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Journal articles on the topic "New Zealand robin"
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Fisher, Karen, and Nick Lewis. "Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Award: Professor Robin A. Kearns." New Zealand Geographer 71, no. 1 (April 2015): 56–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nzg.12075_2.
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A. Parker, Kevin, Dianne H. Brunton, and Richard Jakob-Hoff. "Avian translocations and disease; implications for New Zealand conservation." Pacific Conservation Biology 12, no. 2 (2006): 155. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc060155.
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There is little published information on the pathogens present in New Zealand passerines. We report here on a preliminary survey of selected pathogens and haematology profiles for seven species in the Auckland region. Avian translocations are commonly used for the recovery of threatened species. Translocations may increase the risk of spreading disease to immunologically na�ve populations. It is therefore important to take every opportuntty to gather baseline disease data and test hypotheses associated with disease. Blood, cloacal and faecal samples were collected from Fernbird Bowdleria punctata, Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, Bellbird Anthornis melanura, Tomtit Petroica macrocephala, New Zealand Robin Petroica australis, Whitehead Mohua albicilla and Starling Sturnus vulgaris during four translocations to and from Tiritiri Matangi Island. Birds (n = 137) were also examined for external lesions typical of avian pox. Blood samples (n = 40) were screened by microscopy for Plasmodium spp., Atoxoplasma spp. and other blood parasites and a differential white blood cell count was made. Cloacal swabs (n = 38) were cultured for Yersinia spp., Salmonella spp. and Campyobaeter spp. Faecal samples were screened for coccidia spp. (n = 28). An unidentified coccidian sp. and a Haemoproteus sp. were detected in one Fembird and one robin respectively. No other organisms with the potential to cause disease were detected. Despite the effort required to complete disease screening, we argue that disease samples and baseline haematology normal values should be collected at an opportunities. We make recommendations for future disease screening, and discuss the importance and potential significance of disease to the conservation of New Zealand's biodiversity.
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CROSBY, TREVOR K. "Honoured by taxon name—Robin John Tillyard." Zootaxa 2414, no. 1 (March 30, 2010): 67. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2414.1.6.
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The New Zealand bee fly genus Tillyardomyia Tonnoir, 1927 (Diptera: Bombyliidae) is one of 12 currently recognised valid generic names honouring Dr Robin John Tillyard F.R.S. (1881–1937) for his research on living and fossil insects. According to Tonnoir (1927) Tillyard was the discoverer of the family Bombyliidae in New Zealand and so Tillyardomyia was named after him even though he did not contribute any specimens of the type series for the single uncommon species of this genus, T. gracilis Tonnoir, 1927. In addition to this and the other 11 patronymic generic names, there are numerous specific names honouring him for his research.
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Stanbury, Mailee, and James V. Briskie. "I smell a rat: Can New Zealand birds recognize the odor of an invasive mammalian predator?" Current Zoology 61, no. 1 (February 1, 2015): 34–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/61.1.34.
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Abstract Although it is well known that birds can assess predation risk through visual and auditory cues, there has been little research into whether similar processes occur with olfactory cues. We examined the role of odor cues in assessing nest predation risk in four species of passerine birds in New Zealand. We compared the ability of two introduced European species (common starling Sturnus vulgaris and song thrush Turdus philomelos) and two native New Zealand species (rifleman Acanthisitta chloris and South Island robin Petroica australis) to respond to the scent of rat urine placed in the nest. Rats are an introduced predator in New Zealand and we expected the native birds, which did not co-evolve with any mammalian predators, to lack behavioral adaptations to the scent of rats at their nest. As expected, both riflemen and robins failed to show any change in their behavior at their nest when rat urine was present compared to a control period in which no scent was present. However, a similar lack of response was observed in the introduced song thrush; only the common starling changed its behavior in the presence of the rat urine. Starlings with rat urine at the nest box were more likely to hesitate before entering and they also approached the nest, but refused to enter more often in the presence of rat scent. Both responses suggest they detected the presence of a predator and changed their behavior to minimize risk to themselves. Although based on a small number of species, our results suggest that responses to predator scent may be less common in New Zealand species, and may be a factor contributing to the vulnerability of native birds to introduced mammalian predators.
