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South Island Saddleback
Philesturnus carunculatus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Callaeidae — New Zealand Wattlebirds
South Island Saddleback, Philesturnus carunculatus, is a passerine of the New Zealand wattlebird family that breeds in Australasia, now mainly on satellite islands off South Island, New Zealand. It is a forest bird and was once found across South and Stewart Islands before its range contracted sharply. The species was first described in 1789 by Gmelin. It is now placed in Philesturnus with the North Island saddleback. A recovery plan was set up in 1994 to support wild populations, quarantine measures and predator removal from islands used for translocations.
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Callaeidae — New Zealand Wattlebirds
- Breeding range
- Australasia: South I., now mainly on satellites (New Zealand)
