About the Stephens Island Wren
Lyall's wren, the Stephens Island wren or the Stephens Island rockwren is an extinct species of small, flightless passerine bird belonging to the family Acanthisittidae, the New Zealand wrens. It was once found throughout New Zealand, but by the time of its discovery by scientists in 1894, it could only be found on Stephens Island in Cook Strait. Often claimed to be a species driven extinct by only a single individual animal, it was actually predated upon by the numerous feral cats found throughout the island. The wren was described almost simultaneously by both Walter Rothschild and Walter Buller. It became extinct shortly thereafter.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | New Zealand Wrens (Acanthisittidae) |
| Species | Traversia lyalli |
| Species Codes | stiwre1, SIRO, LYWR, SIWR |
| Conservation | extinct |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Stephens Island Wren belong to?
The Stephens Island Wren (Traversia lyalli) belongs to the New Zealand Wrens family (Acanthisittidae), in the order Passeriformes.
How can I identify the Stephens Island Wren?
Lyall's wren, the Stephens Island wren or the Stephens Island rockwren is an extinct species of small, flightless passerine bird belonging to the family Acanthisittidae, the New Zealand wrens. It was once found throughout New Zealand, but by the time of its discovery by scientists in 1894, it could ...
Where can I report a Stephens Island Wren sighting?
You can log sightings of Stephens Island Wren on eBird (ebird.org) using species code stiwre1, or on iNaturalist.