Hemiphaga

Hemiphaga
H. novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Tribe: Ptilinopodini
Genus: Hemiphaga
Bonaparte, 1854
Type species
Columba novaeseelandiae
Gmelin, 1789
Species

Hemiphaga is a genus of large pigeons from New Zealand and Norfolk Island. There are two species, one of which is divided into two subspecies.

Hemiphaga novaseelandiae consists of the kererū or New Zealand pigeon (H. n. novaseelandiae) of the main New Zealand archipelago, and the Norfolk pigeon (H. n. spadicea) of Norfolk Island (a territory of Australia), which became extinct in the early 20th century. The subspecies differed in their plumage colour and shape.

The other species is the Chatham Islands pigeon (Hemiphaga chathamensis) of the Chatham Islands, 650 km from the main New Zealand archipelago. Previously considered a subspecies (H. n. chathamensis) of the kererū, it was proposed in 2001 that it was distinct enough to be raised to full species status, and this has been accepted by most authorities.

Taxonomy

The genus Hemiphaga was introduced by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854 with Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae as the type species. The name combines the Ancient Greek hēmi meaning "half" with the end of the genus name Carpophaga, "fruit eating", introduced by Prideaux John Selby in 1835, as Bonaparte considered the genus to be related both to Carpophaga and to Megaloprepia.

Genus Hemiphaga – Bonaparte, 1854 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
New Zealand pigeon or kererū

 Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
(Gmelin, 1789)

Two subspecies
  • H. n. novaeseelandiae
  • N. h. spadicea
Northland to Stewart Island/Rakiura and offshore islands
Map of range		 Size:

Habitat:

Diet:		  LC 

Chatham pigeon or parea

 Hemiphaga chathamensis
(Rothschild, 1891)		 Chatham Islands in New Zealand Size:

Habitat:

Diet:		  VU 

References

  1. ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  2. ↑ James, R. E. (1995). "Breeding ecology of the New Zealand pigeon at Wenderholm Regional Park". p. 93. School of Environmental and Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland.
  3. ↑ Millener, P. R.; Powlesland, R. G. (2001). "The Chatham Island pigeon (Parea) deserves full species status; Hemiphaga chathamensis (Rothschild 1891); Aves: Columbidae". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 31: 365–383.
  4. ↑ "Updates & Corrections – December 2009 | Clements Checklist". www.birds.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "Species Updates – Version 1.5 (January 16, 2008)". www.worldbirdnames.org. 16 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  6. ↑ Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1854). "Coup d'oeil sur les pigeons (deuxième partie)". Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences (in French). 39: 1072–1078 [1076–1077].
  7. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 189. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. ↑ Gray, Jeannie; Fraser, Ian (2013). Australian Bird Names: A Complete Guide. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-643-10470-9. Retrieved 3 June 2026.