Song is an echoing series of rising hoots that levels off.
Mountain Mouse-Warbler
Origma robusta
A small, common but skulking bird of upper-montane forest understory. Dark brown upperparts, pale brown underparts and usually a white throat. Races differ, some males having a dark chest band and others uniformly buffy or pale below. Males usually have paler eyes than females. Similar to Large Scrubwren, but Mountain Mouse-Warbler lacks the rusty face. Variable, almost thrushlike song of loud, whistled notes. Also give scolding “chak!” and rasping calls.
Red-necked Nightjar
Caprimulgus ruficollis
Resembles Eurasian Nightjar, but larger with a rufous collar and upper breast and lacks the dark “forearms” seen on Eurasian Nightjar. Note the prominent pale tips on the wing coverts. Most active at dusk when hawks for flying insects. Voice is a distinctive repetitive “tuok-tuok-tuok” rising and falling in volume. Haunts sparsely to moderately vegetated open areas such as rocky hillsides, pinewoods, and semidesert in the breeding season and winters in similar habitats in West Africa.
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