South Island kōkako

The South Island kōkako (Callaeas cinereus) is a forest bird endemic to the South Island and Stewart Island of New Zealand. Unlike its close relative, the North Island kōkako (C. wilsoni), it has largely orange wattles, with only a small patch of blue at the base, and was also known as the orange-wattled crow (though it was not a corvid). The last accepted sighting in 2007 was the first considered genuine since 1967, although there have been several other unauthenticated reports - (and see note about search campaign below).

In 2012 the Department of Conservation revised its criteria for species extinction to be consistent with international standards, meaning that "there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died", and only after "exhaustive surveys" of its known range have failed. After this change, the possible sighting of the bird near Reefton in 2007 was accepted. That decision was not unanimous: the panel chair didn't believe it, and doesn't believe that the bird still exists despite his name being associated with its 'rediscovery'. A department report said that the species was most likely "functionally extinct", but "we are not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the last individual of these taxa have died".

Like the North Island kōkako, this was a slate-grey bird with long legs and a small black mask; Reischek considered its plumage slightly lighter than the North Island species. Its wattles were distinctly orange in colour with a dark blue base; young birds had much lighter wattles. It seems to have spent more time on the ground than the North Island species, but been a better flier. They have an average weight of 230g. Kōkako have distinctive organ- and flute-like duetting calls. Early explorer Charlie Douglas described the South Island kōkako call: "Their notes are very few, but the sweetest and most mellow toned I ever heard a bird produce." Based on extant records, South Island kōkako eggs were larger than their North Island counterparts.