05 New Zealand Bird Photography
133 galleries
New Zealand currently has 206 species of breeding birds, of which 94 (46%) are endemic, 76 are native, and 37 are introduced. When the bird fauna is expanded to include vagrant and extinct species, New Zealand has 482 species.
Prior to the late arrival of humans (approximately 700 years ago), New Zealand's unique island ecosystem had been primarily dominated by birds, insects, and reptiles. From flightless wonders such as the kiwi and kakapo (world's heaviest parrot), to spectacular seabirds the likes of the isolative yellow-eyed penguin and majestic wandering albatross, to the world's rarest wader (black stilt), New Zealand's diverse array of peerless avifauna have been at the forefront of conservation initiatives and ecotourism.
Taken by award-winning New Zealand wildlife photographer and author Kimball Chen, this gallery of New Zealand bird photography is available for conservation projects, advertising, or fine art gallery prints.
Please contact us today for a quote.
For more details and research about New Zealand birds, please visit www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz or www.birdsnz.org.nz
Prior to the late arrival of humans (approximately 700 years ago), New Zealand's unique island ecosystem had been primarily dominated by birds, insects, and reptiles. From flightless wonders such as the kiwi and kakapo (world's heaviest parrot), to spectacular seabirds the likes of the isolative yellow-eyed penguin and majestic wandering albatross, to the world's rarest wader (black stilt), New Zealand's diverse array of peerless avifauna have been at the forefront of conservation initiatives and ecotourism.
Taken by award-winning New Zealand wildlife photographer and author Kimball Chen, this gallery of New Zealand bird photography is available for conservation projects, advertising, or fine art gallery prints.
Please contact us today for a quote.
For more details and research about New Zealand birds, please visit www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz or www.birdsnz.org.nz
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201 imagesFew things are as majestic as catching sight of an albatross effortlessly gliding in its zig-zag pattern while riding the air currents above the ocean. The impressive wingspan of the albatross is the largest of any bird, reaching over 3 metres in some species of albatrosses. Such mighty wings allow it to essentially be a living hang-glider. In this gallery are a selection of flying albatross pics from New Zealand (as well as some portraits and some just sitting out on the ocean), ranging from the Southern Royal to Buller's to Wandering to Gibson's to White-capped to Salvin's Albatrosses. To find a New Zealand albatross based on name, simply type in the name of the desired albatross in the search engine above. -
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2 imagesThe Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) is endemic to New Zealand. It has a hooded appearance, with a brown breast band and brown cap. -
9 imagesThe vulnerable Antipodes Island Parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor) is classified as threatened species. They are endemic to the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. The Antipodes Parakeet spends much of its time on the ground, enjoying feeding on grass and tussock stalks. -
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15 imagesNew Zealand had two endemic coots, now extinct. In the later 20th century the Australian coot (Fulica atra australis) has become established. It was first recorded breeding in 1958 on Lake Hayes, in Otago. By 2005, around 2,000 were scattered on lakes throughout both main islands. The bird is one of four subspecies of the Eurasian coot (Fulica atra), which is native to Europe, northern Africa, Asia and greater Australasia. The Australian coot breeds in Australia and New Zealand. It is a protected self-introduced native. Coots dive to gather aquatic plants or invertebrates, which they bring back to the surface to swallow. They also graze ashore. Shallow bays on medium-sized lakes with plenty of raupo (bulrush) and other shelter are their usual habitat, but they also visit lakes in urban parks. Most long-distance flying is done at night. Coots make floating nests of twigs and raupo attached to lake vegetation such as willow, and usually raise two clutches. After breeding they gather in large flocks. -
6 imagesAustralian Magpies were introduced from Australia to New Zealand in 1860s to control pasture pests. Pictures in this gallery are of white-backed Australian magpies. -
49 imagesThe Banded Dotterel in New Zealand, is a small (18 cm) wader in the plover family of birds. It lives in beaches, mud flats, grasslands and on bare ground. Its two bands across the chest (top is black and thinner, bottom is chestnut and thicker) make it readily distinguishable. -
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3 imagesThe Barbary Dove was introduced to New Zealand as a cage bird but has become feral from time to time. -
15 imagesBar-tailed Godwits migrating from the Alaskan tundra to New Zealand hold the record for non-stop migration. After breeding in the tundra, they embark on a non-stop flight of 11,600 km, travelling south across the Pacific Ocean and arriving on New Zealand's North Island only some six days later, having flown at an average speed of 80 kilometres an hour! -
