Tui (bird species)

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Tui
Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)

Tui ( Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae )

Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
Superfamily : Meliphagoidea
Family : Honeyeater (Meliphagidae)
Genre : Prosthemadera
Type : Tui
Scientific name of the  genus
Prosthemadera
GR Gray , 1840
Scientific name of the  species
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
( Gmelin , 1788)

The Tui ( Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae in Māori TUI ) is a New Zealand bird species from the family of honeyeater .

distribution

It is a widespread bird in New Zealand and is endemic there .

description

He has a dark, black-looking plumage. In the sunlight, however, this partially shimmers greenish and bluish. The most noticeable feature is a white, protruding tuft of feathers on the neck.

Utterance

The Tui's voice is quite loud and powerful, the melodic sound is often interrupted by varied clicking and rattling noises. It is confusingly similar to that of the South American bellbirds ( Procnias ), but the voice of the bellbirds has significantly less resonance .

The Tui is able to imitate other voices. The Māori kept birds and taught them to imitate human language.

nutrition

The tui feeds mainly on nectar, but also on fruits and insects. At times, pollen and seeds of certain plants are also part of its diet.

Specialty

In 2005 New Zealand voted for the first time the bird of the year. The Tui was named the first bird of the year.

As a typical New Zealand bird, it is also the trademark of a New Zealand beer brand ( Tui ).

Origin of name

The name Tui was taken from the original Maori language .

Web links

Commons : Tui  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Christina Troup : Small forest birds - Honeyeaters - bellbirds and tūī . In: Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand . Ministry for Culture & Heritage , February 3, 2015, accessed December 27, 2015 .