PELECANIFORMES Pelicans, herons, and ibises

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† Indicates an extinct taxon

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Order PELECANIFORMES: Pelicans, Herons, and Ibises

We follow the recommendations of Ericson et al. (2006), Hackett et al. (2008), Jarvis et al. (2014), Burleigh et al. (2015), Prum et al. (2015), and Kuhl et al. (2021) in moving Ardeidae (herons and bitterns) and Threskiornithidae (ibises and spoonbills) from Ciconiiformes into Pelecaniformes. The family sequence follows Clements et al. (2019) and Chesser et al. (2020). However, we note that removing the Pelecanidae from the Suliformes and associating them with the Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae is not in agreement with the genera of parasitic lice (Phthiraptera) which are found on these families of birds. Considering louse genera of the suborder Ischnocera, which are good indicators of host relationships, pelicans share the genus Pectinopygus Mjöberg, 1910 with all the members of the Suliformes, but not with any of the Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae (Price et al. 2003: 362). Furthermore, the Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae share two genera of lice (one of each suborder, Ischnocera and Amblycera) with the Ciconiidae (Price et al. 2003: 298), indicating that these three families may be closely related.

Family PELECANIDAE Rafinesque: Pelicans

Pelicanea Rafinesque, 1815: Analyse de la Nature: 72 – Type genus Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Pelecanus Linnaeus

Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1: 132 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus.

Catoptropelecanus Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 7 – Type species (by original designation) Catoptropelecanus perspicillatus Reichenbach = Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck.

➤ Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck
Australian Pelican | Perikana

Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck, 1824: Planch. Color. d’ Oiseaux 47: pl. 276 – Australia, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 244).

Pelecanus australis Stephens, 1826: in Shaw, General Zool. 13(1): 113 – New South Wales, Australia.

Catoptropelecanus perspicillatus Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 7 – New South Wales, Australia.

Pelecanus proavus De Vis, 1892: Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 6: 449 – Queensland, Australia.

Pelecanus conspicillatus westralis Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 244 – Perth, Western Australia.

Pelecanus conspicillatus conspicillatus Temminck; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 419.

Catoptropelecanus conspicillatus conspicillatus (Temminck); Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 101.

Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 28.

Pelecanus conspicillatus novaezealandiae Scarlett, 1966: Notornis 13: 209 – Poukawa, Hawke’s Bay.

Pelecanus novaezealandiae Scarlett; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 77.

Breeds in Australia; straggles to New Zealand: Whanganui River, 1890; near Dargaville, Aug.–Sep. 1976; Southland, Nov. 1977; South Canterbury, Dec. 1977–Jun. 1978 (at least three birds; Sagar 1978); Northland, centred on Wairoa River and Kaipara Harbour, from Aug. 2012 (at least 14 birds; Miskelly et al. 2013), peak count 18 bird in Apr. 2013, with the last sighting in Mar. 2015 (Miskelly et al. 2015). Recorded at Norfolk Island, late 1977 (Schodde et al. 1983). Pelicans are rare in New Zealand Holocene deposits and middens; they have been found at seven North Island sites and two South Island sites (B. Gill & Tennyson 2002; Lalas et al. 2014). New Zealand bones, including the type of P. novaezealandiae – an extinct supposedly endemic taxon – are inseparable from, and referred to, the Australian species (Worthy 1998d; B. Gill & Tennyson 2002; Scofield et al. 2003).

Family ARDEIDAE Leach: Herons and Bitterns | Matuku

Subfamily ARDEINAE Leach: Herons and Egrets

Ardeidae Leach, 1820: Eleventh room. In Synopsis Contents British Museum 17th edition, London: 69 – Type genus Ardea, Linnaeus 1758.

Ardeid taxonomy is unstable. Two major papers (McCracken & Sheldon 1998; Sheldon et al. 2000) showed that traditional arrangements may be flawed, but failed to recommend viable alternatives. The arrangement below reflects recent consensus (Dickinson 2003; Kushlan & Hancock 2005; Dickinson & Remsen 2013).

Bubulcus is included in the genus Ardeola Boie, 1822 in some classifications (e.g. Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990), but Wetmore (1965) and R. Payne & Risley (1976) listed many characters of Bubulcus that differ from those of other species in Ardeola Boie. R. Payne & Risley (1976) and R. Payne (1979) merged Bubulcus into Egretta based mainly on morphometric data, and this was followed by Haverschmidt & Mees (1994). Genetic data, however, do not support a close relationship between Bubulcus and Egretta, but suggest a close relationship to Ardea (Sheldon 1987; Sheldon et al. 1995; McCracken & Sheldon 1998; Kushlan & Hancock 2005). We follow Checklist Committee (1990), Sheldon et al. (2000), and Dickinson & Remsen (2013) in using Bubulcus.

Casmerodius was formerly regarded as a distinct genus (e.g. Pinto 1938; Hellmayr & Conover 1948; Phelps & Phelps 1958; Meyer de Schauensee 1970; AOU 1983), but morphometrics (R. Payne & Risley 1976), vocal analyses (McCracken & Sheldon 1997), and genetic data (Sheldon 1987; Sheldon et al. 1995; McCracken & Sheldon 1998) do not support its separation from Ardea. Some classifications (e.g. Blake 1977) have placed Ardea alba in Egretta, but we follow Sheldon (1987), Sheldon et al. (1995, 2000), McCracken & Sheldon (1998), and Kushlan & Hancock (2005) in placing it in Ardea. Mesophoyx is sometimes placed in Egretta, but, using DNA hybridisation, Sheldon (1987) concluded that it should be included within Ardea. This was followed by Sibley & Monroe (1990), although a phylogenetic analysis of osteology still shows a closer relationship to Egretta (see Sheldon et al. 1995). We follow Kushlan & Hancock (2005) in including A. intermedia within Ardea.

Otago Museum holds a specimen of striated heron Butorides striata (Linnaeus, 1758) labelled as coming from the Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua (Veitch et al. 2004). The provenance of this specimen requires more research before the species can be added to the New Zealand list.

Genus Bubulcus Bonaparte

Bubulcus Bonaparte (ex Pucheran MS), 1855: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 40: 722 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Bubulcus ibis “Hasselquist” = Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus).

➤ Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus)
Cattle Egret 

Ardea Ibis Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1(1): 144 – Egypt.