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26 imagesThe Black-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus bulleri) is endemic to New Zealand. Although it looks like just another ordinary sea gull, this species has lost over 90% of its population in the last one to two decades, and has thus been placed on the endangered species list. Almost 80% of its population lives on the South Island of New Zealand. Pictures and photos of the black-billed gull in this gallery are from Sandy Bay and Lake Pukaki. -
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28 imagesWith a population of 5,500, the Black-fronted Tern is endangered and endemic to New Zealand. Although it is a coastal bird, it is unique by being the only one that breeds exclusively inland. The black-fronted tern breeds on shingle, stoney or sandy areas in fast-flowing braided rivers, and on the shores of lakes, with sparse vegetation. It searches for food over rivers, lakes and farm fields, and in winter can be found in coastal areas, roosting on tidal flats and islands, rarely venturing further than 10 km offshore. Terns belong to the same family as gulls, but are distinguishable by a forked tail, which has led to their other popular name of sea swallows. -
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61 imagesAn estimated 2500 endangered blue ducks remain in the world, which is a lot less than the kiwi! Interestingly, the blue duck is the only member of its genus and has no close relatives anywhere in the world. The blue duck is believed to have appeared at a very early stage in evolutionary history and the species' isolation in New Zealand has resulted in it acquiring a number of unique anatomical and behavioural features. The blue duck pics in this gallery were photographed in Fiordland National Park, along the Hollyford River. -
21 imagesThe blue penguin is also known as the little blue penguin or fairy penguin, as it is the smallest of the 18 species of penguins. It weighs a little over 1 kg. Blue penguins come ashore near dusk and live in underground burrows or sometimes underneath people's homes. -
10 imagesThe brown creeper or pīpipi (Mohoua novaeseelandiae) of the South Island and Stewart Island is the smallest of the three Mohoua species – 13 centimetres long. Males weigh 13.5 grams, females 11 grams. The head and back are brown, with a grey face and neck. Brown creeper numbers have fallen, but they remain in many areas of the Southern Alps, Nelson, Marlborough, Kaikōura, Banks Peninsula and the Catlins, living in exotic pine forest and scrub as well as mature native forest. Young birds move from tree to tree in flocks of up to 50, chorusing their sweet ‘peee–pee–pee’ call. -
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7 imagesBuller's Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) is a near threatened species. It has a small breeding population with only three significant breeding locations, one in the Chatham Islands to the east of New Zealand, and the other on Snares and Solander islands to the south. It is endemic to New Zealand. -
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20 imagesThe California Quail is the state bird of California. It was introduced to Australia and New Zealand. The California Quail is a highly sociable bird that often gathers in small flocks known as "coveys". One of their daily communal activities is a dust bath. If startled, these birds explode into short rapid flight, called "flushing". Given a choice, they will normally make their escape on foot. -
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11 imagesThe Cape Petrel, also known as the 'painted one' because of the striking pattern on its back and wings is a dark brown-black with white splotches. These pigeon-sized birds nest on the sea cliff ledges and in rock crevices and can live for 15 to 20 years. Most petrels have a skittering, skimming-type flight; hence their name, which means 'Little Peter" for the Apostle who walked on the water with Christ on the Sea of Galilee. All petrel species have dense plumage, webbed feet and deeply grooved and hooked bills. Petrels typically have long nostrils, indicating a strong sense of smell, unusual for birds. Interestingly, most petrel species can regurgitate their stomach oil as a defense mechanism against predators. -
12 imagesThe Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) is the largest of the terns. It can be found throughout the world, from their breeding habitat in large lakes and ocean coasts in North America, and locally in Europe (mainly around the Baltic Sea and Black Sea), to Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Breeding is in spring and summer, with one to three pale blue green eggs, with heavy brown spotting, being laid. They nest either together in colonies, or singly in mixed colonies of other tern and gull species. The nest is on the ground among gravel and sand, or sometimes on vegetation; incubation lasts for 26-28 days. -
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4 imagesThe fantail pigeon is a fancy pigeon domesticated from the rock pigeon. -
