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The orange-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi) is a colour morph of the yellow-crowned parakeet (C. auriceps)

Notornis, 33 (1), 17-22

R.H. Taylor; E.G. Heatherbell; E.M. Heatherbell (1986)

Article Type: Paper

Cyanoramphus malherbi (Souance 1857) is relegated to synonymy with C. auriceps (Kuhl 1820) after cross-breeding in captivity showed that both are colour morphs of one species. The resulting parent-offspring data can be most simply explained by the Mendelian theory of dominant/recessive inheritance at a single locus, the factor for yellow-crowned being dominant.





Kermadec Islands expedition reports: European passerines in the Kermadec group

Notornis, 33 (4), 209-218

D. Merton; C.R. Veitch (1986)

Article Type: Paper

The history and status of European passerines on the Kermadec Islands are reviewed and supplemented by observations from the Ornithological Society of New Zealand’s expedition to the group from 13 November 1966 to 27 January 1967 and by more recent unpublished data. Of nine species of European passerine recorded from the group, four are established, all apparently self-introduced from the New Zealand mainland some 720-980 km distant. Counts on Raoul Island in January 1967 showed that the more abundant passerines were, in order of relative abundance, starling, song thrush, tui, blackbird and yellowhammer. Measurements of song thrush, blackbird and starling are recorded.


Food of the kingfisher during nesting

Notornis, 33 (1), 23-32

B.M. Fitzgerald; M.J. Meads; A.H. Whitaker (1986)

Article Type: Paper

Food of kingfishers (Halcyon sancta) in forest in the Orongorongo Valley, near Wellington, was identified from remains in pellets ejected by nestlings at four nests and from pellets and droppings of birds caught in mist-nets. Food items included a wide variety of invertebrates, with cicadas, dragonflies and chafers especially important. Lizards, small birds and mice were also important. The lizards identified were the forest gecko and common skink, and the small birds were the rifleman, grey warbler and silvereye.  Kingfishers were absent from the study area from June to September; it is suggested that the seasonal movements of kingfishers are related to changes in the availability of food.



Snipe in Southland

Notornis, 32 (4), 327-328

C.M. Miskelly; W.J. Cooper; K. Morrison; J.V. Morrison (1985)

Article Type: Short Note



Long-tailed skuas Stercorarius longicaudus in New Zealand

Notornis, 32 (1), 51-73

D.S. Melville (1985)

Article Type: Paper

A wreck of long-tailed skuas (Stercorarius longicaudus) on North Island beaches in early 1983 is reported. Characters used to identify long-tailed and Arctic skuas in the hand are reviewed with reference to New Zealand material. It is suggested that there may have been several New Zealand records of long-tailed skuas before the first accepted specimen record in 1964. The importance of retaining all small skuas found on New Zealand beaches for critical examination is emphasised. The 1983 wreck may be related to the 1982/83 El Nino, which apparently caused a reduction of food for at least some seabird species.


Distribution of yellowheads (Mohoua ochrocephala) in New Zealand

Notornis, 32 (4), 261-269

P.D. Gaze (1985)

Article Type: Paper

Historical records show that yellowheads (Mohoua ochrocephala) were once present in most forest habitats of the South Island and Stewart Island but they have become less widespread over the last 100 years. Disappearance from some areas was rapid at the end of the last century but yellowheads survived in other forests until quite recently. Reasons for this decline should be investigated in the hope that appropriate management may prevent this species from becoming endangered.


A ruff in Southland

Notornis, 32 (4), 329-330

C.M. Miskelly; W.J. Cooper (1985)

Article Type: Short Note



The mineral content of the faeces of pukeko, Porphyrio p. melanotus

Notornis, 32 (1), 74-79

R.A. Fordham (1985)

Article Type: Paper

In coastal Manawatu pasture, faecal pellets of the pukeko (Porphyrio p. melanotus) vary in weight through the year and on average disintegrate in about 16 days (range 7-29). The seasonal concentrations of 11 minerals in the faeces are discussed briefly in relation to soil type and the topdressing regime. The addition of faecal minerals to the pasture is estimated per hectare through the year and per bird for autumn. The amounts deposited fall with increasing distance from the edge next to swamp and are largest in autumn when the population is highest.