Rock Wren (New Zealand)

Taxobox
name = Rock Wren

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image_width = 250px
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
subordo = Acanthisitti
familia = Acanthisittidae
genus = "Xenicus"
species = "X. gilviventris"
binomial = "Xenicus gilviventris"
binomial_authority = Pelzeln, 1867

The Rock Wren, ("Xenicus gilviventris"), is a small New Zealand wren (family Acanthisittidae) endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. It is sometimes known as the South Island Wren, a name used to separate it from the unrelated Rock Wren of North America. While the species is currently restricted to alpine areas of the South Island, fossil evidence indicates it was once present on the North Island as well. It is the rarer of the two surviving species of New Zealand wrens and is threatened by introduced mammals.

The Rock Wren is the only surviving species in the genus "Xenicus", and is thought to have been closely related to the formerly more widespread Bush Wren. Like the Bush Wren and the Rifleman it is a poor flier, rarely flying more than two metres off the ground and for distances more than 30m. It is highly terrestrial, feeding in low scrub and open scree and rockfalls in alpine areas.

References

*BirdLife International (2006) [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/ebas/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3992&m=0 Species factsheet: "Xenicus gilviventris".] Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/2/2007

External links

* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3992&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet.]