A passerine is any bird of the order Passeriformes which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines generally have an anisodactyl arrangement of their toes, which facilitates perching.
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
The biodiversity of New Zealand, a large island country located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, is varied and distinctive. The species of New Zealand accumulated over many millions of years as lineages evolved in the local circumstances. New Zealand's pre-human biodiversity exhibited high levels of species endemism, but has experienced episodes of biological turnover. Global extinction approximately 65 Ma resulted in the loss of fauna such as non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs and marine reptiles e.g. mosasaurs, elasmosaurs and plesiosaurs. The ancient fauna is not well known, but at least one species of terrestrial mammal existed in New Zealand around 19 Ma. For at least several million years before the arrival of human and commensal species, the islands had no terrestrial mammals except for bats and seals, the main component of the terrestrial fauna being insects and birds. As recently as the 14th century a component has been introduced by humans, including many terrestrial mammals.
The South Island piopio also known as the New Zealand thrush, was a passerine bird of the family Oriolidae.
Rambutyo Island is one of the Admiralty Islands in the Bismarck Archipelago. Politically, Rambutyo Island is part of Manus Province, Papua New Guinea. The population (unknown) is concentrated on the west coast. Villages include Mouklen and Lengkau.
The bush moa, little bush moa, or lesser moa is an extinct species of moa from the family Emeidae.
Korora oliveri, also referred to as Oliver's penguin, is a genus and species of extinct penguin from the Waitakian Stage of New Zealand. It was relatively small and slender, similar in size to one of the larger crested penguins. The penguin was described by Brian Marples in 1952 from fossil material he collected in the Hakataramea Valley, in the Canterbury region of the South Island. The genus name Korora is the Māori term for the extant little penguin. The specific epithet honours Walter Oliver (1883–1957) a former director of the Dominion Museum.
Pygoscelis tyreei, also referred to as Tyree's penguin, is an extinct species of penguin from New Zealand. It was slightly smaller than the extant gentoo penguin, standing 70 to 80 cm high. Of Late Pliocene age, it is known only from fossil remains collected from Motunau Beach, North Canterbury.
Aptenodytes ridgeni, also referred to as Ridgen's penguin, is an extinct species of penguin from the Pliocene of New Zealand. It was intermediate in size between its living congeners, standing an estimated 90–100 cm tall. The remains were first found in 1968 on a Canterbury region beach by 11-year-old schoolboy Alan Ridgen.
Archaeospheniscus lopdelli was the largest species of the extinct penguin genus Archaeospheniscus, standing about 90–120 cm (35–47 in) high, or somewhat less than the extant emperor penguin. It is only known from bones of a single individual which was found in the Late Oligocene Kokoamu Greensand Formation at Duntroon, New Zealand. Bones apparently belonging to this species are now also known from the Late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, Antarctica.
The Kokoamu Greensand is a geological formation found in New Zealand. It is a fossil-bearing, late Oligocene, greensand rock unit of the eastern South Island, especially the Waitaki District of North Otago and the southern Canterbury region. The formation was named by geologist Maxwell Gage in the 1950s. In North Otago it underlies the thicker and harder Otekaike Limestone. The formation gets its green colour from the mineral glauconite which forms slowly on the ocean floor.
Manuherikia is a genus of extinct species of ducks from the Miocene of New Zealand. It was described from fossil material of the Saint Bathans Fauna, in the lower Bannockburn Formation of the Manuherikia Group, found by the Manuherikia River in the Central Otago region of the South Island. The genus name comes from the name of the geological formation in which the fossils were found and, ultimately, from the Manuherikia River and its valley.
Marplesornis novaezealandiae, also referred to as Harris's penguin, is a genus and species of extinct penguin from New Zealand. It was a relatively large penguin, about the same size as a king penguin. The age of the only known specimen is uncertain, being often mentioned as Late Pliocene in age. However, due to the complex geology of the collection site, its actual age is somewhere between Early Miocene and Late Pliocene.
Duntroonornis parvus, also referred to as the Duntroon penguin, is a genus and species of extinct penguin from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand. The penguin was relatively small, similar in size to the Fiordland crested penguin. It was described by Brian Marples in 1952 from fossil material collected near Duntroon, from the Kokoamu Greensand Formation, near the border between the Canterbury and Otago regions of the South Island. Fossils found at the Hakataramea Valley may also be referrable to this species. The genus name Duntroonornis means "Duntroon bird". The specific epithet is the Latin parvus ("small").
Platydyptes is a genus of extinct penguins from the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene of New Zealand. It was created by Brian Marples in 1952 and contains three relatively large species, all of which were described from the north Otago to south Canterbury region in the South Island. The genus name Platydyptes combines the Greek platys, alluding to the shape of the humerus, with dyptes ("diver").
Tereingaornis moisleyi, also referred to as Moisley's penguin, is a genus and species of extinct penguin from the Middle Pliocene of New Zealand. It was slightly smaller than the extant Fiordland crested penguin. It was described by Ron Scarlett in 1983 from fossil material found by William Moisley near Te Reinga Falls on the Wairoa River, in the Hawke's Bay Region of the North Island. Another specimen was found later at Waihi Beach, Hāwera, on the South Taranaki Bight. The genus name Tereingaornis combines the name of the type locality with the Greek ornis ("bird"); the specific epithet honours the discoverer of the fossil.
Pleistorallus flemingi, also referred to as Fleming's rail, is a genus and species of extinct bird in the rail family from the Middle Pleistocene of New Zealand. It was a large and stout rail about the same size as the extant takahē. It was described by Trevor Worthy in 1997 from fossil material found in coastal deposits near Marton, in the Rangitikei District of the North Island. The genus name Pleistorallus refers to the Pleistocene age of the fossils; the specific epithet honours Charles Fleming (1916–1987) for his contributions to New Zealand ornithology and palaeontology.
Tokarahia is a genus of eomysticetid baleen whale from the Late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand. There are two recognized species, T. kauaeroa and T. lophocephalus.
Pōmare I was a New Zealand Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāti Manu hapū (subtribe) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe). Formerly called Whētoi, he adopted the name of Pōmare, after the name of the king of Tahiti who had converted to Christianity. After his death he was called Pōmarenui by Ngāti Manu in order to distinguish him from his nephew Whiria, who also took the name Pōmare.
