New Zealand Fernbird
Megalurus punctatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyLocustellidae (Grassbirds and Allies)
- GenusMegalurus
- SpeciesMegalurus punctatus (New Zealand Fernbird)
About the New Zealand Fernbird
The New Zealand fernbird or simply fernbird (Poodytes punctatus) is an insectivorous bird endemic to New Zealand. In the Māori language, it is named kōtātā or mātātā. The New Zealand fernbird, Poodytes punctatus, was described by the French zoologists Jean Quoy and Joseph Gaimard in 1832 from a specimen collected in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, South Island, New Zealand. They coined the binomial name, Synallaxis punctata.
In the past, this species had the binomial names Bowdleria punctatus, and more recently, Megalurus punctatus. Recent moluecular phylogenetic studies of the grassbird family Locustellidae have shown that the genus Megalurus was not monophyletic, resulting in the New Zealand fernbird, and four other Australasian species, now considered to be in the genus Poodytes.
There are five subspecies of New Zealand fernbird present on different islands. They differ in extent of reddish-brown and intensity of streaking, as well as size: Poodytes punctatus vealeae (Kemp, R, 1912) – North Island (New Zealand)
Poodytes punctatus punctatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) – South Island (New Zealand) Poodytes punctatus stewartianus (Oliver, 1930) – Stewart Island (New Zealand... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of New Zealand Fernbird in Tongariro National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tongariro National Park
Fernbird
Poodytes punctatus
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Popokatea
Mohoua albicilla
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelos
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a New Zealand Fernbird in Tongariro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Fernbird sighting in Tongariro National Park, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see New Zealand Fernbird in Tongariro National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for New Zealand Fernbird in Tongariro National Park in our monthly data.