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Kirby, Michael. "Robin Cooke, Human Rights and the Pacific Dimension." Victoria University of Wellington Law Review 39, no. 1 (June 2, 2008): 119. http://dx.doi.org/10.26686/vuwlr.v39i1.5456.
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Lord Cooke's life as lawyer and judge was astonishing in its achievements. The author traces his counter-cultural embrace of notions of human rights both in case decisions and in scholarly articles. He describes Lord Cooke's approach to judging – a mixture of orthodoxy and radical new ideas. He describes his contribution to the emergence of a distinctive New Zealand jurisprudence, curiously asserted in advance of the termination of Privy Council appeals and before similar "liberation" in Australia. The author concludes with a reminder of Lord Cooke's prediction of a "common law of the world". He suggests that building an effective regional human rights mechanism for the Pacific would be a timely and practical contribution to that ideal.
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Ardern, Simone L., John G. Ewen, Doug P. Armstrong, and David M. Lambert. "Social and Sexual Monogamy in Translocated New Zealand Robin Populations Detected Using Minisatellite DNA." Auk 114, no. 1 (January 1997): 120–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/4089074.
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Armstrong, Doug P., and John G. Ewen. "Dynamics and Viability of a New Zealand Robin Population Reintroduced to Regenerating Fragmented Habitat." Conservation Biology 16, no. 4 (August 2002): 1074–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.00215.x.
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P. Brown, Kerry. "Predation at nests of two New Zealand endemic passerines; implications for bird community restoration." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 2 (1997): 91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970091.
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Predation at North Island Robin Petroica australis longipes and North Island Tomtit Petroica macrocephala toitoi nests was studied in New Zealand over the 1993/94 breeding season to determine impacts of predators. Infra-red, time-lapse video photography and sign left after predation were used to identify predators at nests. Accurate estimates of predation rates depended on early detection of nests. Previous studies of predation may have greatly under-estimated predation rates and therefore predation impacts. Predation was patchy and intense, resulting in failure to produce young in some territories despite up to ten nesting attempts. A maximum of 82% of nests were preyed on (n = 65; 95% confidence interval 72.4%?90%) and Ship Rats Rattus rattus were probably responsible for at least 72% (95% confidence interval 57.4%?84.4%) of predations. Nine of 24 territories lost breeding females, mainly to Ship Rats, which significantly impacted on population productivity. Ship Rat predation was equally intense at exposed and concealed nests (at the site and patch levels). Predation attributed to avian predators was strongly correlated with exposed nests (at the patch level). Restoration of New Zealand's threatened forest bird communities is dependent on a commitment to further research into the significance of different predators and predation impacts on bird populations.
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ARMSTRONG, DOUG P., ELIZABETH H. RAEBURN, REBECCA M. LEWIS, and DON RAVINE. "Estimating the Viability of a Reintroduced New Zealand Robin Population as a Function of Predator Control." Journal of Wildlife Management 70, no. 4 (October 2006): 1020–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/0022-541x(2006)70[1020:etvoar]2.0.co;2.
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ARMSTRONG, DOUG P., ELIZABETH H. RAEBURN, REBECCA M. LEWIS, and DON RAVINE. "Modeling Vital Rates of a Reintroduced New Zealand Robin Population as a Function of Predator Control." Journal of Wildlife Management 70, no. 4 (October 2006): 1028–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/0022-541x(2006)70[1028:mvroar]2.0.co;2.
Full textDissertations / Theses on the topic "New Zealand robin"
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White, Robyn. "Response of New Zealand birds to the presence of novel predators." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Biological Sciences, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/10272.
