Notiomystis cincta

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	MELIPHAGIDAE

Scientific Name:

Notiomystis cincta

Species Authority:

(Du Bus & Gisignies, 1839)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Stitchbird

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D1+2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Armstrong, D., Ewen, J., Boyd, S., Castro, I.

Justification:
This species is classified as Vulnerable because it has a very small range and population. Intensive conservation efforts aim to improve its status, but the long-term survival of the four remaining translocated populations is uncertain in the long term with all requiring intensive and ongoing management.

History:

2007	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Notiomystis cincta was once widespread over the North Island and adjacent offshore islands of New Zealand. Little Barrier Island (31 km²) is now the last natural population, thought to number 4,000-5,000 birds, but recently revised to 500-2,000 birds. Translocated populations of c.100 birds exist on Kapiti (20 km²), and c.150 birds on Tiritiri Matangi (2 km²) Island, but are not yet self-sustaining and only increasing as a result of intensive and ongoing management⁶. In 2005 sixty birds were translocated to Karori Wildlife Sanctuary on the main North Island (current population estimated at 37 in October 2006) and sixty birds were translocated to Cascade Kauri Park in the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland in 2007. All translocated populations rely on supplementary feeding and in the case of the mainland population, intensive predator control.
Countries:	Native: New Zealand
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	S. Boyd in litt. (1999).
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is found in most forest-types, but requires mature forest for breeding as nesting is in tree-holes. It feeds on nectar, fruit and arthropods, depending on availability and requirements^1,7. It has a highly variable breeding system, and is the only bird species known to mate facing each other⁹. Forced copulation by males occurs during the breeding season¹⁴. It lays between three to five eggs.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is found in most forest-types, but requires mature forest for breeding as nesting is in tree-holes. It feeds on nectar, fruit and arthropods, depending on availability and requirements^1,7. It has a highly variable breeding system, and is the only bird species known to mate facing each other⁹. Forced copulation by males occurs during the breeding season¹⁴. It lays between three to five eggs.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Its extinction on the mainland may have been due to the introduction of black rat Rattus rattus or avian disease¹, although it probably also declined owing to forest loss in parts of its range¹³. Factors limiting the translocated populations have not yet been confirmed⁵, but declines in the translocated population on the island of Mokoia were attributed to aspergillosis and the discontinuation of supplementary feeding¹², and recent declines on Tiritiri Matangi have been attributed to an outbreak of Salmonella¹⁵. It appears to require large expanses of mature forest to survive which represents a major hurdle to conservation efforts¹⁰.

Major Threat(s):

Its extinction on the mainland may have been due to the introduction of black rat Rattus rattus or avian disease¹, although it probably also declined owing to forest loss in parts of its range¹³. Factors limiting the translocated populations have not yet been confirmed⁵, but declines in the translocated population on the island of Mokoia were attributed to aspergillosis and the discontinuation of supplementary feeding¹², and recent declines on Tiritiri Matangi have been attributed to an outbreak of Salmonella¹⁵. It appears to require large expanses of mature forest to survive which represents a major hurdle to conservation efforts¹⁰.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The first translocations in the 1980s failed, but three island populations were established between 1991 and 1995. Translocated birds are given supplementary food, and nest boxes are usually provided. Research to identify factors limiting the new populations indicates that translocation methods, population establishment and availability of food are not key issues on Mokoia^3,4, but food shortages and competition for food with other endemic honeyeaters may be a problem on Kapiti⁸. Further islands are being assessed for population establishment. A small captive population is held, but numbers have gradually declined¹¹. The provision of supplementary food has been shown to significantly increase productivity in translocated populations¹². The population on Little Barrier Island is monitored and efforts are ongoing to generate an accurate population assessment. Conservation Actions Proposed Protect, monitor and, where necessary, enhance populations on existing transfer sites. Research the species's requirements to aid establishment of additional populations. Establish at least one more self-sustaining population. Survey the population on Little Barrier and establish viability and trends. Maintain a captive-breeding population for research and advocacy. Raise public awareness².

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The first translocations in the 1980s failed, but three island populations were established between 1991 and 1995. Translocated birds are given supplementary food, and nest boxes are usually provided. Research to identify factors limiting the new populations indicates that translocation methods, population establishment and availability of food are not key issues on Mokoia^3,4, but food shortages and competition for food with other endemic honeyeaters may be a problem on Kapiti⁸. Further islands are being assessed for population establishment. A small captive population is held, but numbers have gradually declined¹¹. The provision of supplementary food has been shown to significantly increase productivity in translocated populations¹². The population on Little Barrier Island is monitored and efforts are ongoing to generate an accurate population assessment.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Protect, monitor and, where necessary, enhance populations on existing transfer sites. Research the species's requirements to aid establishment of additional populations. Establish at least one more self-sustaining population. Survey the population on Little Barrier and establish viability and trends. Maintain a captive-breeding population for research and advocacy. Raise public awareness².

