Tomtit Petroica macrocephala Scientific name definitions

Taxonomic note: Lump. This account is a combination of multiple species accounts originally published in HBW Alive. That content has been combined and labeled here at the subspecies level. Moving forward we will create a more unified account for this parent taxon. Please consider contributing your expertise to update this account.

Tomtit (New Zealand)

13 cm; 11–13 g. Male nominate race has head , neck and upperparts black, small white forehead spot ; upperwing black, white bar across bases of remiges (except outermost primary); tail  with central three feather pairs black, T4 black with distal half of inner web white, T5 white with black base, tip and distal third of outer web, T6 white with black base and broad black tip; chin, throat and upper breast black, rest of underparts pale yellow, often with brighter yellow or orange bordering sharp demarcation against upper breast; iris dark brown; bill black, legs black to dark purplish brown, feet with soles (at least) yellow to pink-brown or grey. Female is similar to male, but dark olive-brown above  , with narrow white eyering, ear-coverts finely streaked white, black of wing  and tail replaced by blackish brown, chin and throat mottled or washed dark grey, underparts yellowish white, breast often washed olive-brown. Juvenile  is duller and browner than adult, with mottling and fine streaking; immature as adult. Race <em>toitoi</em> is similar to nominate, but male has lower breast to undertail-coverts white; chathamensis  is larger, male has T4 tipped black and undertail-coverts black, female is warmer brown with dark face and black line above forehead spot; <em>marrineri</em> has lower breast and belly yellow-white, grading to off-white on flanks and vent, flank feathers tipped black, undertail-coverts black, tail variable, like that of previous or nominate or with white subterminal spot on inner web of T3, female like male but usually browner and underparts paler.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

c. 13 cm. Adult has entire plumage glossy black , wings and tail less glossed; iris dark brown; bill  black, legs black to dark purplish brown, feet with soles (at least) orange-coloured. Sexes more or less alike, female perhaps somewhat less glossy. Juvenile is duller and browner than adult.

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Tomtit (New Zealand)

Hitherto treated as conspecific with P. dannefaerdi (which see). Races differ in coloration (including degree of sexual dimorphism) and voice; despite low genetic differentiation (1 Miller, H. C., and D. M. Lambert (2006). A molecular phylogeny of New Zealand’s Petroica (Aves: Petroicidae) species based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40(3):844–855. Close ), species rank has been proposed for all races (for consistency with treatment accorded to mainland P. australis and insular P. traversi and P. longipes). Four subspecies currently recognized.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Hitherto (in recent times) considered conspecific with P. macrocephala, but differs in its all-black underparts (3); absence of white in wings and tail (3); and larger size (from published data (2 Higgins, P. J., and J. M. Peter, Editors (2002). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6. Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia. Close ), effect size for male bill against largest subspecies marrineri of P. macrocephala 2.47, score 2). Monotypic.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Snares Is (Snares I, Broughton I).

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Native forests, both mature and regrowth, from lowland podocarp-broadleaf to southern beech (Nothofagus) in highlands, various mixed forests and manuka (Leptospermum) and kanuka (Kunzea) scrublands; will use exotic pine (Pinus) plantations, occasionally farmland, parks and gardens. On Auckland Is , scrub and littoral vegetation and Olearia forest, nearby open turf, tussock grassland and coastal rocks; scarce above 150 m, and absent from highest areas.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Adults mainly sedentary, with some small-scale local or altitudinal movements; in some localities shifts to more open areas after breeding, elsewhere present throughout year. Juvenile dispersal of up to 16 km recorded. Species’ dispersal capabilities demonstrated by reoccupation of Mangere I (and sporadic occurrences on Little Mangere I), in Chatham Is. One individual translocated to an island returned 56 km to its original site.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Invertebrates  , mainly insects; occasionally (especially in autumn) fruit of a range of species. Forages at all heights, although on larger islands prefers understorey of mature forest, and on small islands or in exotic vegetation often spends more time on ground. Most time spent searching for prey from elevated perch . On South I (nominate race), little time on ground (0–3%), most time in understorey (60–80%), particularly lower part, and some use of canopy (10–16%) and above (less than 5%). On Rangatira I (chathamensis), 6·7% of foraging on ground, 72·1% in lower storey, 19·2% in upper storey and 2% in canopy; on Little Barrier I (toitoi), 58·5% on ground, 34·6% in understorey, and 7·3% in subcanopy and canopy. In pine plantations, 61% of feeding on or near ground, 11% at 1–5 m, 18% at 5·1–10 m, 10% above 10 m. In one study on Rangatira I, most prey taken from ground (65%), less from bark (10%) and foliage (13%) and in air (7%); in another study on same island, much more in vegetation, i.e. trees (38·5%), branches (15·4%), twigs (26%), vines (13·5 %), foliage (1%), ground litter (5·8%). On Little Barrier I, prey taken from ground (52·4%), trunk (6·1%), branches (13·7%), twigs (4·2%), leaves (19·3%), air (4·2%). In pine plantation, most prey attacked on ground (60%), fewer on trunks (10%), branches/cones (7%) and needles (16%) and in air (7%). Regardless of whether on large or on small island, generally uses similar attack methods: pounce on ground or sally-strike (84–93%), glean (2–12%), hover (0–1%), aerial sally (3–5%). When gleaning on ground, picks visible prey from surface; does not turn leaves.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Song a musical warble  , “ti-oly-oly-ho” or “yodi-yodi-yodi”. Gives 1–5 “zet” notes when foraging alone, possibly as contact call; also 2–7 “seet” notes when disturbed, soft closely spaced whistles.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Season Aug–Mar on North I, Sept–Feb on South I and Oct–Dec on offshore islands; usually two or three broods in season, and up to six attempts if failures occur. Breeds as monogamous pair. Territorial throughout year, territory defended by both sexes. Courtship display involves male chasing female with wings held high and forwards, or partners facing each other while flicking both wings alternately; male feeds female during courtship, nestbuilding and incubation. Nest  built by female, a cup  of moss, leaves, rootlets, grass and bark, bound externally with spider web, lined with fine grass, feathers, fur and tree-fern scales, external diameter 10·2 cm, height 7·6 cm, internal diameter 5·7–6·5 cm, depth 3·8–4 cm; placed 1–18 m (usually 1–4 m) from ground in situation providing shelter along sides and sometimes above, such as cavity in tree or stump, tangle of vines, behind loose bark, or under crown of tree-fern; nestboxes accepted; territory 1·2–2·5 ha. Clutch 2–6 eggs  (usually 3–4) on North I and South I and 1–4 (mostly three) on Chathams, laid at 24-hour intervals, creamy white, with yellowish-purple, light brown and grey spots forming dense wreath towards larger end, size variable, 17·7 × 14·7 mm on North I, 18·2 × 14·9 mm on South I, 19·1 × 15 mm on Chatham Is, 23 × 16·5 mm on Aucklands; incubation by female, rarely assisted by male, period 14–18 days on North I and 15–17 days on South I, but 17–18 days on Chathams; young hatch mostly naked, down appearing on day 3, down-covered by day 5; chicks  brooded by female, fed  by both sexes, nestling period 17–20 days on North I, 20 days on South I and 17–21 days on Chathams; adult performs distraction display on ground, holding wings spread and raised and tail fanned while moving with jerky actions; fledglings fed by both sexes for c. 10 days after leaving nest (or by male alone if female renests immediately) and by male for a further 1–2 weeks, disperse 5–6 weeks after reaching independence. Nests parasitized by Long-tailed Koel (Urodynamis taitensis). Success quite variable: in some areas most nests attacked by predators, e.g. black rat (Rattus rattus) and Long-tailed Koel; success 80% or more in those areas where predators controlled. May breed at end of first year of life.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