Southern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Also in northern South America, North America, Australia, and New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Three subspecies, one in New Zealand.

Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert)
Eastern Cattle Egret 

Cancroma Coromanda Boddaert, 1783: Tables des Planches Enluminéez d’Histoire Naturelle de M. d’Aubenton: 54. Based on “Crabier de la côte de Coromandel” in Buffon 1765–81, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux 8: pl. 190 – Coromandel, India.

Ardea coromandeliensis Stephens, 1819: General Zoology 11: 577. Unjustified emendation.

Ardea affinis Horsfield, 1820: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 13: 189 – Java, Indonesia.

Ardea Flavirostris Vieillot, 1823: Tableaux Encycl. Méthod. Ornith. 3: 1124. Based on “Crabier de la côte de Coromandel” in Buffon 1765–81, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux 8: pl. 190 – Coromandel, India.

Ardea russata Wagler, 1827: Syst. Avium, Ardea: sp. 12 – Australia, and Java, Indonesia. In part.

Ardea Caboga Franklin, 1832: Proc. Comm. Sci. Corresp. Zool. Soc. London 2(20): 124 – India.

Ardea bubulcus; J.E. & G.R. Gray 1846, Cat. Specimens Drawings Mamm. Birds Nepal Thibet: 134 – Nepal. Not Ardea bubulcus Audouin, 1826.

Ardea coromanda (Boddaert); G.R. Gray 1847, Gen. Birds 3(37): 556.

Bubulcus coromandensis Bonaparte, 1855: Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 125. Unjustified emendation.

Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert); Checklist Committee 1970, Annot. Checklist Birds N.Z.: 35.

Egretta ibis coromanda (Boddaert); R. Payne 1979, in Peters Check-list Birds World 1 (2nd edition): 211.

Bubulcus ibis; J. Moore 1999, Notornis 46: 358. Not Ardea ibis Linnaeus, 1758.

Ardea ibis coromanda (Boddaert); Kushlan & Hancock 2005, The Herons. Ardeidae: 138.

Throughout south-east Asia, including south China and Japan, and south to Australia since about 1948 (Marchant & Higgins 1990). In New Zealand, first reported from Moutere, Nelson, in 1956 (B. Brown 1980). Annual migrant since 1963: north of Christchurch, 1963 (Turbott et al. 1963), 1964 (Turbott 1964); Otago, 1963 (B.E. Kelly in Sibson 1963); Greymouth, 1964 (Grant 1964); Masterton, 1964 (Boeson 1964); and Levin, 1964 (E. Jones 1964). Coincident with increases in breeding population in Australia, sizeable flocks developed in New Zealand through the 1970s and 1980s. By the mid-1980s, winter counts showed several thousand birds, reappearing annually in many favoured localities from Northland to Southland (Heather 1978, 1982, 1986; E. Pratt 1979; W. Jackson & Olsen 1988). At the peak of the irruptions, birds were recorded on the Chatham Islands in 1983 (Gaze 1985; Heather 1991) and Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua in 1994 (Veitch et al. 2004). Recorded annually during this period on Norfolk Island (Hermes et al. 1986). Occasional to Snares Islands / Tini Heke (Miskelly et al. 2001a) and once to Auckland Islands / Maukahuka (Jun. 1983; Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020). Single record from Macquarie Island, 1975 (Green 1989). Annual flock sizes in New Zealand declined markedly after the 1980s. Only three records of birds summering in New Zealand (Heather 1978). Reported breeding attempt (Westerskov 1974) now discredited (Heather 1978).

Genus Ardea Linnaeus

Ardea Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1(1): 141 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Ardea cinerea Linnaeus.

Ardaea Dumont, 1804: in Levrault, Dict. Sci. Nat.: 467. Unjustified emendation.

Casmerodius Gloger, 1841: Gemein. Handb. Hilfsb. Naturgesch.: 412 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Ardea egretta Gmelin = Ardea alba Linnaeus.

Cosmerodius Salvadori, 1882: Ornitologia Papuasia Molucche 3: 349. Unjustified emendation.

Mesophoyx Sharpe, 1894: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 3: 38 – Type species (by original designation) Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829.

Myola Mathews, 1913: Austral Avian Rec. 1: 195 – Type species (by original designation) Ardea pacifica Latham.

➤ Ardea cinerea Linnaeus
Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1(1): 143 – Europe, restricted to Sweden (fide Hartert 1920, Vögel Pal. Fauna: 1229).

Cosmopolitan except for Antarctica and Australasia (Dickinson & Remsen 2013). Four subspecies.

Ardea cinerea jouyi Clark
Oriental Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea; Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 193. Not Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758.

Ardea cinerea jouyi Clark, 1907: Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 32: 468 – Seoul, Korea.

Ardea cinerea rectirostris; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 31. Not Ardea rectirostris Gould, 1843.

Ardea cinerea jouyi Clark; Kushlan & Hancock 2005, The Herons. Ardeidae: 69.

Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaya, and Indonesia (Sumatra, Java). One accepted record from Australia (2002). Immature bird caught on board a boat off the east coast of the North Island about 1898 (Buller 1899). Parkes (1974) found this specimen in the Carnegie Museum, clearly labelled, and referred it to A. c. jouyi. He found no reason to doubt the specimen’s provenance, but Marchant & Higgins (1990) excluded the record, considering it an assisted passage. Records from the 1940s (Dawson 1949, 1951a; Checklist Committee 1953) were retracted by the observer (Dawson 1974). Recorded at Fiji, 2005 (H.D. Pratt et al. 2008; most likely of this subspecies).

➤ Ardea pacifica Latham
Pacific Heron

Ardea pacifica Latham, 1801: Index Ornith. Suppl. 1: lxv – New South Wales, Australia.

Ardea Bullaragang Wagler, 1827: Syst. Avium, Ardea: sp. 5. Unnecessary nomen novum for Ardea pacifica Latham, 1801.

Ardea Bullaranjaus Wagler; J.E. Gray 1829, in E. Griffith, Anim. Kingdom 8 (Aves, 3): 337. Unjustified emendation.

Myola pacifica (Latham); Mathews 1920, Birds Australia (Suppl.) 1: 52.

Notophoyx pacifica (Latham); Oliver 1955, New Zealand Birds, 2nd edition: 390.

