Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
high |
| Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The population in 2005 was estimated to number just 1,000-2,499 mature individuals (A. Grant per R. Hitchmough in litt. 2005). This equated to 1,500-3,749 individuals in total, rounded to 1,500-4,000. In 2016, the total population was estimated at around 5,000 birds, with 2,000 of these in secure offshore island populations (Elliott 2013, O'Donnell in litt. 2016). Throughout their original range the species is restricted to small, isolated populations although some of these are thought to number more than 1,000 individuals (Tracy and Jamieson 2011). Robertson et al. (2021), assessing the species according to criteria elucidated in Townsend et al. (2008), placed its population in the band 5,000-20,000 mature individuals. This value is adopted here, with a best estimate of 5,000-10,000.
Trend justification: The species is thought to be declining rapidly at unmanaged sites, being also subject to fluctuations (Heather and Robertson 1997, R. Hitchmough in litt. 2005, C. O'Donnell in litt. 2016). During 1982-1993, out of 14 monitored populations, one became extinct, five seriously declined (three to the verge of extinction), one increased and seven did not change significantly. The species was also seriously affected by rat irruptions in 1999-2000, with two populations undergoing local extinction and three more having significant population crashes.
The species has since recovered primarily owing to successful translocations to predator-free sites. The species was thought to be stable in 2012 (Robertson et al. 2013), and in 2016 the population was thought to be increasing overall, warranting its downlist from Nationally Vulnerable to Recovering in the Conservation status of New Zealand birds, 2016 (Robertson et al. 2017). However, Robertson et al. (2021) now assess it as Declining nationally and suggest that gains in island populations are no longer offsetting declines elsewhere, with recent surveys showing greater declines on the mainland. 50% of the population occurs on the mainland and most populations are declining in the absence of effective stoat and rat control such that the species is now suspected to be declining at a rate of 10-30% within three generations (Robertson et al. 2021), precautionarily placed here in the range 20-29%.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellowhead Mohoua ochrocephala. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellowhead-mohoua-ochrocephala on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.
