Philesturnus carunculatus (Gmelin, 1789)

Taxonomy and Naming

The South Island saddleback, also called tīeke (scientific name Philesturnus carunculatus), is a forest-dwelling passerine bird in the New Zealand wattlebird family. It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand.

Species Classification History

Previously, this species and the North Island saddleback were considered the same species.

Conservation Status

New Zealand's Department of Conservation currently lists the South Island saddleback as At Risk--Declining.

Pre-19th Century Distribution

In the early 19th century, South Island saddlebacks were widespread across the South Island and Stewart Island.

19th Century Population Decline

By the end of the 19th century, the species had declined and was close to extinction, driven by introduced predators. By 1905, all remaining saddlebacks were limited to the South Cape Islands, located off the coast of Stewart Island.

1962 Predator Incident

In 1962, ship rats were introduced to Big South Cape Island, which caused the extinction of the greater short-tailed bat, Stewart Island snipe, and Stead's bush wren.

1964 Translocation Effort

In early 1964, the New Zealand Wildlife Service translocated 36 individual South Island saddlebacks from Big South Cape Island to pest-free islands: 21 individuals were moved to Big Island, and 15 were moved to Kaimohu Island.

Current Population Status

Additional translocations and predator removal efforts allowed the population to recover, and the current population is estimated to be around 2000 individuals.