Question 1: Describe Achieved

Practises Social behaviour & spatial behaviour

The stitchbird, or hihi (Notiomystis cincta), lives only in New Zealand, and now only on islands or on mainland sites it has been moved to, because of predators such as domestic cats. It breeds in an unusual way, nesting in pairs or in groups; the paper sets group nesting in bold. Hihi defend a territory in the mating season (also bold), which runs through spring and summer. Their dominance hierarchies are well known: older birds dominate younger ones, above all of their own sex, and males dominate females, except when there are chicks at the nest. From the start of the breeding season until egg laying ends, the males sing loudly, and at the nesting area they put on flight displays that show off their white and yellow colouring.

Describe hierarchy, predation and territory, the hihi’s group nesting, and an advantage and a disadvantage of the males’ courtship.

The 2022 paper, page 2 ↗ Marking schedule, page 1 ↗

Work it out

Try it on paper first. Stuck? Take one hint at a time.

1 What is a hierarchy?
A ranking by dominance, in which the animals at the top get first choice of resources such as food and mates. In hihi, older birds rank above younger ones, and males above females except at a nest with chicks.
2 What is predation?
A relationship between two species in which the predator catches, kills and eats the prey: cats eating hihi.
3 What is a territory, and what is group nesting?
A territory is an area an animal defends, where it can raise its young safely. Group nesting is more than one pair of adults sharing a nest and its chicks.
4 What does singing or a flight display do for a male, and what does the female do with it?
It shows off the male to females, who choose which male to mate with: female choice. A male with a strong display is more likely to be chosen.
5 What is the downside of courtship?
It costs the male time and energy, and loud song and bright displays can attract predators.

Answer A hierarchy is a ranking by dominance, in which top-ranked animals get first choice of food and mates; in hihi older birds rank above younger, and males above females except at a nest with chicks. Predation is a relationship in which a predator catches, kills and eats its prey, such as cats eating hihi. A territory is an area an animal defends to raise its young safely, and group nesting is more than one pair sharing a nest and its chicks. Male song and flight displays let females choose a mate, and a strong display makes a male more likely to be chosen; but courtship costs time and energy and can draw predators.

What the marker wanted

Achieved Describes, one point each: hierarchy; predation; territory; group nesting; something courtship (song or display) gains the male; something it costs him; female choice. Four make A4.

The schedule marks the question as one answer from N0 to E8. Achieved points count first: one or two give N1 or N2, three A3, four A4. Above that, two Merit points give M5 and three M6. In 2022 Question One, E7 is the first Excellence bullet and E8 the second.

In our words, from NZQA’s 2022 marking schedule.

Common mistake

Copying the paper’s information about the hihi back as the answer. NZQA’s 2022 report says many candidates repeated what the paper had already given instead of using it.

How did it go?

Got it moves it further out. Review brings it back tomorrow.