Wrybill
Encyclopedia
The Wrybill or Ngutuparore (Māori
) Anarhynchus frontalis is a species of plover
endemic
to New Zealand
. It is unique in that it is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways (always to the right).
It lays its eggs among the rocks along rivers and distracts intruders by pretending to be in distress and moving away from its "nest".
is slightly sexually dimorphic
. The male has a white forehead and pale grey crown, nape, back, wings and tail and a white throat, breast, belly and rump, with a thin black band across the breast. This band is thinner in the female, and much less distinct in both sexes in the non-breeding season. The other difference between the sexes is a small black bar between the white forehead and the grey crown, which is present in the males but not the females. As with the breast band it is reduced in the non-breeding season. The most distinctive feature of the bird is the long black bill
, which is always curved to the right. The Wrybill is the only species of bird with an asymmetrically turned bill.
, preferring large dynamic rivers that will not become overgrown with weeds. It used to occur more frequently on smaller rivers, but has undergone a range contraction, and now only occupies around 60% of its estimated original range.
After breeding, around late December till early February, they leave the breeding sites and migrate to shallow estuaries and sheltered coastal areas in North Island.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
) Anarhynchus frontalis is a species of plover
Plover
Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.Plovers are found throughout...
endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is unique in that it is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways (always to the right).
It lays its eggs among the rocks along rivers and distracts intruders by pretending to be in distress and moving away from its "nest".
Description
The Wrybill is a small, plump plover, measuring 20 to 21 cm (7.9 to 8.3 in) in length and weighing between 43 to 71 g (1.5 to 2.5 oz). The plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is slightly sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
. The male has a white forehead and pale grey crown, nape, back, wings and tail and a white throat, breast, belly and rump, with a thin black band across the breast. This band is thinner in the female, and much less distinct in both sexes in the non-breeding season. The other difference between the sexes is a small black bar between the white forehead and the grey crown, which is present in the males but not the females. As with the breast band it is reduced in the non-breeding season. The most distinctive feature of the bird is the long black bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, which is always curved to the right. The Wrybill is the only species of bird with an asymmetrically turned bill.
Distribution, habitat and movements
The Wrybill is endemic to New Zealand. It breeds on large braided rivers in central South IslandSouth Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, preferring large dynamic rivers that will not become overgrown with weeds. It used to occur more frequently on smaller rivers, but has undergone a range contraction, and now only occupies around 60% of its estimated original range.
After breeding, around late December till early February, they leave the breeding sites and migrate to shallow estuaries and sheltered coastal areas in North Island.