—not to mention what it might do to
what you have on your
roof rack! Partially protected (may be
hunted or killed by an occupier of land
only when causing damage on that land).
RED-CROWNED PARAKEET
(Kakariki) Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae Size: Male 27-30cm, Female 23-27cm.
Status: Rare on mainland, common on
off-shore islands.
Range:
A few localities throughout the
main islands; many off-shore islands.
Subspecies on the Kermadec, Chatham,
Antipodes and Norfolk Islands and
New
Caledonia.
Habitat: Native forest (on mainland,
only the more extensive forests).
Food: Fruit, seeds, leaves and buds.
Voice: A rapid “ki-ki-ki-ki” in flight,
also a variety of
chattering and soft, musical calls.
Breeding: October-March. Four to nine
white eggs.
General: Fully protected.
YELLOW-CROWNED
PARAKEET Cyanoramphus auriceps Size: Male 23-27cm, Female 20-24cm.
Status: Uncommon.
Range:
Throughout main islands and on
many offshore islands. Chatham Island
subspecies very rare and occurring only
on
Mangere and Little Mangere
Islands.
Habitat: The more extensive areas of
native forest,
particularly at higher altitudes.
Food: Fruit, seeds, leaves and buds.
Voice: Similar to red-crowned but
slightly higher pitched.
Breeding: August-April. Four to nine
white eggs.
General: Fully protected.
ORANGE-FRONTED PARAKEET Cyanoramphus Malherbi Size: Male 20-23cm, Female 19-22cm.
Status: Threatened.
Range: Northern South Island mountains.
Habitat: Native forest.
Food: Similar to red-crowned.
Voice: Similar to yellow-crowned.
Breeding: No available information.
General: Has rarely been reported in
recent years but is not
easy to distinguish from yellow-crowned
except at very close
range. Fully protected.
NEW ZEALAND PIGEON
(Kereru)Hemiphaga
novaeseelandiae Size: 51cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore islands.
Habitat: Native forest, including much
modified remnants and adjacent exotic
vegetation, but rare in beech forest.
Food: Fruit and foliage.
Voice: A soft “kuu”, uttered singly and
with fairly long pauses between.
Breeding: November-January. One white egg.
General:
A subspecies is present but
very rare on the Chatham Islands. Some
people are lucky enough to have this
lovely bird
in their gardens but
I’ve seen them only
on Tiritiri Matangi, an island in Auckland’s
Hauraki Gulf that has been turned into a sanctuary. Fully
protected.
LONG-TAILED CUCKOO
(Koekoea) Eudynamis
taitensis Size: 40cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore islands
October to March. Winters in the North
Pacific region.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests.
Food: Insects, small lizards.
Voice: A long drawn out screech
“zzwheet” with a rising
emphasis. Alarm call a succession of
rapid twittering notes “zip-zip-zip”.
Breeding:
Lays eggs in nests of several
species but principally
the whitehead in
the North Island and
the yellowhead and
brown creeper in the South
Island and
Stewart Island. Eggs
creamy white with spots or blotches in
shades of browns and
greys.
General: Fully protected.
SHINING CUCKOO
(Pipiwharauroa) Chalcites
lucidus Size: 16cm.
Status: Common.
Range:
Throughout the main islands and many off-shore islands from September
to March. Winters in
the Solomon Islands and Bismark
Archipelago.
Habitat:
Native and exotic forest and
almost everywhere else provided there
is
some tree or shrub cover and a
suitable host species (preferably grey
warbler) is present.
Food: Mainly insects.
Voice:
An often repeated “kiu-kiu-kiu”
with the last two notes ending with a
downward, slurred intonation. Also a
single note “tsui” repeated
several
times.
Breeding: Lays eggs in nest of grey
warbler
and sometimes
fantail, tomtit, silvereye and others.
Eggs greenish or
bluish
white to olive brown or dark greenish
brown.
General: Fully protected.
