# Adzebill
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{{Short description|Extinct genus of birds}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Adzebills
| fossil_range = [Miocene](/source/Miocene)–[Holocene](/source/Holocene) {{fossilrange|19|0.005}}
| image = Aptornis.jpg
| image_caption = Skeleton of ''A. otidiformis''; [Canterbury Museum](/source/Canterbury_Museum%2C_Christchurch)
| parent_authority = [Mantell](/source/Gideon_Mantell), 1848
| taxon = Aptornis
| status = EX
| status_system = NZTCS
| status_ref = [{{cite web |title=''Aptornis defossor''. NZTCS |url=https://nztcs.org.nz/assessments/119018 |website=nztcs.org.nz |access-date=1 April 2023}}](''A. defossor'')
| status2 = EX
| status2_system = NZTCS
| status2_ref = [{{cite web |title=''Aptornis otidiformis ''. NZTCS |url=https://nztcs.org.nz/assessments/119019 |website=nztcs.org.nz |access-date=1 April 2023}}](''A. otidiformis'')
| authority = [Owen](/source/Richard_Owen), 1844
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
* †''Aptornis otidiformis''
({{Taxobox_authority | author = Owen | date = 1844}})
* †''Aptornis defossor''
{{Taxobox_authority | author = Owen | date = 1871}}
* ?†''Aptornis proasciarostratus''
{{Taxobox_authority | author = Worthy | date = 2011}}
| synonyms =
* ''Dinornis otidiformis'' Owen, 1844 ([basionym](/source/basionym))
* ''Apterornis'' (''[lapsus calami](/source/lapsus_calami)'')
}}
The '''adzebills''' are two [species](/source/species) of [gruiform birds](/source/Gruiformes) belonging to the [genus](/source/genus) '''''Aptornis''''', the [sole member](/source/Monotypic_taxon) of the [extinct](/source/extinct) [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) '''Aptornithidae''', which were [endemic](/source/endemism) to [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). The species were divided between the [North](/source/North_Island) and [South island](/source/South_island)s of the country, with '''''Aptornis otidiformis''''' being the '''North Island adzebill''', and '''''Aptornis defossor''''' being the '''South Island adzebill'''. Additional material from the [Saint Bathans fauna](/source/Saint_Bathans_fauna) may represent a third species.
==Taxonomy==
Adzebills were first [scientifically described](/source/scientifically_described) by biologist [Richard Owen](/source/Richard_Owen) in 1844, who mistook them for a small species of [moa](/source/moa);[{{cite magazine |last=Dickinson |first=Mike |date=2019 |title=The Mystery of the Adzebill |url=https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-mystery-of-the-adzebill/ |magazine=New Zealand Geographic |location=Auckland |publisher=Kowhai Media |issue=157 |access-date=28 October 2023}}] the [type species](/source/type_species) was initially named ''[Dinornis](/source/Dinornis) otidiformis'' with the specific epithet referring to its comparable size with the [great bustard](/source/great_bustard) (''Otis tarda''; ''otis'' + ''formis'').[{{cite journal |last1=Owen |first1=Richard |title=On Dinornis (Part X) an extinct genus of tridactyle Struthious Birds, with descriptions of portions of Skeleton of five Species which formerly existed in New Zealand |journal=Transactions of the Zoological Society of London |date=1849 |volume=3 |page=247 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46218#page/293/mode/1up |access-date=28 October 2023 |publisher=Published for the Zoological Society of London by Academic Press}}] Later on, the specimens' distinction were recognised, and so the genus ''Aptornis'' was erected to accommodate them;[{{cite journal |last1=Mantell |first1=Gideon Algernon |title=On the Fossil Remains of Birds collected in various parts of New Zealand by Mr. Walter Mantell, of Wellington |date=February 1848 |journal=Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society |volume=4 |pages=225–238 |url=https://ia800500.us.archive.org/3/items/b22350664/b22350664.pdf |doi=10.1144/GSL.JGS.1848.004.01-02.3 |doi-broken-date=4 July 2025 |access-date=4 July 2025}}] ''Aptornis'' is noted to be a [syncope](/source/Syncope_(phonology)) of ''Apterygiornis'', an apparent allusion to the genus ''[Apteryx](/source/Apteryx)''.