Callaeidae

Although sometimes known as wattled crows, they are not corvids and are only distantly related to crows – New Zealand wattlebirds is the informal name for this family used by the scientific community.

Biology and evolution

They are ground-dwelling songbirds, 26–38 cm in length. They inhabit dense forests, where they feed on insects. They have strong legs and featherless wattles behind the bill. Their wings are rounded and unusually weak, giving them very limited powers of flight. They are monogamous and maintain permanent territories.

These birds seem to be remnants of an early expansion of passerines to New Zealand. Their only close relative is the stitchbird.

The phylogenetic relationships between the species shown below is based on a study published in 2022. The South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) was not sampled.