The Chatham pigeon (''Hemiphaga chathamensis''), also called the Chatham Island pigeon or parea, is a

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. Growing to 800g in weight and 55 cm in length, the Chatham Island pigeon is closely related to the

kererū The kererū (''Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae'') or New Zealand pigeon is a species of pigeon native to New Zealand. Johann Friedrich Gmelin described the bird in 1789 as a large, conspicuous pigeon up to in length and in weight, with a white br ...

or New Zealand pigeon (''Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae''), the only other species in the genus ''Hemiphaga''. While rated vulnerable by

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

, it is considered critically threatened in New Zealand. Recovering from a low of 40 birds in the 1980s, the Chatham Island pigeon population is now over 600, and the species is ranked by the

as "Vulnerable", and by the

New Zealand Department of Conservation The Department of Conservation (DOC; Māori: ''Te Papa Atawhai'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage. An advisory body, the New Zealand Conservation Au ...

as at 2017 as "Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable". The species is largely restricted to the southern forests of

Chatham Island Chatham Island ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) is by far the largest island of the Chatham Islands group, in the south Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is said to be "halfway bet ...

(particularly those around the Tuku River). A few have been seen elsewhere on Chatham Island and also further afield on Pitt and

South East Island Hokorereoro, Rangatira, or South East Island is the third largest island in the Chatham Islands archipelago, and covers an area of . It lies east of New Zealand, New Zealand's South Island off the south-east coast of Pitt Island, south-east of ...

s.Barrie Heather and Hugh Robertson, ''"The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand" (revised edition)'', Viking, 2005 They were common in the 1870s but

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

and predation by mammalian

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

reduced the population to only 40 birds by 1990. Since then, predator control and stock fencing in and around the Tuku valley have resulted in improved breeding success which has led to rapid population growth. 20180930 Chathams 153

Traditionally considered a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of the kererū, it was proposed in 2001 to be distinct enough to be raised to full

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

status.Dickinson, E. (2003). ''The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World.'' Edition 3. Christopher Helm. Because the Chatham Islands have been separated from the mainland of New Zealand for so long, the Chatham pigeon has evolved differently from its mainland relative, the kererū. There are a number of differences between the two pigeons. The Chatham pigeon is around 20% heavier than the kererū and has a heavier bill. Unlike the kererū, the Chatham pigeon has an enlarged hind toe which helps it to scrabble about on the forest floor. The Chatham pigeon generally nests from June to October, while the kererū nests from September to January. The Chatham pigeon nests in bracken or fern near the ground while the kererū prefers to nest in a tree, out of harm's way. The Chatham pigeon's egg is also much bigger. Chatham pigeon feed on the fruits of the hoho ( ''Pseudopanax chathamicus''), matipo, mahoe and

karamu Karamu may refer to: * Karamu, New Zealand, a rural locality in the North Island of New Zealand * ''Coprosma robusta'', a tree known as karamu * ''Coprosma lucida'', a shrub sometimes called shining karamu * ''Coprosma macrocarpa'', a shrub called ...

tree, and the foliage of mahoe, hoho and

clover Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...

. The succulent fruits of the hoho are especially sought after. They are at their best in August and September, which coincides with the peak of the Chatham pigeon's breeding season. Chatham pigeon is renowned for their spectacular flying dives, especially by the males, to attract a mate. Most breed at 1 to 2 years of age, laying just one egg. Chicks fledge at about 45 days old and become independent at 3 months. They have a life expectancy of up to 25 years.

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* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1263725 Birds of the Chatham Islands Treroninae Birds described in 1891 Critically endangered animals Endemic birds of New Zealand

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