Subspecies

[Oscar Thomas]

I did some research on the 4 subspecies of the Great Egret. From what I read, it would be possible to tell them apart in breeding plumage, but in non-breeding plumage there doesn't seem to be much different other than size, which would be very hard to be sure of in the field. So if we had a vagrant from America or Europe turn up here in NZ in winter it would be really hard to be sure until the breeding plumage reappeared.

A birder I met in Japan was sure they could differentiate A. alba from A. modesta where they occur sympatrically, the former was noticeably larger in direct comparison with longer yellower legs. The A. modesta we saw were developing breeding plumage with black bills and some with green faces: https://media.ebird.org/catalog/?sort=o ... ionCode=JP

[SomesBirder]

This article says that recent genetic evidence supports the idea that there are not two subspecies of Kākā even though the NI and SI birds look noticeably different. It also mentions that Kākā of the North Island appearance have historically been recorded from the South Island.

https://theconversation.com/could-nzs-t ... now-242011

[Jake]

The topic of Subspecies often gets me frustrated on the old iNaturalist. Two common examples in particular: Canada Geese, and Kereru.

I've uploaded Kereru, tagged it as such and then get the subspecies name suggested... there are no subspecies of Kereru. Surely a subspecies "binomial" name is strictly only appropriate when there are recognized subspecies/ splits(?)

Also, as I understand our Canada Geese are all a homogenous hybrid mix of a handful of subspecies; trying to label them as one particular subspecies over any other feels wrong. It'd be like trying to identify the European Mallards from American, and Parera at this point. Or teasing out Pheasant ancestry


On the note of Black Phase NI Fantails: Summerhouse Garden in Eketāhuna have had a resident 0-3 in the past few years. Agreed the higher rates of them around the Lower North Island does imply gene-mixing... perhaps ebird media uploaded from around the Sounds and Wellington could be used to compare tail feather patterns in pied birds

[Jan]

I often wonder how does the NZ subsp. of Fairy Tern differ from the other 2 subsp., and would it matter if it went extinct? There used to be subsp. of kaka for eg. that are no longer with us [shame] but shouldn't we concentrate on conserving Habitats rather than tiny numbers of remnant species now that conditions are becoming so dire, climate and society-wise?