page_title: Tasmanian nativehen
section_title: Behaviour and social organisation
hierarchical_section_title: Tasmanian nativehen / Behaviour and social organisation
caption_attribution_description: English: Flock of Tasmanian Native-hens (Gallinula mortierii) running, Bruny Island, Tasmania
context_page_description: The Tasmanian native hen is a flightless rail and one of twelve species of birds endemic to the Australian island of Tasmania. Although many flightless birds have a history of extinction at the hands of humans, the Tasmanian native hen has actually benefited from the introduction of European-style agricultural practices in Tasmania.
context_section_description: The Tasmanian native hen's social organisation has been extensively studied. Tasmanian native hens live in groups of between two and five, plus the young birds from the previous breeding season, which tend to stay with the group and contribute to the care of the young until they move off to establish their own territories after approximately one year. The sedentary nature of the species means that groups hold sharply defined territories of up to 5 acres (2.0 ha), and repel transgression into their territory vigorously with calls and displays. Fights can also occur, where birds will jump, peck and kick at each other violently, sometimes drawing blood and pulling feathers.
  The breeding structure may be monogamous or polygamous, usually polyandrous. Each group contains a single breeding female who will mate with all the males of the group. The unusual social structure based on groups who stay together is not known to occur in many other species; the high ratio of male chicks to female chicks hatched is thought to be a possible explanation for this.
  The Tasmanian native hen has 14 separate calls, ranging from low grunts to high pitched alarm calls as well as a see-sawing duet performed in unison, rising to a crescendo of harsh screeching notes, It also calls at night.
  Although flightless, this bird is capable of running quickly and has been recorded running at speeds up to 48 kilometres per hour (30 mph). It uses its wings when running fast to help it to balance.
caption: Flock on the run, Bruny Island
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