An introduction to some New Zealand Birds

Deutsche

New Zealand doesn't really have any native mammals, except for two species of tiny bat, and a range of dolphins and whales.  Perhaps this is why New Zealanders seem to be crazy about birds.

The most visible of the native birds must surely be the Tui, a blackish bird with a white wattle under its chin. It has two voice boxes and can sing notes that we actually can't hear.  Tui's songs become more complex as they get older, so you can spot a young one by its simple song.  If you hear a Tui singing and you can't see it, try looking at the top of the tallest tree (often a norfolk pine) or near flowers.  Tuis are nectar feeders and love to drink the nectar from yellow Kowhai flowers and flax flowers.  Sometimes they get drunk on fermented nectar and put on a great show.






Another highly extroverted bird is the Kea, a green parrot found mainly in the wild mountains of the South Island.  It is famous for theft and play.  People often refer to them as "the boys".   This video is taken at Arthur's Pass in the south Island. Keas are known for vandalising the cars in mountain car parks.  Donations of apples are welcomed by Keas.




New Zealand's most famous bird, and the one you are least likely to see, is the Kiwi.  The flightless kiwi nests on the ground, and is not a prolific breeder, so it suffered terribly with the introduction of rats, cats, stoats and possums.  Now, more and more areas of bush (such as Tiritirimatangi Island, Whakatane, Maungatautiri Mountain, Whale Island and Ohope) are being closed off and protected from predators, and eggs are taken into care by humans so that chicks can be raised in safety and then re-released into the bush.  As well as being rare, the kiwi is also nocturnal and very shy.