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103 imagesThe Fiordland Crested Penguin is a migratory species found in the waters of Antarctica around the Southern Islands. During breeding season, this species can be found along the Fiordland coast and its outlying islands, as well as on Stewart Island. Breeding sites are typically found near dense temperate forests or among the rocks for protection. The main prey are cephalopods (~85%), mainly Arrow Squid, followed by crustaceans (~13%) such as Krill, and lastly fish (~2%) such as Red Cod and Hoki. The Fiordland Crested Penguin is listed as a vulnerable species, due to its small population of about 2,500 pairs. -
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1 imageThe Great-winged petrel is an all dark-brown gadfly petrel found in the 'Roaring Forties.' They breed in winter and lay a single egg in May to July in burrows excavated out of vegetated peat slopes. Chicks fledge in November and December, just when the summer-breeding burrowing petrels are getting started. Like most burrowing petrels, Great-wings arrive at their burrows after dark, to reduce their chances of being caught by predatory Antarctic skuas. Great-wings eat primarily squid caught at night. -
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14 imagesThe Grey Duck (Anas superciliosa) is generally found in remote interior wetlands in New Zealand. Outside of New Zealand, it is commonly referred to as the Pacific Black Duck. Due to its rapid decline in New Zealand from hunting, the Grey Duck has been elevated to 'nationally endangered' on the 2008 New Zealand Threat Classification System. The Grey Duck joins South Island brown teal and Campbell Island teal as the three most critically endangered New Zealand ducks, and is now in the category of such iconic brink of extinction birds as black robin, kakapo and takahe. Its characteristic 'zebra-striped' face makes it easy to identify a pure-bred Grey Duck. In the pictures and photos with the baby ducklings is a Grey Duck that has interbred with a Mallard. -
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13 imagesThe Grey Warbler (Riroriro) is endemic to New Zealand. Smaller than the silvereye, the Grey Warbler is quite difficult to photograph because it rarely stays still - it is quite active and moves from one branch to the other, looking for and feeding on spiders and insects. Grey warblers are unique among New Zealand birds in building a pear-shaped structure with a side entrance near the top. Although the male collects material, the nest itself is constructed by the female from grass, leaves, rootlets and moss, held together with spider web threads. It is constructed anywhere from 2 to 25 feet above the ground, and is lined with feathers and other soft material. Their breeding season is from August to January and they usually manage two clutches, but the Shining Cuckoo often parasitises this second clutch leaving a single egg for the warblers to incubate and rear. -
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3 imagesHutton's shearwater/titi (Puffinus huttoni) is the only New Zealand seabird that breeds in a sub-alpine environment. The species is nationally endangered, with its two remaining breeding colonies located in the Seaward Kaikoura mountains. -
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176 imagesKea photo stock images. The kea parrot (Nestor notabilis) is an alpine parrot found only in New Zealand. A kea bird can satisfy its daily caloric intake typically within an hour, which frees their day up to play and learn via social/group behavior. This social learning ability is not often found in wildlife, and makes the kea a rather intelligent bird. Keas are more often known for their inquisitive and destructive behavior; they seem to rather enjoy tampering with hikers' boots and backpacking gear. New Zealand pictures of the kea in this gallery have all been taken in Fiordland, New Zealand, mostly during the winter. Once locating the keas, they definitely don't seem shy of having their photos taken. Juvenile keas are easily identified by the yellow ring around their eye and nostrils. This yellow coloring fades within 2 years. -
16 imagesKelp Gulls are also known as Dominican Gulls, or Black-backed Gulls. They owe much of their succes to their flexible feeding habits, as they can thrive on almost anything organic. They can be seen scavenging at garbage dumps, or scavenging on dead pups at fur seal colonies, or following fishing vessels for offal and dumped bycatch, and even dropping molluscs from a height on to rocks below. -
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3 imagesWattled crows are a tiny family from New Zealand with just two species, one of which, the Kokako is endangered. The other species is the Saddleback. They are crow-like, but have characteristic fleshy wattles at the sides of the base of their bill. -