MOREPORK (Ruru) Ninox
novaeseelandiae Size: 29cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore and
outlying islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests, also
small patches of
modified forest and exotic trees.
Food: Insects, small mammals, birds and lizards.
Voice: “Morepork” sometimes repeated
and prolonged, and a variety of
screeches and mewing calls.
Breeding: October-November. Two to
three white eggs.
General:
Wherever you live in New
Zealand you’re almost
bound to hear this
little owl calling at
night during the
summer, provided there are
enough
trees around. It has the
eerily silent flight that only owls can
achieve. Fully protected.
BUSH WREN (Matuhi) Xenicus longipes Size: 9cm.
Status: Very rare.
Range: Possibly Ureweras, Nelson and
Fiordland, Stewart Island and outliers.
Habitat: Native forest.
Food: Insects obtained from tree trunks
and foliage. Voice: A
low volume call of high pitch “pzz-it”
either singly or repeated.
Breeding: Little is known of its breeding season or clutch size,
eggs white.
General:
North Island, South island and
Stewart Island
subspecies. The North
Island and
Stewart Island subspecies
could be extinct. The South Island
subspecies has not been
reported for some years. Fully
protected.
RIFLEMAN (Titipounamu)
Acanthisitta chloris Size: 8cm.
Status: Fairly common.
Range: Southern two thirds of the North Island and throughout
the South Island and Stewart Island. A
few off-shore islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests and
scrubland.
Food: Insects, obtained from the bark,
mosses and lichens of
the larger trees.
Voice: A sharp, high-pitched “zipt”,
singly or rapidly repeated.
Breeding: August-January. Two to four
white eggs.
General: North Island and South Island
birds are regarded as separate
subspecies but the differences are
slight. Fully protected.
BROWN CREEPER (Pipipi)
Finschia novaeseelandiae Size: 13cm.
Status: Common.
Range: South Island, Stewart Island and
outliers.
Habitat: Native forest, forest remnants
and scrub, exotic plantations.
Food: Insects found among tree
branches and leaves,
particularly in the forest canopy.
Voice: “Churr, churr, churr” and a rapid
succession of metallic
trills with more musical notes
interspersed.
Breeding: November-January. Three to
four eggs, white or
pinkish with brown or reddish spots or
blotches.
General: Often occurs in noisy flocks.
Fully protected.
GREY WARBLER (Riroriro)
Gerygone igata Size: 8cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests and
almost everywhere else provided there
is some tree or shrub cover.
Food: Insects and spiders usually
obtained from tree bark,
leaves and twigs.
Voice: A sweet, high pitched, warbling
call of varying length. Sometimes ashort call of three notes preceding the main song.
Breeding: August-December. Three to
five eggs, pinkish white
with reddish brown spots.
General:
The most preferred host of the shining cuckoo. A
similar warbler on the
Chatham Islands
is regarded as a
separate species. For me summer
wouldn’t be summer without
the lovely song of this little bird.Fully
protected.
WHITEHEAD (Popokatea) Mohoua albicilla Size: 15cm.
Status: Fairly common.
Range: Southern two thirds of the north Island, Great Barrier, Little Barrier and Kapiti Islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic pine forests
up to about 1200m.
Food: Insects, particularly from the
forest canopy, and fruits.
Voice: The song has a similarity to the
opening notes of a
chaffinch song. Also single “zit” note or
several in succession.
Breeding: October-February. Two to
four eggs, white or
pinkish with brown, reddish brown or
red spots or blotches.
General: Usually moves about the
forest in small groups. Fully protected.
YELLOWHEAD (Mohua) Mohoua ochrocephala Size: 15cm.
Status: Fairly common.
Range: Nelson, Westland, Western
Otago and Southland.
Habitat: The more extensive areas of
native forest, particularly beech forest.
Food: Insects, found mainly in the tree
canopy.