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Predation is the highest cause of mortality for birds and can place intense selection pressures on their behavioural traits. A number of studies have shown that some animals have innate predator recognition, while others which are predator-naïve have been unable to adapt to the introduction of exotic predators. For my thesis, I firstly studied how eight species of introduced and native birds respond to model predators at their nests. This enabled me to determine whether the native birds have been able to adapt to introduced mammalian predators and have developed recognition of them being a threat. In most species, the reaction to the stoat (Mustela erminea) (an introduced predator) was similar to that of a model morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae) (a native predator). This suggests these species can successfully recognise introduced mammals as a risk. It also allowed me to test whether recently introduced birds have any innate recognition of snakes, which are a significant nest predator in their native ranges but do not exist in New Zealand. I found that introduced birds did not appear to have any recognition of snakes as being a threat. These losses and gains of recognition may have been caused by evolutionary changes or they may be influenced by learning and experience.
Secondly, I examined how South Island robins (Petroica australis) on a predator-free island responded to predator models and compared this to the responses of robins on the mainland (where they co-occur with mammalian predators). The island birds were assumed to show the ancestral reactions to mammalian predators, while any differences in response shown by the mainland robins would indicate they had acquired these behaviours in response to increased predation risk. I found that the island robins did not appear to recognise or react to a taxidermic mount of a stoat while mainland robins did respond to the stoat, confirming that at least some native birds can develop recognition of novel predators.
Finally, I compared the personalities of South Island robins on a predator-free island and on the mainland (where mammalian predators are present). I tested where individuals placed on the ‘bold-shy’ continuum by observing their willingness and speed to approach a risky situation in order to collect food. Studies have shown that average personality between populations can differ where predation risk differs. I found that the island robins were on average bolder than mainland robins. They came nearer to the observer and were faster to approach and remove a food item, while mainland robins were less likely to approach, and those that did approach took a longer time. It is likely that these differences were due to selection pressures by mammalian predators favouring shy individuals on the mainland while other pressures such as interspecific competition favours bold individuals on the island. Personality has been shown to be genetic and heritable, however, learning and experience cannot be ruled out and may also play a part in influencing how personality is expressed.
Together, my results support the importance of historical and ontogenetic factors in influencing how predator recognition and personality traits are expressed.
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Taylor, Sabrina S., and n/a. "The genetic and conservation consequences of species translocations in New Zealand saddlebacks and robins." University of Otago. Department of Zoology, 2006. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070118.101358.
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Species translocations result in demographic bottlenecks that may produce inbreeding depression and reduce genetic variation through random sampling and drift, an outcome that could decrease long-term fitness and adaptive potential of many New Zealand species. Despite considerable evidence for costs associated with inbreeding and reduced genetic variation, some species have recovered from a small number of individuals and are thriving, perhaps via high growth rates, differential survival of heterozygous individuals or inbreeding avoidance. I examined the genetic consequences of species translocations in saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus) with additional data provided for robins (Petroica australis) where possible. I first assessed whether contemporary genetic variation represented historical levels or a decline following demographic bottlenecks. I then examined whether sequential demographic bottlenecks caused sequential genetic bottlenecks and reviewed whether populations founded with a small number of birds were likely to go extinct. This analysis was followed by an investigation of two mechanisms that may maintain or reduce fitness costs, differential survival of heterozygous individuals and mate choice to avoid genetically similar individuals.
Evidence from museum specimens suggests that low levels of genetic variation in contemporary saddlebacks is no different to historical genetic variation in the only source population, Big South Cape Island. An ancient founding event to Big South Cape Island is probably the cause of severe genetic bottlenecking rather than the demographic bottleneck caused by rats in the 1960s. In robins, genetic variation decreased slightly between museum and contemporary samples suggesting that recent population declines and habitat fragmentation have caused reductions in current levels of genetic variation.
Serial demographic bottlenecks caused by sequential translocations of saddlebacks did not appear to decrease genetic variation. Loss of genetic variation due to random sampling was probably minimized because the low level of genetic variation remaining in the species was probably represented in the number of birds translocated to new islands. Models assessing future loss of genetic variation via drift showed that high growth rates combined with high carrying capacity on large islands would probably maintain existing genetic variation. In contrast, low carrying capacity on small islands would probably result in considerable loss of genetic variation over time. Saddleback populations on small islands may require occasional immigrants to maintain long-term genetic variation.
