Pitcairn Reed Warbler
Encyclopedia
The Pitcairn Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus vaughani) is a songbird
in the genus Acrocephalus
. Formerly placed in the "Old World warbler
" assemblage (Sylviidae), it is now in the newly recognized marsh-warbler family
Acrocephalidae
.
It is endemic
to Pitcairn Island in the southern Pacific. Locally known as the "Sparrow" (true sparrow
s are not found on Pitcairn), it used to be common throughout the island, where it is the only land bird. It was formerly classified as a Vulnerable species
by the IUCN due to its small range. But new research has shown it to be rarer than it was believed. Consequently, it is uplisted to Endangered status in 2008.
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
in the genus Acrocephalus
Acrocephalus
The Acrocephalus warblers are small, insectivorous passerine birds belonging to the genus Acrocephalus. Formerly in the paraphyletic Old World warbler assemblage, they are now separated as the namesake of the marsh- and tree-warbler family Acrocephalidae...
. Formerly placed in the "Old World warbler
Old World warbler
The "Old World Warblers" is the name used to describe a large group of birds formerly grouped together in the bird family Sylviidae. The family held over 400 species in over 70 genera, and were the source of much taxonomic confusion. Two families were split out initially, the cisticolas into...
" assemblage (Sylviidae), it is now in the newly recognized marsh-warbler family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Acrocephalidae
Acrocephalidae
Acrocephalidae is a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily Sylvioidea....
.
It is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Pitcairn Island in the southern Pacific. Locally known as the "Sparrow" (true sparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s are not found on Pitcairn), it used to be common throughout the island, where it is the only land bird. It was formerly classified as a Vulnerable species
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
by the IUCN due to its small range. But new research has shown it to be rarer than it was believed. Consequently, it is uplisted to Endangered status in 2008.