[{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Richard |title=On the Genus Dinornis; in Memoirs on the extinct wingless birds of New Zealand : with an appendix on those of England, Australia, Newfoundland, Mauritius, and Rodriguez — Volume 1|date=1879 |volume=v.1 [Text] |publisher=J. Van Voorst |location=London |page=347 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/289353#page/209/mode/1up |access-date=4 July 2025}}] The alternate spelling ''Apterornis'' was coined a week earlier, though it was considered a likely [typographical error](/source/typographical_error) and was not coined by nor ever used by Owen;[{{cite journal |last1=Weber |first1=Erich |last2=Krell |first2=Frank-Thorsten |title=Case 2879. Aptornis Owen, [1848] (Aves):proposed conservation as the correct original spelling |journal=The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature |date=1995 |volume=52 |pages=170–174 |doi=10.5962/bhl.part.6759 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12338095#page/192/mode/1up |access-date=4 July 2025|doi-access=free }}][{{cite journal |last1=Gill |first1=Brian James |last2=Bock |first2=Walter Joseph |title=On the proposed conservation of Aptornis Owen,[1848] (Aves) |journal=The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature |date=1995 |volume=52 |pages=346–347 |doi=10.5962/bhl.part.6821 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12338279#page/376/mode/1up |access-date=4 July 2025|doi-access=free }}] a 1997 [ICZN](/source/ICZN) ruling rendered it invalid and [conserved](/source/Conserved_name) ''Aptornis'', rendering it the [valid name](/source/Valid_name_(zoology)) for this [taxon](/source/taxon).[ICZN 1997: Opinion 1874. ''Aptornis'' Owen, 1848 (Aves): conserved as the correct original spelling. ''Bulletin of zoological nomenclature''; ISSN 0007-5167, 54(2): 142–143. [http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12446382 BHL] [http://biostor.org/reference/5459 BioStor]]
The [common name](/source/common_name) refers to the [adze](/source/adze), which is a [woodworking](/source/woodworking) tool with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle.{{Who|date=July 2025}}
==Interrelationships==
The placement of adzebills within Aves has long been contentious, with historical proposals to ally them with the [Galloanserae](/source/Galloanserae),[{{cite journal | author = Weber Erich, Hesse Angelika | year = 1995 | title = The systematic position of ''Aptornis'', a flightless bird from New Zealand | journal = Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg | volume = 181 | pages = 292–301 }}] or the [kagu](/source/kagu) of [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia) ([Rhynochetidae](/source/Rhynochetidae)),[Cracraft, J.L. (1982) Phylogenetic relationships and transantarctic biogeography of some gruiform birds. Geobios 6: 393–402.] Its [morphological](/source/Morphology_(biology)) resemblance to the kagu was considered to possibly be a result of [convergent evolution](/source/convergent_evolution), although New Zealand's proximity to [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia) (both being part of the same region of [continental crust](/source/continental_crust) known as [Zealandia](/source/Zealandia), which had prehistorically been [above sea level](/source/above_sea_level)) has led some researchers to suggest the two shared a [common ancestor](/source/common_ancestor) which lived in prehistoric [Gondwana](/source/Gondwana); another Gondwanan bird, the [sunbittern](/source/sunbittern) of [South America](/source/South_America), is the closest living relative of the kagu.[{{cite journal | last1 = Prum | first1 = R.O. | display-authors = et al | year = 2015 | title = A comprehensive phylogeny of birds (Aves) using targeted next-generation DNA sequencing | journal = Nature | volume = 526 | issue = 7574 | pages = 569–573 | bibcode = 2015Natur.526..569P | doi = 10.1038/nature15697 | pmid = 26444237 | s2cid = 205246158 }}][H Kuhl, C Frankl-Vilches, A Bakker, G Mayr, G Nikolaus, S T Boerno, S Klages, B Timmermann, M Gahr (2020) [https://academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-article/doi/10.1093/molbev/msaa191/5891114 An unbiased molecular approach using 3’UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life]. ''Molecular Biology and Evolution''. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa191]