Saddleback and robin populations established with a small number of founders did not have an increased risk of failure, suggesting that inbreeding was not substantial enough to prevent populations from growing and recovering. However, modelling showed that translocated saddleback and robin populations grow exponentially even when egg failure rates (a measure of inbreeding depression) are extremely high. Although inbreeding depression may be considerable, populations may be judged healthy simply because they show strong growth rates. Discounting the problem of inbreeding depression may be premature especially under novel circumstances such as environmental change or disease.
Finally, two mechanisms proposed to avoid or delay the costs of inbreeding depression and loss of genetic variation do not appear to be important in saddlebacks or robins. Heterozygosity was not related to survivorship in saddlebacks that successfully founded new populations, and neither saddlebacks nor robins chose genetically dissimilar mates to avoid inbreeding.
In conclusion, most saddleback populations should not require genetic management, although populations on small islands will probably need occasional immigrants. In robins, large, unfragmented populations should be protected where possible.
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Michel, Pascale, and n/a. "Habitat selection in translocated bird populations : the case study of Stewart Island robin and South Island saddleback in New Zealand." University of Otago. Department of Zoology, 2006. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070118.143501.
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The choice of a place to live and reproduce is crucial for species� survival in providing them with adequate resources and shelter from predators or climatic conditions. Determining habitat suitability in endangered species is important for the success of translocation as a conservation tool. In addition, understanding mechanisms (source/sink system versus ecological traps) that drive habitat selection in translocated animals may be critical to population viability. In New Zealand, where ecosystems are highly vulnerable to extinction, habitat restoration on predator-free off-shore islands is an important recovery tool. Therefore, there is a need to understand the relationship between the establishment of the translocated populations and the characteristics of their new environment.
Previous research indicated that re-introduced populations of Stewart Island robin (Petroica australis rakiura - Toutouwai) and South Island saddleback (Philesternus carunculatus carunculatus - Tieke) on Ulva Island (Stewart Island), New Zealand, showed preferences for coastal habitats that were characterized by low-lying dense vegetation and open ground cover. In this study, we further investigated territorial establishment in these two populations since re-introduction and looked at how birds utilised the landscape. I hypothesised that sites colonised soon after re-introduction were of high quality and later on, birds moved into unsuitable habitats. I defined habitat quality at a micro-scale in terms of vegetation structure, nest characteristics and food availability. I modeled bird presence and nesting success in relation to habitat components to determine factors in the environment that influenced breeding site selection and contributed to successful nesting in these two species. I discussed results in comparison to similar bird-habitat models developed for the South Island saddleback population on Motuara Island (Marlborough Sounds) and examined explanatory variables in each model.
Translocated birds in the three studied populations first established territories in coastal scrub, and in the following years moved into larger coastal forest stands. Although vegetation structure was the primary variable explaining site selection in these populations, vegetation composition should still be considered important as it dictated the suitability of nesting substrate and the availability of food items. There was no evidence that first-colonised areas were more suitable habitats, and I concluded that these cases could not be used as examples of ecological traps. Instead, results suggested that with increased density robins and saddlebacks on Ulva have more recently settled in sites less suitable to nesting and foraging, thus underlying a source/sink structure. However, the sparse distribution of food items on Motuara contributed to a lack of territorial behavior and environmental effect on breeding success; therefore a source/sink system could not be confirmed in this population. I recommended that future translocation sites give preference to mixed-size stands with broadleaved species that are characterised by dense canopy below 4 m height and with suitable cavities in live trees. Lastly, due to robins� and saddlebacks� attraction to conspecifics and their territorial behavior, resources evenly distributed across the landscape could also increase their survival and reproductive success.
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Thomas, Elizabeth Ann. "Appropriation, subversion and separatism : the strategies of three New Zealand women novelists : Jane Mander, Robin Hyde and Sylvia Ashton-Warner." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Humanities, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2022.