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1 imageLittle owls were introduced with the aim of reducing the population of sparrows, which had become pests on farms. There were concerns that they might damage native bird populations, but their diet turned out to be mainly invertebrates - and occasionally small birds, frogs, lizards and mice. They often walk or run about, feeding on the ground. A little owl is similar in weight to a morepork, but its head is flatter and its tail shorter. Little owls nest in holes in trees, earth banks, rabbit burrows and buildings. They are not strictly nocturnal - they often appear during the day and sometimes sun themselves. The natural range of the little owl (Athene noctua) is Europe, North Africa and Asia. Also known as German owls, they were introduced to Britain in the 1870s. Between 1906 and 1910, about 300 little owls were released in Otago and Canterbury. The little owl weighs about 180 grams, slightly heavier than the native morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae). But its length - about 23 centimetres - is less, because it has a shorter tail. -
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4 imagesThe Morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae) gets its name from its distinctive territorial call at night, "morepork!" Although the Morepork looks similar to the Little Owl, the morepork is larger and darker and browner, and the only owl to be seen in forest habitats. The morepork is native to New Zealand, but also found in Australia (where it is called the boobook owl), as well as eastern Indonesia and New Guinea. The pictures and photos of the Morepork in this gallery are of an owl named "Morpy", who was rescued after sustaining multiple injuries from a collision with a moving car. -
4 imagesThe Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) has been domesticated for centuries by the indigenous people of South America. In New Zealand, the Muscovy Duck found on some farms where they are domesticated for their meat. -
58 imagesThe New Zealand Dotterel or Red-breasted Plover (Charadrius obscurus) is an endangered species and endemic to New Zealand, usually found on sandy beaches and sandspits or feeding on tidal estuaries. Dotterels are nearing extinction with about 1700 Northern NZ Dotterels, and approximately 250 or so Southern NZ Dotterels. Its Maori names include Tuturiwhatu, Pukunui, and Kukuruatu. It is related to the Eurasian dotterel. -
47 imagesNew Zealand's only endemic falcon and the only remaining bird of prey endemic to New Zealand. Other common names for the bird are Bush Hawk and Sparrow Hawk. A member of the Falconidae bird family, the New Zealand Falcon is mainly found in heavy bush and the steep high country in the South Island and is rarely seen north of a line through the central area of the North Island. New Zealand Falcon pictures in this gallery are from Fiordland and Glenorchy. -
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8 imagesOf the seven species of wren in New Zealand, only two survive: the New Zealand Rock Wren, and their bush counterparts, the Rifleman. Rock Wren are the only true alpine birds in New Zealand, spending all their lives in rocks and scrub above the bush line. It is a vulnerable and threatened species, just one classification shy of becoming endangered. A study in Fiordland's Murchison Mountains showed their population almost halved over the twenty years between 1985 and 2005. Pictures of the South Island Rock Wren are from Fiordland National Park. -
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61 imagesThe Kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) is New Zealand's only native pigeon. Double the size of most other pigeons found on other continents, the New Zealand wood pigeon is unmistakable and a rather beautiful bird with its iridscent chest feathers. -
21 imagesThe Northern Giant Petrel comes from the Procellariiformes order, which are referred to as tube-nosed seabirds, due to their unique nose structure. All tube-noses have tubular nostrils, and all Procellariidae have the openings on top of the upper portion of the bill. Largest of the petrel family, Giant Petrels, unlike albatrosses, forage on both land and sea. On land, they kill birds as large as King penguins and scavenge in seal colonies. At sea, they eat fish, squid and crustaceans, scavenging dead whales and seabirds, as well. Their carrion-feeding reputation earned them the nickname 'stinkers' from whalers. Another nickname is the 'sea vulture'. Petrel refers to St. Peter and from the story of him walking on water, which refers to how they run on top of the water as they are getting airborne. Picture number 05 shows a good example of the Northern Giant Petrel running on water with wings spread out, preparing for takeoff. -
12 imagesThe Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi) is an endangered species. It nests at the Chatham Islands, Enderby Island in the Auckland Islands, and also at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula in New Zealand. -
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1 imageThe Pacific reef heron, also known as the Pacific reef egret, or Eastern reef egret, is quite widely distributed from Bangladesh to Korea and Japan, through the Pacific Islands to Australia. They are now quite rare in New Zealand. -
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38 imagesThe White-headed Stilt or Pied Stilt is a bird in the Recurvirostridae family. It is sometimes treated as a distinct species Himantopus leucocephalus, sometimes included in the Common or Black-winged Stilt as Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus. -
