The piopio or turnagras are an extinct genus of passerine birds in the family Oriolidae, that were endemic to New Zealand. Sometimes described as New Zealand thrushes, the piopio had only a coincidental, passing resemblance to the

thrush ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret ...

family.

Taxonomy and systematics

Piopio were a long-standing taxonomic mystery. Until 2011, the IOC regarded their monotypic family Turnagridae as '' incertae sedis'' (of uncertain placement). The genus ''Turnagra'' was then placed in the family Oriolidae after it was determined that the piopio were closely related to the figbirds. They have been said to have more in common with the

bowerbird Bowerbirds () make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. They are renowned for their unique courtship behaviour, where males build a structure and decorate it with sticks and brightly coloured objects in an attempt to attract a mate. The family ...

family of Australia, but they differ in terms of nest construction, egg marking, and voice. A relationship has also been suggested with the whistlers (

Pachycephalidae The Pachycephalidae are a family of bird species that includes the whistlers, shrikethrushes, and three of the pitohuis, and is part of the ancient Australo-Papuan radiation of songbirds. The family includes 64 species that are separated into f ...

). The piopio were formerly considered to be a single species until split into separate North and South Island species in 2012. The specific names of both species were based on mistakes; ''Turnagra capensis'' was so named because Anders Sparrman mixed up his specimens and thought the bird had been collected in South Africa (''capensis'' referring to the Cape of Good Hope). The North Island's ''Turnagra tanagra'' was so named because it was thought to be related to the tanagers of the Americas. The vernacular name is derived from the Māori name, ''piopio-kata''.

Extinct species

The genus ''Turnagra'' contains two extinct species: * †

North Island piopio The North Island piopio (''Turnagra tanagra'') was a passerine bird of the family Oriolidae. The North Island piopio is now considered to be extinct. Taxonomy and systematics For many years, the North Island piopio was considered to be con ...

(''Turnagra tanagra'') * †

South Island piopio The South Island piopio (''Turnagra capensis'') also known as the New Zealand thrush, was a passerine bird of the family Oriolidae. Taxonomy and systematics The South Island piopio was originally described in the genus ''Tanagra'' (a synony ...

(''Turnagra capensis'')

Behaviour and ecology

Little is known about their biology. They frequented the undergrowth and forest floor. Their nests were well constructed cups placed in trees a few metres from the ground, in which two to four eggs were laid.

Walter Buller Sir Walter Lawry Buller (9 October 1838 – 19 July 1906) was a New Zealand lawyer and naturalist who was a dominant figure in New Zealand ornithology. His book, ''A History of the Birds of New Zealand'', first published in 1873, was publish ...

described their calls as being among the most beautiful of any New Zealand bird. They were also able to mimic the calls of other birds. They were omnivorous, with records of them hawking for insects over a river, as well as eating spiders, fruit and oats.

Status

Extensive deforestation throughout the country (particularly in the lowlands) and the introduction of mammalian predators, particularly rats, to

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

and

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

in the 19th century during the period of European settlement are believed to have caused the extinctions of both species. The last verified North Island piopio was shot in 1902, although poorly documented sightings were reported as late as the 1970s. The South Island piopio was last recorded in 1905. Plans to move birds to predator-free islands were mooted but either never acted on or were derailed due to the lack of suitable sanctuaries.Tennyson, A. & Martinson, P. (2006). ''Extinct Birds of New Zealand'' Te Papa Press,Wellington

References

External links

Piopio, the New Zealand thrush
- New Zealand Birds Limited
South Island Piopio. Turnagra capensis.
by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book ''Extinct Birds of New Zealand'', by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
North Island Piopio. Turnagra tanagra.
by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book ''Extinct Birds of New Zealand'', by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006 {{Taxonbar, from=Q135467 * Extinct birds of New Zealand Higher-level bird taxa restricted to New Zealand Species made extinct by human activities Species endangered by invasive species Holocene extinctions Species endangered by deforestation