Voice: Canary-like musical whistles
often including buzzing and vibrating
notes.
Breeding: November-December. Three
to four eggs, pinkish
white blotched with reddish brown.
General: Usually moves in small flocks
through the forest
canopy. Fully protected.
FANTAIL (Piwakawaka)
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Size: 16cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout the main islands and off-shore islands. Also Australia and the Pacific.
Habitat: Forests of all types and many
man-made environments providing trees
and shrubs.
Food: Insects caught in the air during
short erratic flights.
Voice: Usual call a high-pitched,
repeated “cheet”. A succession of these with variations produce its full song.
Breeding: August-January. Three to four eggs, cream with grey and brown spots.
General:
North Island, South Island and
Chatham Island
subspecies. A black form
is common in
the South Island
subspecies. These dainty little birds
appear in most gardens as
long as there are trees and shrubs. They
will
flit a few feet
from your face, tails extended and
catching insects as
they fly, and seem
almost to be flirting with you. Fully
protected.
TIT (Miromiro) Petroica
Macrocephala Size: 13cm.
Status: Fairly common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
some off-shore and
outlying islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests.
Food: Insects obtained from tree trunks
and branches and the forest floor.
Voice: Male a high-pitched “swee”,
female a faint “seet”.
Song a high-pitched trill “weedli-weedli-
weedli”.
Breeding: August-February. (Usually
two broods reared.) Three to four eggs,
cream with yellowish and
purplish brown spots.
General:
There are five subspecies:
North Island, South Island, Chatham
Island,
Auckland Island and Snares
Island. North Island male has pure
white
underparts and the female
greyish-white underparts. The South
and
Chatham Islands birds have
yellowish breast and abdomen. Fully
protected.
SILVEREYE (Tauhou)
Zosterops lateralis Size: 12cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore and
outlying islands. Also Australia.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests to
some extent but mainly
open country with some tree cover.
Food: Insects, fruit and nectar.
Voice: A warbling, continuous song
made up of trills, slurs, and other high-
pitched notes. A common flocking call is “cree”.
Breeding: August-February. Two,
sometimes three broods in a season.
Three to four pale blue eggs.
General:
Has become common only in
the last hundred years.
This tiny, charming
bird can be lured
into your garden if you
hang up a ball of lard or
dripping for
them during the winter.
We hang one a few feet from our
kitchen window and are well-rewarded
for our pains. The birds hang
upside
down on the netting that contains the
fat and sometimes hover
like humming-
birds (though only for a few seconds).
Their antics
are
highly entertaining. They disappear
during the summer, unfortunately.
Partially protected (may be hunted or
killed by
an occupier of land only when causing
damage on that land).
ROBIN (Toutouwai) Petroica australis Size: 18cm.
Status: Fairly common.
Range: Central and southern North
Island, South Island,
Stewart Island and some off-shore
islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests and
scrub land.
Food: Insects.
Voice: A strong “twit-twit-twit”
repeated many times, and a
wide variety of other musical and
chirping notes.
Breeding: August-February. Two to four
eggs, cream with
purplish brown spots.
General:
North Island and Stewart
Island birds have ivory white underparts.
South Island birds are slightly larger and have a yellowish
breast. Fully protected.
STITCHBIRD (Hihi)
Notiomystis cincta Size: 19cm.
Status: Rare.
Range: Little Barrier Island.
Habitat: Native forest.
Food: Nectar, fruit and insects.
Voice: A musical “tsui-tsui” and an
explosive “tzit”. Alarm call “pek-pek-
pek” something like the bellbird’s.
Breeding: November-December. Three
to five white eggs.
General: Once quite common in the
North Island but not seen
there since the 1880s. Fully protected.
BELLBIRD Anthornis
melanura Size: 20cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore islands.
Habitat: Native forest and scrubland,
also exotic forests and
exotic vegetation in the neighbourhood
of native forest.
Food: Nectar, fruit and insects.
