Norfolk Gerygone

The Norfolk gerygone (Gerygone modesta) is a species of bird in the Australian warbler family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Norfolk Island. This species was once lumped with the grey gerygone of New Zealand and the extinct Lord Howe gerygone as a single species. Genetic studies have shown that the grey and Norfolk gerygones are sister species, and they are still treated as a single species by some authorities.

The Norfolk gerygone is a small bird, measuring 9.5 to 12.3 cm (3.7–4.8 in) in length and weighing around 9 g (0.32 oz). It has an olive-brown head, grey face and a greyish throat turning whitish as it reaches the breast and underparts. Its eyes are red to red-brown, and the bill, which is larger than that of the related grey gerygone, is black. The sexes are alike, and young birds look much like adults with yellow wash on the face and underparts, a duller eye and a lighter bill.