The Norfolk pigeon or Norfolk Island pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea), sometimes called the wood quest, is an extinct subspecies of the New Zealand pigeon (kererū) that inhabited Norfolk Island. This population probably colonized Norfolk Island from New Zealand during the Pleistocene.[2] It became extinct around the turn of the 20th century.
German naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster described the Norfolk pigeon as Columba argetraea in 1794, however the name was not used.[3] English ornithologist John Latham described it as Columba spadicea in his 1801 work Supplementum Indicis Ornithologici.[4]
Twenty specimens of the Norfolk Pigeon are known. Three of these are in the Natural History Museum, Leiden,[5] two in the Natural History Museum New York and one specimen in World Museum Liverpool.[2] DNA collected and analyzed from toepad tissue indicated that the Norfolk Island pigeon is genetically sister to the New Zealand Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae population.[2]
Early records from Norfolk Island indicate the local people gave it the name "wood quest", however the name was not passed on from the second settlement to the Pitcairn settlers. The term is related to the words "queece", "queest" and "quist" used for the wood pigeon in the West Midlands and southwestern England.[6]
Ecologyedit
Sketch from John Hunter's Birds & flowers of New South Wales drawn on the spot in 1788, '89 & '90By Henrik Gronvold
The abundance of the Norfolk pigeon at the time of the island's settlement is unknown. Early records indicate the presence of the bird, but do not contain any information on its numbers. Based on the behaviour of the other subspecies, it is likely that the bird relied upon fruiting plants for food.[7]
Extinctionedit
The extinction of the Norfolk pigeon was caused by a combination of the introduction of cats and weasels, habitat destruction by human settlers, and direct hunting by humans. Before European settlement, the bird had been hunted by Polynesian settlers of the island. When Europeans reached the island, however, the birds remained and the Polynesians did not.[8] The Europeans took up the bird as a food source. An officer of the penal colony there, Ensign Abel Dottin William Best, recorded the species as still quite common in 1838, with his journals mentioning his successful hunting of 72 birds, including 25 on September 18, 1838.[9] The last sighting occurred in 1901.[10] Direct hunting by humans was probably the dominant cause of extinction.[7]
Memorialsedit
The Government of Norfolk Island released a stamp commemorating the bird on February 24, 1971.[11]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2022). "Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T22727557A209064496. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^ abcGoldberg, Julia; Trewick, Steven A.; Powlesland, Ralph G. (2011). "Population structure and biogeography of Hemiphaga pigeons (Aves: Columbidae) on islands in the New Zealand region: Population structure of pigeons in New Zealand". Journal of Biogeography. 38 (2): 285–298. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02414.x. S2CID 55640412.
^Australian Biological Resources Study (20 August 2013). "Subspecies Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea (Latham, 1801)". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
^R. Schodde, Australia Bureau of Flora and Fauna, I. J. Mason, Australian Biological Resources Study, W. W. K. Houston, A. Well (1997). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. p. 53. ISBN0-643-06037-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^. Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
^McAllan, Ian (1999). "A Common Name for the Norfolk Island Pigeon". Australian Bird Watcher. 18 (4): 179–180.
^ abStephen T. Garnett & Gabriel M. Crowley (2000). (PDF). The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000. Environment Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
^Richard N. Holdaway & Atholl Anderson (2001). "Avifauna from the Emily Bay Settlement Site, Norfolk Island:A Preliminary Account" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 27: 85–100. doi:10.3853/j.0812-7387.27.2001.1343. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
^James L. Moore (December 1985). (PDF). Notornis. Ornithological Society of New Zealand. 32: 319–322. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
^Day, David (1989). The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species. Hong Kong: Mclaren Publishing Limited. ISBN0-947889-30-2.
