Pipipi | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Mohouidae |
Genus: | Mohoua |
Species: | M. novaeseelandiae |
Binomial name | |
Mohoua novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, 1789) |
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Synonyms | |
Finschia novaeseelandiae |
Finschia novaeseelandiae
The pipipi (Mohoua novaeseelandiae), also known as brown creeper or New Zealand creeper, is a small passerine bird endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. They are specialist insectivores, gleaning insects from branches and leaves. They have strong legs and toes for hanging upside down while feeding.
In the late 19th century when flocks of pipipis were still abundant, they would occasionally descend on slaughteryards in sheep stations when food was short to feed on the meat of butchered animals.