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Sexually dimorphic vocalisations of the great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii)

  • Publication Type

    Journal

  • Publication Year

    2015

  • Author(s)

    J.M. Dent; L.E. Molles

  • Journal Name

    Notornis

  • Volume, Issue

    62, 1

  • Pagination

    1-7

  • Article Type

    Paper

Keywords

Apteryx; intra-call variation; sexual dimorphism; vocalisation; whistle call


Sexually dimorphic vocalisations of the great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii)

Notornis, 62 (1), 1-7

J.M. Dent; L.E. Molles (2015)

Article Type: Paper

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Kiwi (Apteryx spp.) are the most vocal of the ratites. Of the 5 Apteryx species only 2 have previously been subject to detailed vocal analysis: the North Island brown kiwi (A. mantelli) and the little spotted kiwi (A. owenii). This paper describes the vocalisations of the great spotted kiwi (A. haastii), the largest of the Apteryx species. Acoustic recorders were installed near the breeding den sites of 7 great spotted kiwi pairs residing in Hawdon Valley, Canterbury between November 2012 and March 2013. A total of 133 whistle vocalisations from 10 individuals were subject to detailed temporal and spectral analysis. Male and female syllables were found to be sexually dimorphic; syllables in male calls tended to be longer and more highly pitched than their female counterparts. Despite this dimorphism, patterns of intra-call variation were consistent between the sexes. It appears that intra-call variation is a trait which varies markedly within the Apteryx genus.