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25 imagesThe Red-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus scopulinus), once also known as the Mackerel Gull, is a native of New Zealand. Until recently it was regarded as a subspecies of the Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae) found in Australia, and the two species are very similar in appearance. However the most recent research suggests that they are not particularly closely related. Behaviourally, the Red-Billed gull is a typical gull. It is an aggressive scavenger and kleptoparasite. -
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19 imagesNew Zealand's smallest bird is the rifleman or tititi pounamu (Acanthisitta chloris), which is endemic. The scientific and Maori names for this bird both refer to the male's green plumage: New Zealand Infantry riflemen wore green coats, pounamu is the Maori word for greenstone, and chloris is Greek for yellowish green. At just 8 cm long, virtually no tail, their tiny body is almost round. The riflemen moves around with distinctive short aerial hops, clinging easily to rough tree trunks. Working their way up a tree in similar fashion to a treecreeper, they take spiders, beetles, small weta, caterpillars and moths from foliage and cracks in the bark. Adults and young often forage close together. They keep in contact with a high-pitched buzzing call, a single note that is out of hearing range for some people. Each pair has its own territory, which both males and females defend. Riflemen live in a variety of forest types: lowland conifer-broadleaf forest, high-altitude beech forest, mature tawa forest and manuka-kanuka scrub. -
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10 imagesThe Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) breeds on tundra along the entire Arctic Ocean coastline but winters in the southern hemisphere. About 5000 birds winter in New Zealand, arriving mainly in September and deaprting in March. It prefers rock pools and beaches and tends to avoid mud flats and marshes. -
19 imagesThe New Zealand Kingfisher, also known as the Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) is a forest kingfisher, as opposed to kingfishers that belong the fishing family. Ancient Greeks called these birds "Halkyon", and believed that during mid-winter, it nested and reared its young on the surface of the sea. Throughout this time, the waters remained calm, the winds blew lightly, and to this day, sailors call such weather "Halcyon days". Pictures of the kingfishers here are from Southland, New Zealand. -
10 imagesThe Tieke or Saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) is a previously rare and endangered New Zealand bird. By the turn of the 20th century, saddleback became extinct on the mainland of New Zealand, with the North Island subspecies being confined to Hen Island off Northland, and the South Island subspecies being restricted to Big South Cape Island off Stewart Island. Today, thanks to careful management by DOC, the South Island saddleback population is up to 700, spread over 11 small islands. -
27 imagesSalvin's Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) is listed as a vulnerable species, mainly because 97% of the population breeds at just one location, the Bounty Islands, an isolated group of rocks south-east of New Zealand. It is also known to scavenge and therefore is at risk from commercial fishing operations. It is endemic to New Zealand. -
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61 imagesSilvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) were blown across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand in 1856. The Maori called these birds "tauhou" which translates to "little stranger". Looking closely at these pictures, you can see a distinctive ring of white feathers around their eye, which has led to silvereyes also being referred to as white-eyes, or waxeyes. -
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5 imagesThe song thrush was introduced into New Zealand from its natural home in Europe and western Asia in the 1860s. Nesting occurs mostly between August and December. Nests are usually found 1 to 3 metres up in a shrub or hedge. Three or four pale blue eggs make up the clutch. -
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29 imagesThe South Island Oystercatcher or South Island Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi), often contracted to the acronym SIPO, is one of the two common oystercatchers found in New Zealand. Distinguish from pied morph of Variable Oystercatcher by white lower back, more white on wing and demarcation line of black and white on breast further forward. Distinguish from Pied Oystercatcher by longer bill and shorter legs as well as forward demarcation line of white on back being pointed rather than square. The South Island Pied Oystercatcher (endemic to New Zealand) is different than the Pied Oystercatcher (found in Australia). -
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30 imagesThe New Zealand tomtit or k?miromiro (Petroica macrocephala) is endemic. There are five subspecies - one on each of the North, South, Chatham, Snares and Auckland islands. They have a dark head, throat and back - black in males, brown in females - with white underparts. Although it is widespread in forests, it is not common. One pair of tomtits apparently stay about the same area all their lives and resent the presence of another of their kind within their fenceless domain, the male fiercely chasing the trespasser and causing it to hurriedly take the shortest cut home. The range of the tomtit's territory is quite extensive, maybe ten or more acres. -
