Auckland snipe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Auckland Island snipe |
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| Coenocorypha aucklandica by Hullmandel | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Scolopacidae |
| Genus: | Coenocorypha |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. a. aucklandica
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| Trinomial name | |
| Coenocorypha aucklandica aucklandica (Gray, 1844)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Auckland Island snipe (Coenocorypha aucklandica aucklandica) is a small bird. It belongs to the sandpiper family. This bird is a special type of subantarctic snipe. It lives only on the Auckland Islands. These islands are a group of subantarctic islands. They are located south of New Zealand in the Southern Ocean.
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Meet the Auckland Island Snipe
The Auckland Island snipe is a unique bird. It is a type of snipe, which is a group of wading birds. This particular snipe is found only in one place. That place is the remote Auckland Islands.
How the Snipe Got Its Name
Scientists first found the Auckland Island snipe in 1840. Two big expeditions collected samples of the bird. One was the United States Exploring Expedition. The other was the British Antarctic expedition led by James Clark Ross. A scientist named George Robert Gray described the bird in 1844. He named it after the Auckland Islands. This is where the first birds were found.
What Does the Snipe Look Like?
The Auckland Island snipe is a small bird. It has brown feathers with patterns. These patterns help it blend in with its surroundings. This is called being "cryptically-patterned." It has a long beak and short neck. Its tail and legs are also short. Its wings are short and rounded. Female snipes are a bit bigger than males. Females weigh about 107 grams. Males weigh between 82 and 94 grams.
Where the Snipe Lives
This snipe lives only on the Auckland Islands. The total area of these islands is about 625 square kilometers. However, you won't find them on the main Auckland Island anymore. They now live on other islands nearby. These include Adams Island, Enderby Island, and smaller islands like Disappointment. They also live on Ewing, Figure of Eight, Rose, Ocean, and Dundas Islands.
Snipe's Favorite Places
The snipes like to live in different types of areas. They can be found in tussock grasslands. They also live in Olearia forests. You might see them in shrublands and herbfields too. These are all natural habitats on the islands.
Raising Young Snipes
Auckland Island snipes breed at certain times of the year. They lay their eggs from late September to early November. Chicks, or baby birds, are usually seen in November and December. A female snipe typically lays two eggs at a time. Sometimes, you might hear a special sound. This sound is made during their "Hakawai" aerial displays. These are special flights they do.
How Many Snipes Are There?
Scientists believe there are about 20,000 Auckland Island snipes. Their population is stable. This means their numbers are not going down. They are considered a "range-restricted island endemic." This means they live only in a small area on these islands.