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In this thesis I propose to examine the relationship between three New Zealand woman novelists, Jane Mander, Robin Hyde and Sylvia Ashton-Warner, and the literary and social structures which prevailed in New Zealand at the time when each writer produced her works. My analysis is based on the contemporary feminist literary theory and criticism which highlights the importance of studying women writers' interaction with the cultural system and the literary differences which arise from the difference in gender. I begin with an outline of the feminist literary theories which have shaped my approach. Then I deal with each of my subjects in succession. In respect of each, I outline the social circumstances, in particular the prevailing ideologies pertaining to women's roles. This is followed by discussion of the literary circumstances, once again with special attention to the position of women writers. The analysis of the texts which
follows focusses on three main areas, namely the response of each to the patriarchal dominance of society, to the constructs of female identity imposed by society and to the norms of the dominant literary tradition. The conclusions I reach are that these writers adopt three main strategies in their texts in reaction to the social and literary contexts, namely appropriation, subversion and separatism.
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Casertano, Renata. "Perceiving the vertigo : the fall of the heroine in four New Zealand writers." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/1695.
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In this study I analyse the role of the heroine in the work of four New Zealand writers, Katherine Mansfield, Robin Hyde, Janet Frame and Keri Hulme, starting from the assumption that such a role is influenced by the notion of the fall and by the perception of the vertigo entailed in it. In order to prove this I turn to the texts of four New Zealand writers dedicating one chapter to each. In the first chapter a few of Katherine Mansfield's short stories are analysed from the vantage point of the fall, investigated both in the construction of the character's subjectivity and in the construction of the narration. In the second chapter a link is established between Katherine Mansfield and Robin Hyde. A particular emphasis is put on the notion of subjectivity in relationship developed by the two writers, highlighting the link between this kind of subjectivity and the notion of the fall. In the third chapter the focus is subsequently shifted to Robin Hyde's work, in particular one of her novels, Wednesday's Children, which is read in the context of Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of the carnivalistic. In the fourth chapter the notion of the fall is analysed in the fiction of Janet Frame, which is related to the treatment of the notion of the fall present in Keri Hulme's The Bone People. The fifth chapter is dedicated to the analysis of The Bone People as in the novel the notion of the fall and the vertigo perception find their fullest expression, whilst in the sixth chapter a significant parallel is drawn between Janet Frame's Scented Gardens for the Blind and Keri Hulme's The Bone People and links are established with their predecessors. Finally in the seventh chapter the critical perspective is broadened to comprise those common elements in the writing of Katherine Mansfield, Robin Hyde, Janet Frame and Keri Hulme that have been neglected by focusing uniquely on the notion of the fall, and thus to contribute to a more complete overall picture of the comparison presented in this study.
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Laws, Rebecca, and n/a. "The causes of nest failure and effects of inbreeding depression in a historically small population of New Zealand Stewart Island robins." University of Otago. Department of Zoology, 2009. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20090813.114240.
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Inbreeding depression is one of the factors that can increase the risk of extinction of small populations, and therefore understanding its effects is currently an important issue in conservation biology. Until recently, few studies on inbreeding depression were carried out in wild populations. These recent studies have highlighted the variability in detecting inbreeding depression among natural populations and the multitude of factors that can influence its expression. Many of the factors affecting inbreeding depression in wild populations remain largely unexplored and most of the recent studies in this area have tended to focus on incidents of inbreeding in populations with a history of large population size.
The aim of this study is to investigate the relative importance inbreeding depression has had on individual fitness parameters in a population of New Zealand's Stewart Island robins Petroica australis rakiura introduced to Ulva Island. This island population has historically gone through several population bottlenecks. Four main factors that potentially influence the rate of inbreeding and the extent of inbreeding depression, were investigated: environmental variability, life history stage, genetic load and dispersal. Generalized Linear Mixed Modelling was first used to determine how weather affected nest survival. Weather effects were then incorporated into models containing demographic factors to control for environmental variability, and finally parental, maternal and paternal inbreeding co-efficients (=f) were added to models to determine the relative importance of inbreeding depression. Interactions between inbreeding depression and environmental factors were explored. Three different life history stages were compared to determine the differences in inbreeding depression at each stage as well as cumulative effects over time. The genetic load of the population was estimated using lethal equivalents allowing for standardised comparison of inbreeding depression with other species. The likelihood of inbreeding in the population was also explored by investigating the factors affecting dispersal patterns and evaluating evidence for inbreeding avoidance.
