Genus Bowdleria

 

Bowdleria punctata - The Fernbird is an insectivorous bird endemic to New Zealand. The Māori names are Kōtātā or Mātātā. It is a rich brown above and white below, with brown spots on both the throat and breast. Early settlers called it the "Swamp Sparrow" no doubt because of its colouration.

 

Chatham Island Fernbird - The Chatham Islands Fernbird is an extinct bird species endemic to Pitt Island and Mangere Island . Its next living relatives are the Snares Fernbird and the New Zealand Fernbird or Matata . Some scientists considered it as subspecies of the Matata and named it Bowdleria punctata rufescens or Megalurus punctatus rufescens but most others regarded it as full species. While most scientists classified it in its own genus Bowdleria other taxonomists synonymized it with the Australasian genus Megalurus. But this happened on the basis of an incomplete review of the evidence.

Order : Passeriformes
Family : Sylviidae
Genus : Bowdleria