A 2011 [genetic study](/source/genetic_study) recovered ''A. defossor'' as a [gruiform](/source/Gruiformes), a lineage of birds which includes the [crane](/source/crane_(bird))s, [coot](/source/coot)s, and [moorhen](/source/moorhen)s. At the time, there were no available [DNA sequence](/source/DNA_sequence)s for ''A. otidiformis'', but it was assumed the two species were more closely related to each other than to other birds.{{Clarify|reason=Based on? Morphology?|date=July 2025}}[{{Cite journal | last1 = Lanfear | first1 = R. | last2 = Bromham | first2 = L. | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.07.018 | title = Estimating phylogenies for species assemblages: A complete phylogeny for the past and present native birds of New Zealand | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 61 | issue = 3 | pages = 958–963 | year = 2011 | pmid = 21835254 | bibcode = 2011MolPE..61..958L }}]
In 2019 two studies came forth with more in-depth [phylogenetic](/source/phylogenetic) methods. The first from Boast ''[et al.](/source/et_al.)'' (2019) using data from near-complete [mitochondrial genome](/source/mitochondrial_genome) sequences found adzebills to be closely related to the family [Sarothruridae](/source/Sarothruridae), gruiform birds known as flufftails.[{{Cite journal|author1=Alexander P. Boast |author2=Brendan Chapman |author3=Michael B. Herrera |author4=Trevor H. Worthy |author5=R. Paul Scofield |author6=Alan J. D. Tennyson |author7=Peter Houde |author8=Michael Bunce |author9=Alan Cooper |author10=Kieren J. Mitchell |year=2019 |title=Mitochondrial genomes from New Zealand's extinct adzebills (Aves: Aptornithidae: ''Aptornis'') support a sister-taxon relationship with the Afro-Madagascan Sarothruridae |journal=Diversity |volume=11 |issue=2 |article-number=24 |doi=10.3390/d11020024 |bibcode=2019Diver..11...24B |doi-access=free |hdl=2440/119533 |hdl-access=free }}] Another study by Musser and [Cracraft](/source/Joel_Cracraft) (2019) was published shortly afterwards, using both morphological and molecular data, found support for adzebills to be closely related to trumpeters of the family [Psophiidae](/source/Psophiidae) instead; these authors took account of Boast ''et al.'' (2019) dataset and found that the Aptornithidae-Sarothruridae [clade](/source/clade) needed 18 more steps compared to Aptornithidae-Psophiidae; the latter classification is thus considered more likely ([maximum parsimony](/source/maximum_parsimony)).[{{Cite journal|author1=Grace M. Musser |author2=Joel Cracraft |year=2019 |title=A new morphological dataset reveals a novel relationship for the adzebills of New Zealand (''Aptornis'') and provides a foundation for total evidence neoavian phylogenetics |journal=American Museum Novitates |issue=3927 |pages=1–70 |doi=10.1206/3927.1 |hdl=2246/6937 |s2cid=155704891 |url=http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/2246/6937/1/N3927.pdf }}]
A 2025 paper recovered ''[Nesotrochis](/source/Nesotrochis)'' (within the monotypic family Nesotrochidae) to be the [sister taxon](/source/sister_taxon) of the adzebill family. Below is the result of their phylogenetic analysis, using the [BEAST program](/source/BEAST_program) to analyze 9,615 [base pair](/source/base_pair)s of mitochondrial DNA:[{{cite journal |author1=Martin Stervander|author2=Guangji Chen (陈光霁)|author3=Shaohong Feng (冯少鸿)|author4=Gerald Mayr|title=Nesotrochidae, fam. nov. ‒ a new name for the New World cave rails Nesotrochis spp., sister taxon of the New Zealand adzebills (Aptornithidae) |journal=Avian Systematics |date=3 July 2025 |volume=2 |issue=8 |pages=85–98 |issn=2051-4441 |url=https://www.avespress.com/uploads/downloads/212/file/AS_2_8_PDFA.pdf |access-date=4 July 2025}}]
{{clade
|label1=[Gruiformes](/source/Gruiformes)
|1={{clade
|label1=[Gruoidea](/source/Gruoidea)
|1={{clade
|label1=[Psophiidae](/source/Psophiidae)
|1={{clade
|1=''[Psophia crepitans](/source/Psophia_crepitans)''}}
|2={{clade
|label1=[Aramidae](/source/Aramidae)
|1=''[Aramus guarauna](/source/Aramus_guarauna)''
|2=[Gruidae](/source/Gruidae) (cranes)}} }}
|label2=[Ralloidea](/source/Ralloidea)
|2={{clade
|1=[Rallidae](/source/Rallidae) (incl. [Rallinae](/source/Rallinae) & [Himantornithinae](/source/Himantornithinae))
|label2=[Heliornithes](/source/Heliornithes)
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=[Heliornithidae](/source/Heliornithidae)
|1=''[Heliornis fulica](/source/Heliornis_fulica)''}}
|2={{clade
|label1=[Sarothruridae](/source/Sarothruridae)
|1={{clade
|1=''[Mentocrex kioloides](/source/Mentocrex_kioloides)''
|2={{clade
|1=''[Sarothrura rufa](/source/Sarothrura_rufa)''