Ardea pacifica Latham; Kushlan & Hancock 2005, The Herons. Ardeidae: 93.

Throughout Australia and Tasmania (Marchant & Higgins 1990). A scarce vagrant to New Zealand with 11 accepted records: Methven, Apr.–Jul. 1952 (Stidolph 1952); Matamata, Jul. 1978 (Lacey 1979); Onepu, Houhora, Oct. 1981 (Hensley 1982); Waipu, Jan. 1984 (L. Howell 1985); Hokitika, Jun.–Jul. 2002 (Medway 2002f); Totara, Otago, Jan. 2003 (Medway 2003a); Toko, Taranaki, Jun. 2003 (Medway 2003b); Otapiri / Hedgehope, Southland, May 2013; Wayby Valley, Wellsford, Sep. 2013; between Athol and Queenstown, Dec. 2013; Wakefield, Nelson, May 2014 (Miskelly et al. 2015). Unverified record from Macauley Island, Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua, 1980 (R.H. Taylor in Veitch et al. 2004). Single record from Norfolk Island, 1978 (J. Moore 1981).

➤ Ardea alba Linnaeus
Great Egret

Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1(1): 144 – Sweden.

We follow H.D. Pratt (2011) and Dickinson & Remsen (2013) in recognising a single species of great egret, with four subspecies: alba (southern Palaearctic from central Europe to Russian Far East), modesta (eastern Asia south to Australasia), melanorhyncha Wagler, 1827 (sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar), and egretta Gmelin, 1789 (North and South America).

Ardea alba modesta J.E. Gray
Kōtuku | White Heron

Ardea modesta J.E. Gray, 1831: Zool. Miscell.: 19 – India.

Ardea Torra Franklin, 1831: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1830–1831 (1): 123 – central India.

Ardea Putea Franklin, 1831: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1830–1831 (1): 124 – India.

Ardea timoriensis Lesson, 1831: Traité d’Ornith. 1830: 575 – Timor.

Herodias flavirostris (Wagler); G.R. Gray 1845, in Richardson & J.E. Gray (Eds), Zool. Voy. ‘Erebus’ & ‘Terror’, Birds 1(8): 12. Not Ardea flavirostris Vieillot, 1823.

Herodias syrmatophorus Gould, 1846: Birds of Australia 6: pl. 56 – New South Wales, Australia.

Ardea alba Ellman, 1861: Zoologist 19: 7469 – New Zealand. Junior primary homonym of Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758.

Ardea flavirostris Wagler; G.R. Gray 1862, Ibis 4: 235. Not Ardea flavirostris Vieillot, 1823.

Ardea syrmatophora (Gould); Buller 1872 (Dec.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 1st edition (part 4): 226. Emendation.

Ardea egretta; Sharpe 1875, in Richardson & J.E. Gray (Eds), Zool. Voy. ‘Erebus’ & ‘Terror’, Birds – 1 (Appendix): 30. Not Ardea egretta Gmelin, 1789.

Herodias timoriensis (Lesson); Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 194.

Egretta alba syrmatophora (Gould); Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 230.

Egretta alba neglecta Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 230 – Parry’s Creek, Western Australia.

Herodias alba syrmatophora Gould; Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 81.

Herodias alba maoriana Mathews & Iredale, 1913: Ibis 1 (10th series): 404 – South Island.

Casmerodius albus maorianus (Mathews & Iredale); C.A. Fleming 1939, Emu 38: 389.

Egretta alba modesta (J.E. Gray); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 32.

Ardea alba modesta J.E. Gray; R. Payne 1979, in Peters Check-list birds World 1 (2nd edition): 204.

Egretta alba; J. Moore 1999, Notornis 46: 358. Not Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758.

Casmerodius albus; Holdaway et al. 2001, New Zealand Journ. Zool. 28(2): 129, 177. Not Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758.

Sometimes considered a full species (e.g. Sibley & Monroe 1990; Kushlan & Hancock 2005; Christidis & Boles 2008). Known as the eastern great egret elsewhere in range. Distributed from India, China, and Japan to Australia and New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). In New Zealand, the only known breeding place is near Okarito, Westland (40–60 pairs; C. Miller 2001). Immature birds disperse widely, mainly north, but some even reach the subantarctic islands. Winter numbers are sometimes boosted, as in 1957, by vagrants from Australia (Andrew 1963). Vagrant to Snares Islands / Tini Heke, Auckland Islands / Maukahuka, and Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku (Bailey & Sorensen 1962; Horning & Horning 1974; Miskelly et al. 2015; Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020). Four records from Macquarie Island: 1951 and 1957 (Keith & Hines 1958), and 1975 and 1976 (Green 1989). Accidental to Norfolk Island (Basset-Hull 1910; Hermes et al. 1986). Holocene sand-dune deposits in the Far North (Tom Bowling Bay, Waikuku Beach) include bones of immature birds, and are numerous enough to suggest a former breeding colony in that area. Scattered records throughout New Zealand in dune deposits and middens (Millener 1981a; Scofield et al. 2003).

➤ Ardea intermedia Wagler
Plumed Egret

Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829: Isis von Oken, Heft 6: col. 659 – Java, Indonesia.

Southern and eastern Africa, India, south-east Asia, Japan, Sunda Islands, New Guinea, and Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Three subspecies.

Ardea intermedia plumifera (Gould)
Plumed Egret

Herodias plumiferus Gould, 1848: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1847 (15): 221 – New South Wales, Australia.

Egretta intermedia plumifera (Gould); Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 229.

Mesophoyx intermedia plumifera (Gould); Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 81.

Egretta intermedia; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 90. Not Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829.

Ardea intermedia plumifera (Gould): Kushlan & Hancock 2005, The Herons. Ardeidae: 109.