Voice:
A wide variety of liquid notes,
clicks and other sounds
of a bell-like
quality. Sometimes an
often-repeated single bell note. Alarm
call a
repeated, harsh “pek-pek-pek”.
Breeding: September-January. Three to
four eggs, pinkish
brown spots and blotches.
General:
A slightly different form occurs
on the Three Kings Islands. We know of
people near where we live who have
been
able to attract the bellbird to
their
properties, but we just
don’t have the right type of trees. Fully
protected.
TUI Prosthemadera
novaeseelandiae Size: Male 32cm, female 29cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and
many off-shore and
outlying islands.
Habitat: Native forest, particularly
podocarp and broadleaf,
and exotic vegetation adjacent to
native forest.
Food: Nectar, fruit and insects.
Voice: Song resembles bellbird’s but is
stronger and more
resonant. Alarm call is a harsh,
repeated “keer-keer”.
Breeding: November-January. Three to
four eggs, white or pale pink with
reddish brown specks or blotches.
General:
A subspecies on the Chatham
Islands is slightly larger. The tui is easy
to attract into your garden, provided
you have
enough surrounding
trees. In Auckland
we planted a kowhai
tree and some native flax
specially to
attract tuis and there
was nearly always one sitting on
top of
the liquidamber while I
was hanging out my washing. In June
(which is winter time in
New Zealand) when the flowering pink
gum was
in bloom they would hang
upside down in its branches digging into
the
flowers for their nectar.
Unfortunately we don’t have enough
trees
around our present property, even
though we have several clumps of
flax.
Fully protected.
SADDLEBACK (Tieke)
Philesturnus carunculatus Size: Male 25cm, female 29cm.
Status: Rare.
Range:
North Island subspecies: Tiritiri
Matangi, Hen, Cuvier,
Red Mercury,
Middle Chicken, Big
Chicken and Fanal Islands.
South Island subspecies:
Kaimohu, Big,
Betsy, Womens and
north Islands (off Stewart Island).
Habitat: Native forest.
Food: Insects and fruits.
Voice: Flute-like whistles and warbles,
clicking and organ-like notes. A
common call is “che-per-per”.
Breeding: October-January. Eggs pale
grey or white with
reddish brown and pale purple spots or
blotches.
General:
Once widely distributed on the main islands but range diminished to Hen
Island in the north
and Big South Cape Island group in the south by the
end of the last century. Extension of range in recent
years has been
through transfers by the
Wildlife Service. Fully protected.
KOKAKO Callaeas Cinerea Size: 37cm.
Status: Fairly rare.
Range: North Auckland and central North Island; possibly a few scattered localities in the South Island.
Habitat: Native forest with a more or
less continuous canopy, particularly
where there is emergent podocarps in
the North
Island.
Food: Leaves, flowers and fruits.
Voice:
A variety of rich organ-like notes
and bell-like calls.
Calls are
usually of descending pitch.
The alarm call is rather similar to the
tui’s.
Breeding: November-March. Two to
three eggs, pale brownish-
grey with brown and purplish brown
spots and blotches.
General:
Once widely distributed, the
kokako has declined considerably in the
last hundred years. The South Island
subspecies, which has orange
wattles,
has rarely been seen in recent years.
Fully protected.
NEW ZEALAND THRUSH
(Piopio) Turnagra capensis Size: 27cm.
Status: Very rare, possibly extinct.
Range: Uncertain.
Habitat: Native forest.
Food: Fruits, seeds, foliage and insects.
Voice:
A short, sharp, whistling cry,
quickly repeated,
“pio-pio”. Alarm call
is a loud “pek-pek-
pek-pek”, resembling
a bellbird’s, but slower,
louder and
harsher.
Breeding: Little available information.
Two eggs, white or
pinkish white with scattered black or
brown spots.
General: North and South Island birds
are regarded as separate subspecies.
Neither has been seen in recent years.
Fully
protected.
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