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A fossil vertebrate fauna accumulated by laughing owls (Sceloglaux albifacies) on the Gouland Downs, northwest Nelson, South Island

Notornis, 48 (4), 225-233

T.H. Worthy (2001)

Article Type: Paper

A rich fossil fauna accumulated by laughing owls (Sceloglaux albifacies) during the Holocene, is described from GD101 Cave, on the Gouland Downs, northwest Nelson, South Island, New Zealand. Twenty-eight species of bird, a tuatara, 3 frogs, at least 4 geckos, 1 skink, 2 bats, and 2 fish contribute to the species diversity. The fauna includes the first inland fossil record of New Zealand dotterel (Charadrius obscurus). The taphonomy of the deposit and the diet of the owl are discussed.

Sexing North Island robins (Petroica australis longipes) from morphometrics and plumage

Notornis, 48 (2), 76-80

D.P. Armstrong (2001)

Article Type: Paper

North Island robins are sexually dimorphic, males having darker plumage on their back and upper breast. However, males show delayed plumage maturation, and do not acquire the characteristic male plumage until after their first breeding season, 12-16 months after fledging. Therefore, sexing based on plumage alone will overestimate the proportion of females, and this may result in highly skewed sex ratios for translocations. Using measurements from robins of known sex on Tiritiri Matangi Island, I found tarsus length to be a useful indicator of sex. Of 82 robins measured, 80% of birds with tarsus length greater than 35.6 mm were male and 77% of other birds were female. If tarsus length is used in combination with plumage, it should allow sex ratios to be estimated reasonably accurately and without bias. However, additional data including wing chord measurements suggest that wing chord is superior to tarsus length for determining sex.

Errata

Notornis, 48 (3), 186-186

Editor (2001)

Article Type: Correction

Rare birds in CSN

Southern Bird, 8 (Dec), 12-12

D. Medway (2001)

Article Type: Article

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