Southern Moluccas (Maluku Islands), Lesser Sundas, New Guinea, and Australia; straggling to New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). The first New Zealand record was of an adult in breeding plumage shot in the Manawatu River estuary near Foxton in May or Jun. during the period 1970–73, now in the Museum of New Zealand (Seddon & Seddon 1979). Subsequently at least 15 verified records, most in autumn and winter: Lower Waikato, Sep. 1979, 1981, Aug. 1985 & Apr. 1993 (Seddon & Seddon 1979; L. Howell 1987; Checklist Committee 1990; G. Taylor & Parrish 1994b; Medway 2000a); Kaikohe, May–Jun. 1986; (L. Howell 1987); Avon–Heathcote estuary May 1986 (Crossland 1992; Gaze 1987); Cobden, Greymouth, Mar.–Apr.1990 (Guest 1991); three at Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora, Aug. 1998 (O’Donnell 2001; Medway 2001a); Whangapoua estuary, Coromandel, Jul. 2001 (Medway 2002d); Motueka, Apr. 2004 (Rare Birds Committee 2005); Lawrence, Jun. 2004 (Rare Birds Committee 2005); Ngaruroro River, Hawke’s Bay, Nov. 2005; Waiatarua wetland, Auckland, Nov. 2006 (Scofield 2008), four at Lake Ellesmere, Jun. 2011 (Miskelly et al. 2013); Tomahawk Lagoon, Dunedin, Nov. 2014 (Miskelly et al. 2013). Unverified records from Greymouth, 1995 (O’Donnell & West 1996) and Karamea, Nelson 1990–91 (Checklist Committee 2010). One record from Norfolk Island, 1985 (Hermes et al. 1986).

Genus Egretta T. Forster

Egretta T. Forster, 1817: Synop. Cat. Brit. Birds: 59 – Type species (by monotypy) Ardea garzetta Linnaeus = Egretta garzetta garzetta (Linnaeus).

Herodias Boie, 1822: Isis von Oken, Heft 5: col. 559 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Ardea garzetta Linnaeus = Egretta garzetta garzetta (Linnaeus).

Garzetta Kaup, 1829: Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Eur. Thierw.: 76 – Type species (by tautonymy) Ardea garzetta Linnaeus = Egretta garzetta garzetta (Linnaeus).

Erodias Brehm, 1832: Handb. Liebh. Stuben-Vög.: 352. Unjustified emendation.

Erodius Macgillivray, 1842: Man. Brit. Ornith. 2: 130. Junior homonym of Erodius Fabricius, 1775.

Demigretta Blyth, 1846: Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 15: 372 – Type species (by monotypy) Demiegretta concolor Blyth = Egretta sacra sacra (Gmelin).

Demegretta Blyth, 1852: Cat. Birds Mus. Asiatic Soc. 1849: 365. Unjustified emendation.

Hemi-egretta Bonaparte, 1857: Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 120. Unjustified emendation.

Demiegretta Baird, 1858: Rep. Expl. Surv. Miss. River Pac. Ocean. Birds 9(14): 660. Unjustified emendation.

Notophoyx Sharpe, 1895: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 5: 13 – Type species (by original designation) Ardea novaehollandiae Latham = Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae Latham.

➤ Egretta novaehollandiae (Latham)
White-faced Heron

Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands (Lombok to Timor), south and south-east New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia, and New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Two subspecies, E. n. nana (Amadon, 1942) in New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands, E. n. novaehollandiae elsewhere.

Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae (Latham)
White-faced Heron | Matuku Moana*

Ardea Novae Hollandiae Latham, 1790: Index Ornith.: 701 – “New Holland”, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 231).

Ardea leucops Wagler, 1827: Syst. Avium, Ardea: sp. 17. Unnecessary nomen novum for Ardea novaehollandiae Latham, 1790.

Ardea novae-hollandiae Latham; Travers 1883, Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 15: 187.

Notophoyx novae-hollandiae (Latham); Hutton 1904, Index Faunae N.Z.: 31.

Notophoyx novaehollandiae (Latham); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 32.

Notophoyx novaehollandiae novaehollandiae (Latham); Oliver 1955, New Zealand Birds, 2nd edition: 388.

Ardea novaehollandiae Latham; Checklist Committee 1970, Annot. Checklist Birds N.Z.: 34.

Egretta novaehollandiae (Latham); R. Payne 1979, in Peters Check-list Birds World 1 (2nd edition): 211.

Ardea novaehollandiae novaehollandiae Latham; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 88.

Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae Latham; Martínez-Vilalta & Motis 1992, in del Hoyo, Elliot & Sargatal Handb. Birds World 1: 411.

Eastern Indonesia, south and south-east New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand; vagrant to south-west Pacific islands (Marchant & Higgins 1990; Watling 2001). In New Zealand, sporadically reported from c. 1865 (Buller 1869a). Now widely distributed. Breeding suspected in 1939 in Westland (Okarito) and Otago (Bushy Park); confirmed in 1941 at Shag River (Waihemo), Otago. It spread rapidly north, especially in the 1950s (for details see Carroll 1970). First recorded on Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua 1965 (Merton 1970) but has not established (Veitch et al. 2004). First recorded on Norfolk Island 1900s (Basset-Hull 1910); now well established there, and also on Nepean and Philip Islands (Hermes et al. 1986; J. Moore 1985a). Present on Chatham Islands since 1966 (Carroll 1970); breeding since the 1970s, perhaps earlier (Hemmings & Chappell 1988). Straggler to subantarctic islands: Snares Islands / Tini Heke (Miskelly et al. 2001a), Auckland Islands / Maukahuka (Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020), Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku (1951–58; Carroll 1970), and Macquarie Island (1957, 1975, 1976; Green 1989).

*Also used for reef heron E. sacra.

➤ Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus)
Little Egret

Ardea Garzetta Linnaeus, 1766: Syst. Nat., 12th edition 1: 237 – Oriente, error for Malalbergo, River Reno, south of Ferrara, Italy (fide Grant & Mackworth-Praed 1933, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 53: 194).

Southern Europe, Africa, east to India, south-east Asia, China, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Amadon & Woolfenden (1952) split the yellow-lored and yellow-soled birds (E. g. immaculata) of north and east Australia and New Zealand from the greyish-lored and greyish-soled birds (E. g. nigripes (Temminck, 1840)) of south-east Asia and the south-west Pacific. We follow Amadon & Woolfenden (1952) and Martínez-Vilalta & Motis (1992) in recognising E. g. immaculata, but see Marchant & Higgins (1990).

Egretta garzetta immaculata (Gould)
Little Egret

Herodias immaculata Gould, 1846: Birds of Australia 6 (part 25): pl. & text – “Northern portion of Australia”, restricted to Port Essington, Northern Territory, Australia (fide Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 231).