Inbreeding depression was found to be mild in the robin population. Weather did not have strong effects on nest survival or interactions with inbreeding. Female age was the only factor interacting with inbreeding, with younger inbred females experiencing significantly reduced offspring juvenile survival. Parental and paternal f did not significantly affect brood survival at any life history stage, however, maternal f showed significant effects on nest juvenile survival with the strongest effect occurring when survival was examined cumulatively over all life history stages. The Stewart Island robin had a relatively low lethal equivalent value compared to the closely related North Island robin and other avian species. This difference was associated with the Stewart Island robin having a low genetic load, most likely due to historical genetic purging during periods of population bottleneck. The Ulva Island robin population did not appear to be avoiding inbreeding through dispersal. Dispersal distance was most strongly influenced by the location of the natal nest of the dispersing offspring.
In conclusion, the genetic history of the population was likely to have had the strongest impact on the severity of inbreeding depression in the Ulva Island robin population. The results of the thesis highlight the need to examine a number of factors to be able to explain variability in inbreeding depression among populations.
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Maloney, Richard F. "Enemy recognition and response in New Zealand robins." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Zoology, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/6968.
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The ability of robins, Petroica australis, to recognise and learn about a mammalian predator (stoat, Mustela erminea) was studied during the 1989 and 1990 robin breeding seasons, on Motuara Island (no stoats present) and at Kowhai Bush, Kaikoura (stoats present).
I quantified the natural nest-defence responses of robins towards the stoat and a non-threatening control (a box) in both study areas. In the mainland population, all behaviours measured were given at greater rates by robins faced with the stoat compared to the box. In contrast, island robins responded about equally to the stoat and box, and at a level that was similar to the responses of mainland robins towards the box. These results suggest that mainland robins have learned to recognise and respond to stoats as enemies, and that the low nest-defence responses of the inexperienced robins may be typical of the responses of New Zealand endemic birds prior to the arrival of mammalian predators.
I trained robins on Motuara Island to respond to a stoat as an enemy using an artificial training technique, and tested their response one day later. All robins trained using conspecific training regimes gave nest-defence responses to the stoat at a level significantly higher than robins either not trained, or trained using an interspecific regime. Training using robin mounts and alarm calls, or just robin alarm calls resulted in the highest learned response, whereas training using distress calls resulted in an intermediate learned response. These results indicate that artificial training of birds in field situations may be an effective way to improve enemy recognition ability and enhance nest-defence responses.
I attempted to test the ability of robins to transfer nest-defence behaviours between generations by cultural transmission, but survival of robins was very low between seasons and insufficient data were collected to answer this question.
The intensity of response of robins towards the stoat at each nest was compared with six context-related variables. Of 63 comparisons only two were significantly correlated, suggesting that the intensity of robin nest-defence responses were not dependent on these context-variables.
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Whitwell, Sarah Margaret. "The impact of isolation from mammalian predators on the anti-predator behaviours of the North Island robin (Petroica longipes) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1142.
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Conservation in New Zealand has begun to focus heavily on the restoration of degraded mainland ecosystems and the reintroduction of native species that have become locally extinct. In many cases the individuals that are selected for reintroduction are harvested from ‘mammal-free’ offshore islands. This thesis examines the effects of isolation from mammalian predators on the predator avoidance behaviours and predator recognition abilities of New Zealand birds using the North Island robin as a model. It also investigates whether any effects of isolation from mammalian predators has a lasting impact on mainland populations founded by individuals from offshore islands. Nest site selection behaviours were compared across three populations that are exposed to different suites of predators and have differing translocation histories; Benneydale, Tiritiri Matangi and Wenderholm. Point height intercept and point-centred quarter surveys were used to compare habitat availability between the sites and to compare nest sites with the available habitat. Eight nest characteristic variables were also compared across the three sites using a principle component analysis. Benneydale nests were located higher in the trees and were more concealed than nests at the other two sites. Nests on Tiritiri Matangi were supported by large numbers of thin branches and were located toward the periphery of the nest tree. Unfortunately these differences are very difficult to interpret due to a high degree of variation in the habitat types present at the three sites. The anti-predator behaviours initiated in response to a model stoat, model morepork and control were used to test the ability of nesting robins to recognise the threat that each of these treatments might pose to nest success. Behavioural variables were compared between Benneydale, Tiritiri Matangi and Wenderholm using a response intensity scoring system and a principle component analysis. The results indicated that isolation from mammalian predators on Tiritiri Matangi has suppressed the ability of robins on the island to recognise the predatory threat posed by a stoat. They also suggest that the intense mammal control carried out at Wenderholm may have inhibited the ability of local robins to produce strong anti-predator responses when faced with a stoat.