|2={{clade
|1=''[Rallicula forbesi](/source/Rallicula_forbesi)''
|2=''[Sarothrura ayresi](/source/Sarothrura_ayresi)'' }} }} }}
|2={{clade
|label1=[Nesotrochidae](/source/Nesotrochidae)
|1=''[Nesotrochis steganinos](/source/Nesotrochis_steganinos)''
|label2='''Aptornithidae'''
|2={{clade
|1='''''Aptornis defossor'''''
|2='''''Aptornis otidiformis''''' }} }} }}
}} }} }} }}
==Description==
{{Expand section|diagnostic traits of both species|date=July 2025}}
[[file:Aptornis defossor (AM LB544) 601651 (cropped).jpg|thumb|150px|left|''Aptornis defossor''; [Auckland Museum](/source/Auckland_Museum)]]
The adzebills were about {{convert|80|cm}} in length with a weight of {{convert|18|kg}}, making them about the size of small [moa](/source/moa) (with which they were initially confused on their discovery) with enormous downward-curving and pointed bill, and strong legs.[{{Cite web | url=http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/south-island-adzebill | title=South Island adzebill | New Zealand Birds Online}}] They were [flightless](/source/flightless_bird), possessing extremely reduced [wing](/source/wing)s with a uniquely reduced [carpometacarpus](/source/carpometacarpus); these wings were smaller proportionally than those of the [dodo](/source/dodo).[{{cite journal | author = Livezey Bradley C | year = 1994 | title = The carpometacarpus of ''Apterornis'' | url = http://www.notornis.org.nz/free_issues/Notornis_41-1994/Notornis_41_1_51.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071026223717/http://www.notornis.org.nz/free_issues/Notornis_41-1994/Notornis_41_1_51.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2007-10-26 | journal = Notornis | volume = 41 | issue = 1| pages = 51–60 | doi = 10.63172/204922eooeii }}]
The two known species varied mostly in size with the North Island adzebill being the smaller species.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} Unlike moa, which in some species [preserved soft tissue](/source/Moa), the life appearance of ''Aptornis'', such as [coloration](/source/Animal_coloration) or [feather types](/source/Plumage), is not directly known.
Fossils of a "very similar" species is known from the [Miocene](/source/Miocene)-epoch [Saint Bathans fauna](/source/Saint_Bathans_fauna), being given the name ?''Aptornis proasciarostratus''; due to the fragmentary condition of the specimens, the describers deemed it possible that this animal belongs to another genus within Aptornithidae, thus the provisional nature of its placement in ''Aptornis''.[{{cite journal | doi = 10.1007/s10336-011-0649-6 | title = Fossils reveal an early Miocene presence of the aberrant gruiform Aves: Aptornithidae in New Zealand | journal = Journal of Ornithology | volume = 152 | issue = 3 | pages = 669–680 | year = 2011 | last1 = Worthy | first1 = Trevor H. | last2 = Tennyson | first2 = Alan J. D. | last3 = Scofield | first3 = R. Paul | bibcode = 2011JOrni.152..669W | s2cid = 37555861 }}]
==Habitat and behaviour==
Their [fossil](/source/fossil)s have been found in the drier areas of New Zealand, and only in the lowlands. Richard Owen, who described the two species, speculated that it was an [omnivore](/source/omnivore), and analysis of its bones by [stable isotope analysis](/source/Isotope_analysis) supports this. Levels of enrichment in [13C](/source/Carbon-13) and [15N](/source/Nitrogen-15) for two specimens of ''Aptornis otidiformis'' were compared with values for a moa, [Finsch's duck](/source/Finsch's_duck) and [insectivore](/source/insectivore)s like the [owlet-nightjar](/source/owlet-nightjar)s suggested that the adzebill ate species higher in the food chain than insectivores.[Worthy, T. H., Richard N. Holdaway (2002):p. 212] They are thought to have fed on large [invertebrate](/source/invertebrate)s, [lizard](/source/lizard)s, [tuatara](/source/tuatara) and even small [bird](/source/bird)s.
==Extinction==
The adzebills were never as widespread as the moa but were subjected to the same [hunting](/source/hunting) pressure as these and other large birds by the settling [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people) (and predation of eggs/hatchlings by accompanying [Polynesian rat](/source/Polynesian_rat)s and [dogs](/source/Polynesian_Dog)). They became extinct before the arrival of [European](/source/European_ethnic_groups) explorers. The Māori name for ''A. defossor'' was "ngutu hahau".