Animalia Life
Mohoua albicilla
SUBFAMILY
Mohouinae
TAXONOMY
Fringilla albicilla Lesson, 1830, Bay of Islands, North Island,
New Zealand.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Mohoua а tкte blanche; German: Weisskцpfchen;
Spanish: Cabeza Blanca.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.9 in (15 cm); female 0.4–0.6 lb (12.3–16.4 g), male 0.6–0.7 oz
(16.6–19.3 g). Light reddish brown nape and upperparts with
white head to creamy underparts.
DISTRIBUTION
North Island, New Zealand.
HABITAT
Native forest and scrub, occasionally woodland and exotic
pines, up to 4,620 ft (1,400 m).
BEHAVIOR
Very social in nonbreeding season, with flocks up to 70 birds. In
breeding season, form family parties and flocks of up to 10 birds.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Eat insects, as well as seeds and fruit, foraging from ground to
canopy. Most prey gleaned from foliage and branches. Bills
used to flake off bark fragments.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The nest is a compact cup in which two to four eggs are laid.
Eggs variable in color from white to deep pink with yellowish
to reddish brown markings. Male and female, or mainly female,
incubate for about 17 days with fledging at 16–17 days.
Nest commonly tended by three to four birds, including
helpers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Once abundant across North Island, now in
moderate numbers only in forested areas. Plentiful on some
offshore islands.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.