^"Bird Stamps Related To Captain James Cook" (PDF). Captain Cook Society. 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
External linksedit
A painting of a Norfolk Island Pigeon by Paul Martinson at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
January 19, 2024
norfolk, pigeon, norfolk, island, pigeon, hemiphaga, novaeseelandiae, spadicea, sometimes, called, wood, quest, extinct, subspecies, zealand, pigeon, kererū, that, inhabited, norfolk, island, this, population, probably, colonized, norfolk, island, from, zealan. The Norfolk pigeon or Norfolk Island pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea sometimes called the wood quest is an extinct subspecies of the New Zealand pigeon kereru that inhabited Norfolk Island This population probably colonized Norfolk Island from New Zealand during the Pleistocene 2 It became extinct around the turn of the 20th century Norfolk pigeonIllustration by Keulemans 1907Conservation statusExtinct early 20th century IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder ColumbiformesFamily ColumbidaeGenus HemiphagaSpecies H novaeseelandiaeSubspecies H n spadiceaTrinomial name Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadiceaLatham 1801 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Ecology 3 Extinction 4 Memorials 5 References 6 External linksTaxonomy editGerman naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster described the Norfolk pigeon as Columba argetraea in 1794 however the name was not used 3 English ornithologist John Latham described it as Columba spadicea in his 1801 work Supplementum Indicis Ornithologici 4 Twenty specimens of the Norfolk Pigeon are known Three of these are in the Natural History Museum Leiden 5 two in the Natural History Museum New York and one specimen in World Museum Liverpool 2 DNA collected and analyzed from toepad tissue indicated that the Norfolk Island pigeon is genetically sister to the New Zealand Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae population 2 Early records from Norfolk Island indicate the local people gave it the name wood quest however the name was not passed on from the second settlement to the Pitcairn settlers The term is related to the words queece queest and quist used for the wood pigeon in the West Midlands and southwestern England 6 Ecology edit nbsp Sketch from John Hunter s Birds amp flowers of New South Wales drawn on the spot in 1788 89 amp 90 nbsp By Henrik GronvoldThe abundance of the Norfolk pigeon at the time of the island s settlement is unknown Early records indicate the presence of the bird but do not contain any information on its numbers Based on the behaviour of the other subspecies it is likely that the bird relied upon fruiting plants for food 7 Extinction editThe extinction of the Norfolk pigeon was caused by a combination of the introduction of cats and weasels habitat destruction by human settlers and direct hunting by humans Before European settlement the bird had been hunted by Polynesian settlers of the island When Europeans reached the island however the birds remained and the Polynesians did not 8 The Europeans took up the bird as a food source An officer of the penal colony there Ensign Abel Dottin William Best recorded the species as still quite common in 1838 with his journals mentioning his successful hunting of 72 birds including 25 on September 18 1838 9 The last sighting occurred in 1901 10 Direct hunting by humans was probably the dominant cause of extinction 7 Memorials editThe Government of Norfolk Island released a stamp commemorating the bird on February 24 1971 11 References edit BirdLife International 2022 Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022 e T22727557A209064496 Retrieved 23 July 2022 a b c Goldberg Julia Trewick Steven A Powlesland Ralph G 2011 Population structure and biogeography of Hemiphaga pigeons Aves Columbidae on islands in the New Zealand region Population structure of pigeons in New Zealand Journal of Biogeography 38 2 285 298 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2699 2010 02414 x S2CID 55640412 Australian Biological Resources Study 20 August 2013 Subspecies Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea Latham 1801 Australian Faunal Directory Canberra Australian Capital Territory Department of the Environment Water Heritage and the Arts Australian Government Retrieved 14 September 2021 R Schodde Australia Bureau of Flora and Fauna I J Mason Australian Biological Resources Study W W K Houston A Well 1997 Zoological Catalogue of Australia CSIRO Publishing p 53 ISBN 0 643 06037 5 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Naturalis Extinct bird Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea Norfolk Island Pigeon Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Archived from the original on 2011 06 08 Retrieved 2008 12 08 McAllan Ian 1999 A Common Name for the Norfolk Island Pigeon Australian Bird Watcher 18 4 179 180 a b Stephen T Garnett amp Gabriel M Crowley 2000 New Zealand Pigeon Norfolk Island PDF The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000 Environment Australia Archived from the original PDF on 21 May 2011 Retrieved 8 December 2008 Richard N Holdaway amp Atholl Anderson 2001 Avifauna from the Emily Bay Settlement Site Norfolk Island A Preliminary Account PDF Records of the Australian Museum 27 85 100 doi 10 3853 j 0812 7387 27 2001 1343 Retrieved 2008 12 10 James L Moore December 1985 Ensign Best s bird observations on Norfolk Island PDF Notornis Ornithological Society of New Zealand 32 319 322 Archived from the original PDF on 2008 10 17 Retrieved 2008 12 10 Day David 1989 The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species Hong Kong Mclaren Publishing Limited ISBN 0 947889 30 2 Bird Stamps Related To Captain James Cook PDF Captain Cook Society 2005 Retrieved 2008 12 10 External links editA painting of a Norfolk Island Pigeon by Paul Martinson at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Norfolk pigeon amp oldid 1171736364, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