Breeds Oct–Jan; usually two or three broods in a season. Monogamous; territorial all year, territory defended by both sexes. Courtship involves male holding wings high and forwards while chasing female, or partners face each other and flick both wings alternately; male feeds female throughout courtship to incubation. Cup-shaped nest of leaves, moss, rootlets, grass and bark, bound with spider web, lined with fine grass and other soft material, placed fairly close to ground (up to 3·5 m) in sheltered site such as cavity in tree or stump, or among rocks in tussocky areas; territory size c. 0·4–1 ha. Clutch 2–3 (mostly three) eggs, creamy white, with purplish, brown and grey spots forming dense wreath towards larger end, size 20 mm × 15·2 mm; incubation by female, rarely assisted by male, period 18–20 days; young hatch mostly naked, brooded by female, fed by both sexes, nestling period 17–22 days, and young become independent when 40–54 days old. Clutch size is positively influenced by distance to nearest penguin colony, with robins closer to seabird colonies laying more eggs.

Tomtit (New Zealand)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally common. Initial decline, owing to clearance of habitat and introduced predators after arrival of Europeans, appears to have stabilized, as the species adapts to modified conditions, and some evidence of local increases in Northland in recent decades. Removal of undergrowth by livestock on islands inhibits its presence. Will use logged forest, but in lower densities than in unlogged areas. Major predators of this species are feral cats (Felis catus), black rats and common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula); control measures have increased breeding success, but there is some poisoning of this petroicid by bait intended for predators and, secondarily, by poisoned invertebrates. Readily adopts nestboxes erected in native forest. Race chathamensis is listed as Endangered nationally and is confined to Chatham Islands EBA; it became extinct on main island of Chatham in 1970s, while an estimated 770–900 individuals were thought to survive in 2001, and an active conservation programme is in place, including translocation efforts (of which just two of seven such efforts have been successful to date). Race marrineri listed as Naturally Uncommon on New Zealand Red List, although there are no estimates of overall numbers, and it is confined to Auckland Islands EBA.

Tomtit (Snares Is.)

VULNERABLE. Global population is put at 250–999 mature individuals, and this species’ population density seems to have remained stable since the middle of the 20th century. Confined to the Snares Is, where it inhabits scrubby tussock grassland, this petroicid has a tiny potential area of occupancy, no more than 3.5 km², and is “naturally uncommon” (15 Miskelly, C. M., J. E. Dowding, G. P. Elliott, R. A. Hitchmough, R. G. Powlesland, H. A. Robertson, P. M. Sagar, R. P. Scofield, and G. A. Taylor, (2008). Conservation status of New Zealand birds, 2008. Notornis 55(3):117–135. Close ). Any arrival on the islands of non-native mammalian predators could easily have a devastating effect on its numbers, resulting in its rapid extinction. Monitoring of the tomtit’s population, combined with awareness of the potential dangers of invasive species and, if necessary, the implementation of prevention tactics, would appear to be vital.