The Chatham snipe or Chatham Island snipe (Coenocorypha pusilla) is a species of wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, and is only found on a few islands in the south of the Chatham Islands group.[2]
Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate grassland.
Chatham snipe feed by probing into the ground in search of worms, amphipods, insects and larvae.[2]
Scientific discovery
Chatham snipe (Coenocorypha pusilla) mounted skin
In 1868 the Chatham snipe was collected by naturalist Charles Traill and was sent to ornithologist Walter Buller who described it as a new species of snipe. On an exploratory mission to the islands in 1871, Henry Travers only found the snipe on Mangere Island.[3] Attempts to return snipe to main Chatham Island would be hampered by the presence of introduced mammals and of weka, which are predators of snipe chicks.[4]
References
^BirdLife International (2016). "Coenocorypha pusilla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22693137A93385774. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693137A93385774.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ ab"Story: Wading birds - Chatham Island snipe". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
^"Tutukiwi, the Chatham Island snipe". New Zealand Birds Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
^Mulligan, Jesse; Toki, Nicola (14 October 2016). "Critter of the Week". RNZ. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
External links
BirdLife Species Factsheet
Chatham Island snipe discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 14 October 2016
