The Huia, which became extinct in the early 20th century, was the largest species of New Zealand wattlebird. It belonged to a family found only in New Zealand, one so ancient that no relation is found elsewhere. Already rare before Europeans arrived in New Zealand, it was confined to some mountain ranges in the south east of the North Island. It had deep metallic, bluish-black plumage with a greenish iridescence on the upper surface, especially about the head. It was remarkable for having the most pronounced sexual dimorphism in bill shape of any species of bird in the world. The female's beak was long, thin and arched downward, while the male's was short and stout. The last confirmed sighting was in 1907. Its extinction had two main causes: overhunting to procure Huia skins for mounted specimens for museums and private collectors, and widespread deforestation by European settlers to create agricultural pasture. The Huia is one of New Zealand's best known extinct birds because of its bill shape, its sheer beauty and special place in Māori culture and oral tradition. Māori regarded the bird as tapu (sacred), and the wearing of its skin or feathers was reserved for people of high status.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huia
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1820:
Sponsored by the American Colonization Society, the first African American emigrants departed New York to establish a settlement in present-day Liberia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liberia
1833:
Otto became the first modern King of Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_of_Greece
1862:
Union forces earned one of their first important victories in the American Civil War at the Battle of Fort Henry in western Tennessee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Henry
1958:
British European Airways Flight 609, carrying the Manchester United football club, a number of their fans and journalists covering the team, crashed while attempting to take off from Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany, killing eight players and 15 others. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster
2000:
Second Chechen War: Russia captured Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, forcing the separatist Chechen government into exile. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grozny_(1999%E2%80%932000)
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
galactagogue: A substance that induces lactation. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/galactagogue
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow. Delay may give clearer light as to what is best to be done. --Aaron Burr https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Aaron_Burr