Whitehead (bird)
White head
The white head ( Mohoua albicilla) is a small passerine bird endemic to New Zealand.
Description
White head with a length of 15 cm. The males have a weight of 18.5 g, females 14.5 g The hull top, wings and tail of the male are pale brown, head and underside are white, the head almost pure white - hence the name. Females and young birds have a similar color, but the neck and top of the head are brown tinted. Beak and eyes are black, and the feet and long legs are dark.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand and several offshore islands. Among these islands are Little Barrier Iceland, where it is the most common Waldvogel, Great Barrier and Kapiti Iceland Iceland.
The earlier in the North Island widespread nature experienced in the last two centuries a significant decline and is now confined to a small part of the original distribution area. It was reintroduced as part of a campaign to conserve the species in reserves near Auckland and Wellington. Reasons for the decline are particularly in human influences.
White heads live in the few larger areas of old bushes, locally sourced woods that are left on the North Island, but have also demonstrated their adaptability by making it particularly on the Volcanic Plateau populations in New Zealand non-native pine forests.
Way of life
White heads move quickly through the treetops, but are reticent aviator. When threatened, often form small flocks of several family groups.
Nutrition
The white head feeds mainly on arboreal small animals. These include spiders, butterflies, caterpillars and beetles, which are collected from tree stumps, leaves and branches in the treetops and below. Rarely, the species is found on the forest floor. They supplement their insect diet with fruits of native plants such as Mahoe and Matipo. Like the yellow head hang when eating often upside down from branches. White head often form with other species such as Tieke, Kakariki and gray jacket Brillenvogel mixed schools to catch up ransacked by these birds insects.
Reproduction
White head build a cup-shaped nest in 1 to 15 m height above the ground in trees or low-lying smaller trees and shrubs. Two to four eggs are incubated for about 18 days. The young are fed by both parents and fledge after 16-19 days. In November and December of Langschwanzkoel ( Eudynamys taitensis ) often occurs as a breeding parasite by throwing the eggs out of the nest and lays a single egg in the nest.
System
The white head forms, together with the yellow head (M. ochrocephala ) and M. novaeseelandiae the endemic New Zealand passerine genus Mohoua. Since 2013, the genus in the new monotypic family Mohouidae is provided. The distribution of the white capitulum and the yellow capitulum are allopatric, which is disputed whether the yellow head is actually restricted to the South Island.
Etymology and History of Research
René Primevère Lesson described the white head as " a tête blanche Moineau " and gave it the scientific name Fringilla albicilla. The type specimen was from the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
The term " Mohoua " ( also Mohua, Mohuahua or Momohua ) means in the language of Māori " yellow head ", as the generic name was originally introduced for the yellow head. The epithet " albicilla " is composed of the Latin words " albus " for " white " and " capillus " for " head hair ".