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Richard, Yvan. "Demography and distribution of the North Island robin (Petroica longipes) in a fragmented agricultural landscape of New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in Ecology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1596.
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Habitat loss and fragmentation are recognised worldwide as contributing to declines and extinctions of species. However, the biological factors underlying the effects of fragmentation are still often poorly understood, possibly due to the diversity of scales and approaches taken by researchers. I propose in this thesis an integrative approach that can be applied to any taxa and landscape, using a metapopulation of North Island robins (Petroica longipes) inhabiting forest patches of a fragmented agricultural landscape of New Zealand. In particular, I attempt to integrate the effects of habitat fragmentation on both habitat quality and the dispersal-driven broad scale dynamics of populations. I first analysed the distribution of robins based on presence-absence data, relating presence-absence to local habitat factors as well as size and isolation of forest patches (Chapter 2). Their distribution was found to be primarily limited by the isolation of forest patches, but was also related to some habitat factors. However, habitat fragmentation was not found to affect habitat quality, as the factors found to affect survival and productivity were unrelated to size and isolation, independent from the size or isolation of forest patches (Chapter 3). Based on the radio-tracking of juvenile robins, I applied a choice analysis technique to show that robins need woody vegetation for their natal dispersal and that they are unlikely to cross stretches of pasture greater than 150 m (Chapter 4). Juveniles dispersed a median Euclidean distance of 1129 m with a maximum of 11 km, whereas I predicted from the data that they would have dispersed a median distance of 3 km in continuous forest with a maximum of 20 km (Chapter 5). The consequences of this dispersal limitation and of variations in habitat quality were assessed using a spatially-explicit individual-based metapopulation model that incorporated realistic gap-limited dispersal behaviour of juvenile robins (Chapter 6). Whereas the movement of individuals between patches is commonly assumed to improve the persistence of populations, I found that a weaker gap-crossing ability, and therefore reduced landscape connectivity, increased the metapopulation size at equilibrium. This study highlights the complex effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on the distribution of species, but also the limits of excessive model simplification.
Books on the topic "New Zealand robin"
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Hyde, Robin. Your unselfish kindness: Robin Hyde's autobiographical writings. Dunedin, N.Z: Otago University Press, 2011.
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Challis, Derek. The book of Iris: A life of Robin Hyde. Auckland, N.Z: Auckland University Press, 2002.
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The Koroua and the mauri stone: Text and illustrations Robyn Kahukiwa. Auckland, N.Z: Puffin Books, 1994.
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Elleray, Michelle. Robin Hyde. Oxford University Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199609932.003.0024.
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This chapter explores the novels of Iris Guiver Wilkinson, who wrote as Robin Hyde. Three of her novels— Check to Your King (1936), Passport to Hell (1936), and Nor the Years Condemn (1938)—counter claims of historical absence or irrelevance by fictionalizing historical people involved in key moments in New Zealand's history, specifically the mid-nineteenth century efforts to establish New Zealand as a colony, the First World War, and the Great Depression. Meanwhile, with Wednesday's Children (1937), Hyde turns to history's antithesis, fantasy, as an alternative route to investigating New Zealand's settler culture. Hyde's five novels exhibit a recurring set of concerns: the articulation of New Zealand as a settler nation and its relationship to the international; the lives of those marginalized by respectable middle-class society; the role of social institutions in the maintenance of middle-class hegemony; and the asymmetry of opportunity, mobility, and sexual freedom for women.
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Jock Phillips and Philip Harper and Susan Harper. Brothers in Arms: Gordon And Robin Harper in the Great War. NZHistoryJock, 2015.
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