2 imagesIn New Zealand, the Malay spotted dove is found mainly in and around Auckland but also in the Bay of Plenty, near Te Puke and Opotiki. The birds’ natural range is Asia, from India and Sri Lanka to southern China, Taiwan and Timor. -
49 imagesThe spotted shag (Stictocarbo Punctatus) is the most elegant of the New Zealand cormorants. At the start of the breeding season, black crests appear on its forehead and at the back of its head. Long white plumes are scattered over its head and upper parts, and its dark brown eye is ringed with blue and surrounded by a patch of bright green. Spotted shags are endemic to New Zealand, and commonly found on rocky shores and headlands of the North and South Islands. Pictures and photos of the spotted shag in this gallery are from Riverton and Moeraki, on the South Island of New Zealand. -
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11 imagesThe Stewart Island Robin is a subspecies of the South Island Robin. -
4 imagesThe Stewart Island Shag (Phalacrocorax chalconotus) is also known as the Bronze Shag or Stewart Shag. This cormorant is endemic to New Zealand. It is dimorphic, coming in two differing color forms, a bronze and pied form. Pictures and photos of the Stewart Island Shag in this gallery are from Stewart Island, Otago Peninsula, and Moeraki. -
18 imagesWith only a small population surviving on Little Barrier Island, the stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta) became extinct on the mainland of New Zealand by 1885. Starting in the 1995, the New Zealand Wildlife Service (now Department of Conservation) translocated numbers of individuals from Hauturu (Little Barrier Island) to other island sanctuaries to create separate populations. These islands were part of New Zealand's network of offshore reserves which have been cleared of introduced species and which protect other rare species including the Kakapo and Takahe. Currently the world population has improved to an estimated 4,500, moving from endangered to a current status of vulnerable. The stitchbird survives on Hauturu, Kapiti Island, Tiritiri Matangi Island, Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua, the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and the Waitakere Ranges. -
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43 imagesThe endangered takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) is a flightless bird endemic to New Zealand. It is the largest living member of the Rallidae. Thought to be extinct since 1898, the Takahe was rediscovered near Lake Te Anau in the Murchinson Mountains in 1948 by an Invercargill doctor named Dr. Geoffery Orbell. The population in the wild is estimated to be a mere 92 as of 2008. -
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105 imagesThe tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) is endemic to New Zealand. It is regarded as one of the forest's finest singers, with some of its notes too high for human ears to hear. A closer look at these pictures show that their plumage is not simply a dull blue-black colour, but a beautiful iridescent blue and green with a brownish shoulder cape. Tuis belong to the family of nectar eaters, and favourite food sources are the flowers of native trees and shrubs, such as flax, rata, and fuchsia, puriri, kowhai, and pohutukawa. In some of these photographs, you can see that their foreheads are stained yellow/orange with pollen. -
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53 imagesThe Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) is listed as a vulnerable species. It is the largest of the four species of Wanderers. Older adult males develop an almost all white plumage, hence its alternative name of 'snowy' albatross. The Latin word "exsulans" means 'living as an exile", referring to its high-seas roaming behavior. The Wandering Albatross breeds on South Georgia Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Prince Edward Islands, and Macquarie Island, is seen feeding year round off the Kaikoura Peninsula on the east coast of the south island of New Zealand and it ranges in all the southern oceans from 28° to 60°. -
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12 imagesThe first Welcome Swallows (Hirundo tahitica) were blown across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand in the 1950s. This swallow performs amazing high speed maneuvers in the air when hunting airborne insects. In August, pairs perform nupital displays by chasing each other in flight. Look for nests in August and September, usually under the eaves of a house, under a bridge, or in a shed or farm building. -
18 imagesThe Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica) is is a rare seabird that is endemic to New Zealand. It has a highly restricted breeding range, currently confined to a small area of the west coast of New Zealand's South Island in an area protected in Paparoa National Park in dense forested hills. It is one of the largest petrels that nest in burrows, and is threatened by stoats and possums and feral cats. At sea it ranges from Tasmania to Chile taking fish and squid, as well as fishery waste. -
