Chatham fernbird (SciiFii)

The Chatham fernbird (Poodytes rufescens) is a bird species that is endemic to the Chatham Islands. It was once thought that it is native only to Mangere Island, but fossils have been found on Pitt Island and Chatham Island as well. The Chatham fernbird was once extinct by 1900 due to brush fires, overgrazing by goats and rabbits and predation by rats and feral cats, but was brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to Mangere Island, Pitt Island, and Chatham Island once the invasive rats, cats, rabbits, and goats were eradicated from the islands where the bird is native to. Its closest relative is the New Zealand fernbird or matata (Poodytes punctatus). It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the New Zealand fernbird, but is now widely recognized as its own species. Both fernbirds were formerly placed in their own genus Bowdleria; they were later moved to Megalurus and most recently Poodytes. The Chatham fernbird reaches a length of 18 centimeters (7 inches). Its wings are 5.9 to 6.7 centimeters (2.3-2.6 inches). In contrast to the New Zealand fernbird, it has unspotted white underparts, a chestnut-brown crown, a distinct white loral spot, and a dark red-brown back. The species has the “typical” fernbird call but also a peculiar whistle, which sounds very like that of a man. It is an insectivorous bird and forages for insects on the ground. The pelvis and legs are highly specialised for moving aside vegetation and litter while foraging for prey. The Chatham fernbirds nest in sedges or other vegetation close to the ground, making a deep woven cup of dried rushes lined with feathers. Breeding occurs from September to February, producing clutches of 2-3 pinkish-white eggs with brown or purple speckles. Both adults incubate for about 13 days. The chicks are fed small insects by the parents. They leave the nest after 15-17 days and sometimes at 20-21 days after hatching. They can breed as early as 9 months of age. Pairs raise between 1 and 3 broods. Juveniles still depend on the parents for food for a few weeks after leaving the nest. The conservation status of the Chatham fernbird is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss and, historically, invasive species, however, thanks to the conservationists, the Chatham fernbird is a protected species.