Herodias melanopus Gould, 1865: Handb. Birds Australia 2: 304. Junior secondary homonym of Ardea melanopus Wagler, 1829.

Ardea nivea; Reichenow 1877, Journ. für Ornith.: 271. Not Ardea nivea Gmelin, 1770.

Egretta garzetta kempi Mathews, 1916: Austral Avian Rec. 3: 56 – Cape York, Northern Queensland, Australia.

Egretta garzetta; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 32. Not Ardea garzetta Linnaeus, 1766.

Egretta garzetta immaculata (Gould); Checklist Committee 1970, Annot. Checklist Birds N.Z.: 34.

Egretta garzetta nigripes; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 90. Not Ardea nigripes Temminck, 1840.

Indonesia (Sunda Islands), New Guinea, Australia (where commonest in north and east, including Tasmania) (Marchant & Higgins 1990); straggler to New Zealand. First recorded in New Zealand in 1945, but this record not recognised for many years (Wodzicki & Eyles 1946; Crossland 1992; Scofield 2006). Next recorded 1951 (Brathwaite 1952). An uncommon annual vagrant (generally in autumn) recorded from many localities, mainly coastal, throughout North and South Islands; also Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua (two in 1974, C. Smuts-Kennedy in Veitch et al. 2004.). Records include birds banded in Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). At least two records from Norfolk Island (Hermes et al. 1986 cf. Marchant & Higgins 1990).

➤ Egretta sacra (Gmelin)
Reef Heron

Asia to Australia (including Tasmania) and New Zealand, and east through the tropical Pacific to the Marquesas, Tuamotu, and Austral Islands (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Two subspecies, with E. s. albolineata (G.R. Gray, 1859) in New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands.

Egretta sacra sacra (Gmelin)
Reef Heron | Matuku Moana*

Ardea sacra Gmelin, 1789: Syst. Nat., 13th edition 1(2): 640. Based on the “Sacred Heron” of Latham 1785, Gen. Synop. Birds 3: 92 – Tahiti, French Polynesia, error for southern Tonga Islands (fide Medway Notornis 51:156).

Ardea matook Vieillot, 1817: Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., nouv. éd. 14: 416 – Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough.

Ardea jugularis Wagler, 1827: Syst. Avium, Ardea: sp. 18 – islands of the South Pacific Ocean, and Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough.

Herodias matook (Vieillot); in E. Dieffenbach 1843, Travels in N.Z. 2: 196.

Ardea iugularis J.R. Forster, 1844: in M.H.C. Lichtenstein, Descrip. Animalium: 172 – islands of the South Pacific Ocean, and Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough.

Herodias pannosus Gould, 1848: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1847 (15): 221 – Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia.

Ardea pannosa (Gould); G.R. Gray 1849, Gen. Birds 3 (Appendix): 25.

Herodias pannosa (Gould); Bonaparte 1857, Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 120.

Herodias sacra (Gmelin); Bonaparte 1857, Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 121.

Ardea (Herodias) sacra (Gmelin); G.R. Gray 1859, Cat. Birds Tropical Is Pacific Ocean: 48.

Ardea cinerea Ellman, 1861: Zoologist 19: 7469 – New Zealand. Junior primary homonym of Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758.

Demiegretta sacra (Gmelin); Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 198.

Demigretta sacra matook (Vieillot); Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 405.

Demigretta matook (Vieillot); Mathews 1920, Birds Australia (Suppl.) 1: 52.

Egretta sacra sacra (Gmelin); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 32.

Demigretta sacra (Gmelin); Oliver 1955, New Zealand Birds, 2nd edition: 394.

Distribution as for species, excluding New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands. Breeds in the North and South Islands, mainly along rocky shores; most numerous in Northland; thinly distributed south of Marlborough Sounds; scarce on Stewart Island / Rakiura (Edgar 1978). Chatham Islands: rare (one at Owenga, c. 1985; Checklist Committee 1990; Freeman 1994); Auckland Islands / Maukahuka Feb.–Mar. 1982, and Jan.–Feb. 2019 (Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020). One South Island midden record (Kaikoura; Checklist Committee 1990). Records from Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua unverified (Veitch et al. 2004). Subspecies dimorphic elsewhere, but birds are grey in New Zealand, where only one report of a white-morph bird is accepted (1987, estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers / Ihutai; Scofield 2006). Unconfirmed white-morph birds may be albinos or other species (E. Mayr & Amadon 1941; Wodzicki & Eyles 1945, Crossland 1992; Merton 1970; Veitch et al. 2004).

*Also used for white-faced heron E. novaehollandiae.

Subfamily NYCTICORACINAE Bonaparte: Night Herons

Nycticoracinae Bonaparte, 1854: Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool. Paris, 4th series 1: 142 – Type genus Nycticorax T. Forster, 1817.

Genus Nycticorax T. Forster

Nycticorax T. Forster, 1817: Synop. Cat. Brit. Birds: 59 – Type species (by monotypy) Nycticorax infaustus Forster = Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus).

Calherodius Bonaparte, 1855: Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 139 – Type species (by monotypy) Ardea cucullata Lichtenstein = Nycticorax leuconotus (Wagler).

➤ Nycticorax caledonicus (Gmelin)
Rufous Night Heron

Ardea caledonica Gmelin, 1789: Syst. Nat., 13th edition 1(2): 626. Based on the “Caledonian Night Heron” of Latham 1785, Gen. Synop. Birds 3: 55 – New Caledonia.

Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Five subspecies.

Nycticorax caledonicus australasiae (Vieillot)
Nankeen Night Heron | Umu Kōtuku

Ardea maculata Latham, 1801: Index Ornith. Suppl.: lxiv – New South Wales, Australia. Junior primary homonym of Ardea maculata Boddaert, 1783.

Ardea novaehollandiae Vieillot, 1817: Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., nouv. éd. 14: 436 – New South Wales, Australia. Junior primary homonym of Ardea novaehollandiae Latham, 1790.

Ardea australasiae Vieillot, 1823: Tableaux Encycl. Méthod. Ornith. 3: 1130 – New South Wales, Australia (fide Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 405).

Nycticorax Caledonicus Gmelin [sic]; Anon. 1870, Cat. Colonial Mus.: 74. Not Ardea caledonica Gmelin, 1789.

