Subfossil avian deposits from Poukawa, Hawkes Bay, and the first record of Oxyura australis (Blue-billed Duck) from New Zealand

Abstract

An assemblage of subfossil avian remains deposited over a period of 7, 000 years at Poukawa, Hawkes Bay, is examined. The abundance of many of the larger bird taxa (Apteryx, Cygnus, Notomis, Circus, Strigops) appears to have declined over the whole period, and they were all rare by 1,000 years ago. The considerable changes in bird community composition at Poukawa during the last 1,000 years, including the extinction of many species, probably resulted from forest modification caused by fires lit by Polynesian man. Differences in the occurrence of various skeletal elements of the birds are apparent, and possible reasons for this are discussed. The first New Zealand record of Oxyura australis Gould, 1836 (Bluebilled Duck) is reported. © 1983 Journal of the Royal Society if New Zealand.