Bibliography [top]

	Angehr, G. R. 1984. A bird in the hand: Andreas Reischek and the Stitchbird. Notornis 31: 300-311. Armstrong, D. 1996. Mokoia Island stichbirds. Ornithological Society of New Zealand News 78: 1-2. Armstrong, D. P.; Castro, I.; Alley, J. C.; Feenstra, B.; Perrot, J. K. 1999. Mortality and behaviour of hihi, an endangered New Zealand honeyeater, in the establishment phase following translocation. Biological Conservation 89: 329-339. Armstrong, D. P.; Perrott, J. K. 2000. An experiment testing whether condition and survival are limited by food supply in a reintroduced Hihi population. Conservation Biology 14: 1171-1181. Castro, I.; Brunton, D. H.; Mason, K. M.; Ebert, B.; Griffiths, R. 2003. Life history traits and food supplementation affect productivity in a translocated population of the endangered Hihi (Stitchbird, Notiomystis cincta). Biological Conservation 114: 271-280. Castro, I.; Minot, E. O.; Alley, J. C. 1994. Feeding and breeding behaviour of Hihi or Stitchbirds Notiomystis cincta recently transferred to Kapiti Island, New Zealand, and possible management alternatives. In: Serena, M. (ed.), Reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna, pp. 121-128. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia. Castro, I.; Minot, E. O.; Fordham, R. A.; Birdhead, T. R. 1996. Polyandry, face-to-face copulation and sperm competition in the Hihi Notiomystis cincta (Aves: Meliphagidae). Ibis 138: 765-771. Department of Conservation. 2005. Hihi/Stitchbird (Notiomystis cicta) recovery plan 2004-09. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. Ewen, J. G.; Thorogood, R.; Nicol, C.; Armstrong, D. P. Alley, M. 2007. Salmonella Typhimurium in hihi, New Zealand [letter]. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13(5). Low, M. 2005. Sex on the brain. Wingspan 15(4): 26-29. Rasch, G.; Boyd, S.; Clegg, S. 1996. Stitchbird (Hihi) Notiomystis cincta recovery plan. Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Angehr, G. R. 1984. A bird in the hand: Andreas Reischek and the Stitchbird. Notornis 31: 300-311.

Armstrong, D. 1996. Mokoia Island stichbirds. Ornithological Society of New Zealand News 78: 1-2.

Armstrong, D. P.; Castro, I.; Alley, J. C.; Feenstra, B.; Perrot, J. K. 1999. Mortality and behaviour of hihi, an endangered New Zealand honeyeater, in the establishment phase following translocation. Biological Conservation 89: 329-339.

Armstrong, D. P.; Perrott, J. K. 2000. An experiment testing whether condition and survival are limited by food supply in a reintroduced Hihi population. Conservation Biology 14: 1171-1181.

Castro, I.; Brunton, D. H.; Mason, K. M.; Ebert, B.; Griffiths, R. 2003. Life history traits and food supplementation affect productivity in a translocated population of the endangered Hihi (Stitchbird, Notiomystis cincta). Biological Conservation 114: 271-280.

Castro, I.; Minot, E. O.; Alley, J. C. 1994. Feeding and breeding behaviour of Hihi or Stitchbirds Notiomystis cincta recently transferred to Kapiti Island, New Zealand, and possible management alternatives. In: Serena, M. (ed.), Reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna, pp. 121-128. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia.

Castro, I.; Minot, E. O.; Fordham, R. A.; Birdhead, T. R. 1996. Polyandry, face-to-face copulation and sperm competition in the Hihi Notiomystis cincta (Aves: Meliphagidae). Ibis 138: 765-771.

Department of Conservation. 2005. Hihi/Stitchbird (Notiomystis cicta) recovery plan 2004-09. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.

Ewen, J. G.; Thorogood, R.; Nicol, C.; Armstrong, D. P. Alley, M. 2007. Salmonella Typhimurium in hihi, New Zealand [letter]. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13(5).

Low, M. 2005. Sex on the brain. Wingspan 15(4): 26-29.

Rasch, G.; Boyd, S.; Clegg, S. 1996. Stitchbird (Hihi) Notiomystis cincta recovery plan. Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Notiomystis cincta. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
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