Nycticorax caledonicus (Gmelin); Travers 1883, Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 15: 187. Not Ardea caledonica Gmelin, 1789.

Nycticorax caledonicus hilli Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 233 – Parry’s Creek, Western Australia.

Nycticorax caledonicus australasiae (Vieillot); Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 405.

Nycticorax caledonicus (Gmelin) subspecies; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 32.

Nycticorax caledonicus caledonicus; Oliver 1955, New Zealand Birds, 2nd edition: 390. Not Ardea caledonica Gmelin, 1789.

Nycticorax caledonicus; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 92. Not Ardea caledonica Gmelin, 1789.

Indonesia, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Lesser Sundas, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). In New Zealand, rare breeding resident, but whether breeding population native or introduced is unclear. Liberated in Wellington 1852 (Buller 1887–88) and 1982 (Checklist Committee 1990). A Wellington record in 1856 may have been one of the liberated birds, while 1980s sightings of birds with leg bands may refer to the 1982 release: Collingwood 1983, Lower Hutt 1984, Warkworth 1984 (Checklist Committee 1990). Occasional vagrant from Australia with c. 25 records of apparent vagrants since the first record at Maungatautari in 1842 (Colenso 1844, 1845). The sighting of two immatures near Blenheim in 1958 (B. Bell 1958) suggested local breeding; two breeding colonies now established along the Whanganui River: Jerusalem, 1995 (Marsh & Lovei 1997), Kemps Pole, 2001 (Parrish & Lock 1997).
Umu is a proper noun, in honour of Hohepa Te Umuroa, and should have an initial capital.

Subfamily BOTAURINAE Reichenbach: Bitterns

Botaurinae Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 15 – Type genus Botaurus Stephens, 1819.

“Botaurus minuta Haast” (Anon. 1870: Cat. Colonial Mus.: 74) may refer to Ixobrychus novaezelandiae; however, in the absence of a type specimen or description, we here regard it as a nomen nudum. An immature small bittern sighted in the Meremere area in 1962 and 1963 was the subject of much controversy regarding its identification (Falla 1963b; P. Howard 1963; P. Howard & McKenzie 1965; Miskelly et al. 2013).

Genus Botaurus Stephens

Botaurus Stephens, 1819: in Shaw, General Zool. 11: 592 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Ardea stellaris Linnaeus = Botaurus stellaris (Linnaeus).

➤ Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler)
Australasian Bittern | Matuku-hūrepo

Ardea poiciloptila Wagler, 1827: Syst. Avium, Ardea, sp. 28 – New South Wales, Australia.

Botaurus melanotus G.R. Gray, 1843: in E. Dieffenbach, Travels in N.Z. 2: 196 – New Zealand. Junior primary homonym of Botaurus melanotus Brehm, 1842.

Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler); G.R. Gray 1847, Gen. Birds 3: 557.

Botaurus australis Gould, 1848: Birds of Australia 6: 54 – New South Wales, Australia.

Botaurus poicilopterus (Wagler); G.R. Gray 1862, Ibis 4: 236. Unjustified emendation.

Ardea poeciloptera Finsch, 1870: Journ. für Ornith. 18: 348. Unjustified emendation.

Ardea poiceloptera Hutton, 1871: Cat. Birds N.Z.: 28. Unjustified emendation.

Botaurus poeciloptilus (Wagler); Buller 1873 (Dec.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 1st edition (part 4): 238. Unjustified emendation.

Botaurus poiciloptilus poiciloptilus (Wagler); Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 234.

Botaurus poiciloptilus melanotus G.R. Gray; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 406. Not Botaurus melanotus Brehm, 1842.

Botaurus poiciloptilus maorianus Iredale & Mathews, 1926: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 46: 76. Nomen novum for Botaurus melanotus G.R. Gray, 1843.

Botaurus poiciloptilus mathewsi Hachisuka, 1931: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 52: 41 – New Caledonia.

Botaurus stellaris poiciloptilus (Wagler); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 33.

Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler); Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 93.

New Caledonia, Australia (all coastal areas except the tropical north), Tasmania, and New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Sometimes treated as a subspecies of the Eurasian B. stellaris (Linnaeus, 1758). Widely distributed in New Zealand (C. Robertson et al. 2007). Reported by Travers & Travers (1873) and Forbes (1893) on the Chatham Islands; Millener (1999) suggested that it formerly bred there, and Fleming (1939a) gave the date of extinction on the Chatham Islands as 1910. Aikman & Miskelly (2004) accepted it as a vagrant to the Chatham Islands. Two mainland “Holocene” bone records (Ngaroto and Poukawa) but it is unlikely that the bones are more than a few hundred years old. Holdaway et al. (2001) suggested that this species is a recent colonist in New Zealand.

Genus Ixobrychus Billberg

Ixobrychus Billberg, 1828: Synop. Faun. Scand. 1: 166 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Ardea minuta Linnaeus = Ixobrychus minutus (Linnaeus).

Ardetta G.R. Gray, 1842: List Gen. Birds (revised edition) – Appendix: 13 – Type species (by original designation) Ardea minuta Linnaeus = Ixobrychus minutus (Linnaeus).

Ardeola Bonaparte, 1852: Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. N.Y. 2: 307 – Type species (by monotypy) Ardea exilis Gmelin = Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin). Junior homonym of Ardeola Boie 1822.

Nannocnus Stejneger, 1887: Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 10: 291 – Type species (by original designation) Ardetta eurhythma Swinhoe = Ixobrychus eurhythmus (Swinhoe).

➤ Ixobrychus minutus (Linnaeus)
Little Bittern

Ardea minuta Linnaeus, 1766: Syst. Nat., 12th edition 1: 240 – “Helvetia Aleppo”, restricted to Switzerland (fide Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 85).

Europe, Asia, Africa (except north), south New Guinea, and Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Four subspecies.

Ixobrychus minutus dubius Mathews
Australian Little Bittern

Ardea pusilla Vieillot, 1817: Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., nouv. éd. 14: 432 – New South Wales, Australia. Junior primary homonym of Ardea pusilla Statius Müller, 1776.

Ixobrychus minutus dubius Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 234 – Herdsman’s Lake, south-west Australia.

Ixobrychus minutus alisteri Mathews, 1913: Austral Avian Rec. 1: 188. Unnecessary nomen novum for Ardea pusilla Vieillot, 1817.

