Whitehead
Mohoua albicilla
- Family
- Whiteheads (Mohouidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The whitehead (Mohoua albicilla; Māori: pōpokotea) is a species of small (15 cm in length, 18.5/14.5 g.) passerine bird endemic to New Zealand. It is classified in the family Mohouidae. The male whitehead's upperparts, wings and tail are a pale brown in colour, while the head and underparts are white – in the case of the male an almost pure white in colour. Females and juveniles have similar colouration except that the nape and crown (top of the head) are shaded brown.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
North Island, and Little and Great Barrier, Arid, and Kapiti islands (New Zealand).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Whitehead (bird)
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.