 Rifleman (bird)

The rifleman, Acanthisitta chloris, is a small New Zealand forest bird in Acanthisittidae. It has short wings, a very short tail and a slender, slightly upturned bill. Males and females differ in plumage: males have green upperparts, while females are more brown and speckled, an example of sexual dimorphism.^[ref]

Its way of feeding is closely tied to the forest's surfaces. A rifleman searches tree trunks, bark and foliage for small invertebrates and usually moves between feeding sites by short flights. Watching whether a bird probes beneath bark, picks prey from a leaf or catches it in the air distinguishes different foraging actions rather than treating all insect eating as the same behavior.^[ref]

The species also illustrates cooperative breeding. Related young can help feed a later brood alongside the breeding pair. To describe this correctly, an observer must identify individuals and record who delivers food: counting visits to a nest alone cannot distinguish parental care from help supplied by other group members. Such observations connect the family group to the survival of young without assuming that every bird at a nest is a parent.^[ref]