Ixobrychus minutus queenslandicus Mathews, 1914: Austral Avian Rec. 2: 89 – Kedron Brook, Brisbane, Australia.

Ixobrychus minutus victoria Mathews, 1915: Austral Avian Rec. 3: 24 – Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Ixobrychus minutus dubius Mathews; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 94.

Ixobrychus dubius Mathews; Christidis & Boles 2008, Syst. Taxon. Australian Birds: 20, 108.

Southern New Guinea and Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). One New Zealand record: Westport, Feb. 1987, caught and later released (O’Donnell & Dilks 1988).

➤ †Ixobrychus novaezelandiae (Purdie)
New Zealand Little Bittern | Kaoriki

Ardeola Novae Zelandiae Purdie, 1871 (Jan.): Proc. N.Z. Inst. (Otago) 3: 99 – Lake Wakatipu, Fiordland.

Ardetta pusilla Gould; Potts 1871, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 3: 97. Not Ardea pusilla Vieillot, 1817.

Ardea pusilla; Hutton 1871, Cat. Birds N.Z.: 27. Not Ardea pusilla Vieillot, 1817.

Ardetta maculata Latham; Buller 1874, Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 6: 119, pl. 21. Not Ardea maculata Gmelin, 1789.

Ardea maculata Latham; Travers 1883, Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 15: 187. Not Ardea maculata Gmelin, 1789.

Ixobrychus minutus novaezelandiae (Potts) [sic]; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 406.

Ixobrychus minutus novaezelandiae; Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 367.

Dupetor flavicollis (Linnaeus) [sic]; Horn 1980, Notornis 27: 401. Not Ardea flavicollis Latham, 1790.

Ixobrychus novaezelandiae (Potts) [sic]; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 93.

Extinct, formerly in North and South Islands and Chatham Islands. Two putative specimens from the North Island: Tauranga, 1842 (Colenso 1844, 1845; Buller 1878a wrongly gave 1836 as the date of this record), and Whanganui (Buller 1905–06). Neither specimen is now traceable with certainty nor are the provenances definite. Thirteen specimens reported from the South Island (not all now locatable), the first from Lake Kaniere (1868), and all from Westland, except the type from Lake Wakatipu collected before 9 Aug. 1870 (Purdie 1871). Subfossil material known from swamp and midden sites in North Island (Millener 1991). Five subfossil bones of a small bittern from Lake Poukawa, Hawke’s Bay, referred by Horn (1980) to the black bittern Dupetor flavicollis (Linnaeus) (sic) are believed to be I. novaezelandiae. Holocene remains from Chatham Islands (Holdaway et al. 2001) probably indicate an extinct population.

Family THRESKIORNITHIDAE Poche: Ibises and Spoonbills

Subfamily THRESKIORNITHINAE Poche: Ibises

Threskiornithidae Poche, 1904: Zool. Anzeig. 27: 498 – Type genus Threskiornis G.R. Gray, 1842.

Genus Plegadis Kaup

Plegadis Kaup, 1829: Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Eur. Thierw.: 82 – Type species (by monotypy) Tantalus Falcinellus Linnaeus = Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus).

Tantalides Wagler, 1832: Isis von Oken, Heft 11: 1231 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Tantalus Falcinellus Linnaeus = Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus).

Plegadornis C.L.Brehm, 1855: Naumannia: 290. Unnecessary nomen novum for Plegadis Kaup, 1829.

Egatheus Lönnberg, 1906: Journ. für Ornith. 54: 533 – Type species (by monotypy) Egatheus autumnalis (Linnaeus) = Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus). Junior homonym of Egatheus Billberg, 1828.

➤ Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus)
Glossy Ibis

Tantalus Falcinellus Linnaeus, 1766: Syst. Nat., 12th edition 1: 241 – Austria & Italy.

Ibis peregrina Bonaparte, 1855: Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 159 – Java & Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus); Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 192.

Egatheus falcinellus (Linnaeus); Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 228.

Plegadis falcinellus rogersi Mathews, 1916: Austral Avian Rec. 3: 256 – Parry’s Creek, Western Australia.

Plegadis falcinellus peregrinus (Bonaparte); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 33.

Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus); Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 94.

Southern North America, Europe, Africa, central Asia, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Vagrant to New Zealand, first recorded at Washdyke, Timaru, 1902. Sometimes irrupts in small flocks, as in 1953 (Sansom et al. 1954), 1968–69 (e.g. Child 1969), 1975 (Edgar 1976), 1988 (Keeley 1989). Chatham Islands: one, Dec. 1984 (Powlesland & Crockett 1986). Breeding first recorded at Wainono Lagoon, South Canterbury, Jan. 2015 (M. Thompson 2015), and since Dec. 2016 at Blenheim oxidation ponds (Miskelly, Crossland et al. 2019).

Genus Threskiornis G.R. Gray

Threskiornis G.R. Gray, 1842: List Gen. Birds (revised edition) – Appendix: 13 – Type species (by original designation) Tantalus aethiopicus Latham = Threskiornis aethiopicus (Latham).

Carphibis Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 14 – Type species (by original designation) Ibis spinicollis Jameson = Threskiornis spinicollis (Jameson).

Setibis Bonaparte, 1856: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 43: 993. Unnecessary nomen novum for Carphibis Reichenbach, 1853.

➤ Threskiornis molucca (Cuvier)
White Ibis

Ibis molucca Cuvier, 1829: Règne Anim. (2nd edition) 1: 520 (note) – Moluccas, Indonesia.

Moluccas to New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Checklist Committee (2010) used T. m. strictipennis (Gould); however, we follow Lowe & Richards (1991) who sunk T. m. strictipennis under the nominate subspecies and recognised two subspecies only: T. m. pygmaeus Mayr, 1931 and T. m. molucca. In the original description, the species name molucca was used as a noun in apposition, and so it cannot be changed to moluccus (see Christidis & Boles 2008, p. 113).

Threskiornis molucca molucca (Cuvier)
White Ibis

Ibis molucca Cuvier, 1829: Règne Anim. (2nd edition) 1: 520 (note) – Moluccas, Indonesia.

Threskiornis molucca molucca (Cuvier); Christidis & Boles 2008, Syst. Taxon. Australian Birds: 113.