37 imagesThe White-capped Albatross (Thalassarche steadi) has very concentrated breeding sites with about 95% of the population on Disappointment Island in the Auckland group souoth of New Zealand. It is endemic to New Zealand. DNA analysis has only recently allowed scientists to differentiate the White-capped Albatross from the Shy Albatross. The White-capped Albatross is the largest of the family of mollymawks. -
5 imagesThe White-chinned Petrel or Cape Hen, Procellaria aequinoctialis, is a large shearwater in the family Procellariidae. It ranges around the Southern Oceans as far north as South Australia, Peru and Namibia, and breeds colonially on scattered islands. Their diet is composed mainly of krill followed by fish. White-chinned Petrels feed by surface seizing and by undertaking shallow dives, and they will readily follow ships to collect fisheries discards, making them vulnerable to long line fisheries. -
54 imagesThe White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandia) also known as the Blue Crane, White-fronted Heron, and incorrectly as the Grey Heron, is a common bird throughout most of Australasia. During the breeding season pinkish-brown or bronze nuptial plumes appear on the foreneck and breast, with blue-grey plumes appearing on the back. -
46 imagesThe White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) is the most common tern of New Zealand. It rarely swims, apart from bathing, despite having webbed feet. The species is protected. White-fronted Terns feed in large flocks by plunge diving on shoals of smelt and pilchards which have been driven to the surface by larger fish and are easily caught. Like all terns they fly with their heads and bills pointing down to see their prey. Breeding is between October and January in large colonies on rocky cliffs and offshore islands. -
5 imagesThe endemic whitehead's rich song gives it its alternative name of 'bush canary'. Successful population growth on Tiritiri Matangi Island began with a mere 40 birds transferred from Little Barrier Island in 1989, to over 1000 by 2004. Whitehead are now the most abundant bird species on the Tiri, which has allowed for translocation to the Hunua Ranges, the Waitakere Ranges, and Tawharanui Regional Park in New Zealand. -
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7 imagesThe wild turkey, (Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and found in New Zealand. There are no restrictions on hunting wild turkey in New Zealand, and hunting season for these gamebirds is open all 365 days of the year, although I obviously prefer shooting pictures and photos of the turkeys rather than bullets or arrows. : ) -
22 imagesThe Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis) is a species of plover endemic to New Zealand. It is unique in that it is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways (almost always to the right). These pictures were taken at the Firth of Thames, in Miranda. -
16 imagesAll six New Zealand parakeets are endemic. The smallest is the yellow-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus auriceps), at just 24 cm. Parakeets are also known as kakariki (little kaka). The Maori saying 'ko te rua porete hai whakarite', meaning 'just like a nest of kakariki', was used to describe a group of people gossiping excitedly. This is because kakariki make a chattering call as they fly and while feeding. In autumn and winter they search for food in flocks, but are more solitary during the breeding season. They live in conifer-broadleaf and beech forest as well as scrub, in both the North and South islands. They mainly feed in the treetops, eating scale insects, leaf miners and aphids, the buds or flowers of k?nuka, r?t? and beech, and beech seeds. They usually nest in holes in old trees. On the mainland the yellow-crowned species are more widespread and common than red-crowned parakeets, but on predator-free islands the red-crowned species dominates. -
218 imagesThe endangered Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) is a rather unique species of penguin, native to New Zealand, and with a population of only about 4000. It is considered one of the world's rarest penguin species. It may be the most ancient of all living penguins. While penguins are commonly seen in large colonies, the yellow-eyed penguin is a rather isolative creature. This piscivorous bird spends the majority of the day fishing in the ocean, then waddles alone onto shore shortly before sunset. Once ashore, it heads towards its nest tucked away in the forest or scrub, on slopes facing the sea. "Hoiho" is the Maori name for this penguin, which translates into 'noise shouter'. It is common to hear this penguin throw back its head and cry out. A close look at a picture of a yellow-eyed penguin shows a striking yellow eye band sweeping back from each yellow eye. Common locations for viewing this endangered species are at Otago Peninsula, Stewart Island, and the Catlins, in the South Island of New Zealand. -
7 imagesThe Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella, was introduced to New Zealand in 1862 from Europe. Its distinctive song sounds like it is saying "A little bit of bread and no cheese," which translates into a high-pitched twitter of 'chitty-chitty-chitty-chitty-sweeee'.