Chatham bellbird
The Chatham bellbird (Anthornis melanocephala) is an extinct species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It was endemic to the Chatham Islands.
Nest
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Chatham Island bellbird (Anthornis melanocephala) specimen from the Auckland Museum collection.
| Chatham bellbird | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Meliphagidae |
| Genus: | Anthornis |
| Species: | †A. melanocephala |
| Binomial name | |
| †Anthornis melanocephala G.R. Gray, 1843 | |
 | |
| Chatham Islands (top right) in relation to other New Zealand Outlying Islands | |
In appearance it was very similar to the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura) but was considerably larger. Also the whole of the head and neck was brightly glossed in purplish or steel-blue.[2]
It was last observed in 1906 on Little Mangere Island. The population was likely impacted by the introduction of a disease as there was a sudden population decline before the onset of other disturbances such as rats, cats and specimen collectors.
References
- BirdLife International (2012). "Anthornis melanocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- A History of the Birds of New Zealand by Walter Buller, 1888
External links
- Chatham Island Bellbird / Komako. by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book Extinct Birds of New Zealand, by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
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