Southern New Guinea and Australia. Straggler to Tasmania and New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). First recorded at Appleby, near Nelson, in 1925 (Moncrieff 1925). Minor irruptions in 1957 (Falla 1958) and 1975, probably of young (subadult) birds, which, during their stay, apparently drifted north (Heather 1978). Last record was Helensville, 1989 (G. Taylor 1990). Two records from Norfolk Island, 1975 (McKean et al. 1976) and 1976 (J. Moore 1981).

➤ Threskiornis spinicollis (Jameson)
Straw-necked Ibis

Ibis spinicollis Jameson, 1835: Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal 19: 213 – Murray River, New South Wales, Australia.

Ibis lamellicollis Lafresnaye, 1836: Mag. Zool., Paris (sér. 1): pl. 57 – New South Wales, Australia.

Ibis australis Jardine & Selby, 1837: Illust. Ornith (new series) 4: text, pl. 17 – New South Wales, Australia.

Carphibis spinicollis fitzroi [sic] Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 228 – Fitzroy River, north-west, Australia.

Threskiornis spinicollis (Jameson); Lindsay 1963, Notornis 10: 304.

Throughout Australia and New Guinea (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Vagrant to Tasmania, Lord Howe Island, and Norfolk Island (two records; Lindsay 1963; M. Hoare in Wakelin 1968). One near Tarras, Central Otago, Feb. 2010, was the first record of this species from New Zealand (Miskelly et al. 2011).

Subfamily PLATALEINAE Bonaparte: Spoonbills

Plataleinae Bonaparte, 1838: Geogr. Comp. List. Birds: 48 – Type genus Platalea Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Platalea Linnaeus

Platalea Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1(1): 139 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Platalea leucorodia Linnaeus.

Spatherodia Reichenbach, 1852: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 16 – Type species (by original designation) Spatherodia melanorhynchus (Reichenbach) = Platalea regia Gould.

Platibis Bonaparte, 1855: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 40: 724 – Type species (by monotypy) Platalea flavipes Gould.

Platela; Scofield & Stephenson 2013, Birds N.Z. Photographic Guide. 1st edition: 509. Misspelling.

Platelea; Scofield & Stephenson 2015, Birds N.Z. Photographic Guide. 2nd edition: 522. Misspelling.

➤ Platalea regia Gould
Royal Spoonbill | Kōtuku Ngutupapa

Platalea regia Gould, 1838: Synop. Birds Australia 4, App.: 7 – eastern coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Platalea melanorhynchos Reichenbach, 1845: Vollst. Naturg. Schwim. Aves Natatores 4: pl. 84, fig. 424 – New South Wales, Australia.

Ardea latirostrum Ellman, 1861: Zoologist 19: 7469 – New Zealand.

Platalea melanorhyncha Reichenbach; Buller 1888 (Mar.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 2nd edition 2(part 4): 144. Unjustified emendation.

Platalea intermedia Ogilvie-Grant, 1889: Ibis 1 (6th series): 52, pl. 1, figs 2, 2a – Port Moresby, New Guinea.

Platalea regia stalkeri Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 229 – Alexandria, Northern Territories, Australia.

Spatherodia regia (Gould); Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 78.

Platalea regia regia Gould; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th series): 403.

Platalea (Spatherodia) regia; Stidolph 1927, Emu 26: 218.

Platalea leucorodia regia Gould; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 33.

Platalea leucorodia; J. Moore 1981, Notornis 28: 52. Not Platalea leucorodia Linnaeus, 1758.

Platalea regia Gould; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 95.

Australia, except south-west; has wandered to Indonesia, New Guinea, and islands of the south-west Pacific (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Sometimes treated as a subspecies of the widespread P. leucorodia. In New Zealand, a rare straggler in the 19th Century, first reported at Castlepoint, Wairarapa, 1861 (Buller 1869a). Breeding in south Westland suspected by mid-1940s (Stidolph 1948), and confirmed at Waitangiroto white heron colony (commonly called “Okarito”) in 1949 (Oliver 1955). The species has subsequently spread, with breeding reported at the Wairau Lagoons, 1979–80 (Holdaway 1980); Maukiekie Island, Moeraki, 1983–84 (P. Schweigman in Marchant & Higgins 1990); Green Island, Dunedin, 1988 (P. Schweigman in Marchant & Higgins 1990); Omaui Island, Southland, 1992 (O’Donnell & West 1995); Nilsson’s Dam, Parengarenga Harbour, 1993 (Parrish & Lock 1995); Kapiti Island, 1995; Nugget Point, 1995; Taieri Island / Moturata, 1997; Pig Island, Southland, 1998; Heywood Point, Otago, 2003 (Schweigman 2006); Wainono Lagoon (South Canterbury), 2003 (Collins 2006b); Taiaroa Head, 2004; Waituna Lagoon, 2004; and the Catlins, 2004 (Schweigman 2006). The carrying of sticks or attempted nest-building has been recorded at Kaituna Lagoon, Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora, 1983 (Booth 1984) and Western Springs, Auckland, 2000 (Parrish 2002). A census in Jun. 2000 counted 956 individuals (Schweigman 2000). Disperses in autumn, mainly north to coastal areas, and vagrants probably continue to arrive from Australia. Single record from Chatham Island, 2004 (Miskelly et al. 2006). One record on Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua, 1996 (J. Ballantyne in Veitch et al. 2004). No valid Holocene bone records; bones from Tom Bowling Bay and Waikuku Beach, reported by Scarlett (1979), were re-identified as Ardea alba (Millener 1981a). Four published records from Norfolk Island: 1892 (Basset-Hull 1910), 1963 (Wakelin 1968), 1971 & 1976 (J. Moore 1981).

➤ Platalea flavipes Gould
Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Platalea flavipes Gould, 1838: Synop. Birds Australia, App.: 7 – New South Wales, Australia.

Platalea flavipes flavipes Gould; Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 229.

Platibis flavipes (Gould); Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 79.

Platalea flavipes Gould; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 96.

Australia. Scarce straggler to New Zealand, with two records: Rangaunu Harbour, Northland, 1976–81 (Billing 1977; Edgar 1977, 1978; Heather 1978; Sibson 1979, 1981), and Te Whiti, Wairarapa, Dec. 1981 (Booth 1984; Guest 1991). Single record from Norfolk Island, late 1960s (Hermes et al. 1986).