The fernbird, or matata, is reputed to be a drab, secretive, weak-flying, raggedy-tailed and otherwise unremarkable little creature. More often heard than seen, it cries mournfully from invisible reaches of dismal swamps, according to legend. In reality, fernbirds are a lively and fascinating part of New Zealand's unique endemic birdlife. They're our only representatives of the old world warblers or Sylviidae, a group of small, invertebrate-eating songbirds that characteristically make loud calls.
展开▼
