Gough finch | |
---|---|
Male on Gough Island | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Thraupidae |
Genus: | Rowettia Lowe, 1923 |
Species: | R. goughensis |
Binomial name | |
Rowettia goughensis (Clarke, WE, 1904) | |
Synonyms | |
Nesospiza goughensis (protonym) |
The Gough finch (Rowettia goughensis) or Gough bunting, is a critically endangered species of songbird.
The Gough finch was formally described in 1904 by the British ornithologist William Eagle Clarke from a specimen collected on Gough Island in the South Atlantic. Clarke coined the binomial name Nesospiza goughensis. [2] The Gough finch is now the only species placed in the genus Rowettia that was introduced in 1923 by the English ornithologist Percy Lowe. [3] [4] The genus name was chosen to honour John Quiller Rowett, an English businessman and the sponsor of the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition. [5] The Gough finch was traditionally considered to be a bunting in the family Emberizidae, [6] but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that it is a member of the subfamily Diglossinae in the tanager family Thraupidae and is sister to a clade containing birds in the genus Melanodera . [7] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. [4]
Another species of finch was described from Gough Island, Nesospiza jessiae, in 1904. This species was later identified as a juvenile of the Gough finch. [3]
The Gough finch is 22 to 26 cm (8.7–10.2 in) in length and weighs 50–56 g (1.8–2.0 oz). [8]
It is endemic to the remote Gough Island, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, and nearby stacks, in the South Atlantic. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland and subantarctic grassland.
It was formerly classified as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN. [1] But new research has shown that its population has collapsed and it is on the verge of extinction due to the introduced population of house mice (Mus musculus), noted for its unusual aggressiveness, [9] competing with the birds for food and eating their eggs and nestlings. Consequently, it was uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2008. [1]
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropical birds.
The nine-primaried oscines is a group of bird families in the suborder Passeri (oscines) of the Passeriformes. The composition of the group has changed since the term was introduced but is now considered to consist of seven major families—Fringillidae, Emberizidae, Cardinalidae, Thraupidae, Passerellidae, Parulidae and Icteridae—plus some small families. When Fringillidae is omitted the remaining six families are referred to as the "New World" nine-primaried oscines.
Haplospiza is a small genus of birds in the tanager family Thraupidae. Formerly classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae. Its two members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in Central and South America. They are often associated with bamboo.
Nesospiza is a genus of seed-eating birds in the tanager family Thraupidae found on the Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Emberizoides is a small genus of finch-like tanagers found in grassy areas in Central and South America.
Embernagra is a genus of South American finch-like birds in the tanager family Thraupidae.
Idiopsar is a genus of Neotropical seed-eating birds in the tanager family Thraupidae.
The cinereous finch is a species of South American bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Piezorina. It is found in arid coastal regions of northern Peru, with a single record, presumably a straying bird, from immediately adjacent Ecuador.
The slender-billed finch is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Xenospingus.
The Inca finches form the genus Incaspiza, of finch-like birds in the tanager family Thraupidae. They were traditionally placed in the family Emberizidae, but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that they belong in Thraupidae instead. Both their scientific and common name refer to the Incan civilization.
Camarhynchus is a genus of birds in the tanager family Thraupidae. All species of Camarhynchus are endemic to the Galápagos Islands, and together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin's finches. Formerly classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent molecular genetic studies have shown it to belong in the tanager family.
The black-masked finch is a species of South American bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Coryphaspiza. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Geospiza is a genus of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. All species in the genus are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin's finches. Although in the past, they were classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown they belong in the tanager family.
The yellow-shouldered grassquit is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae that is endemic to Jamaica. It is the only member of the genus Loxipasser. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.
Melanospiza is a genus of Neotropical birds in the tanager family Thraupidae.
Wilkins's finch, also known as Wilkins's bunting or the grosbeak bunting, is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is restricted to Inaccessible Island and Nightingale Island of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland and subantarctic grassland.
The bay-chested warbling finch is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil.
The warbler-finches are a genus Certhidea of birds in the tanager family Thraupidae that are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin's finches.
The Tristan da Cunha–Gough Islands shrub and grasslands is a terrestrial ecoregion which covers the Tristan da Cunha archipelago and Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The islands' remote location gave rise to many endemic species.