South Island Tomtit Pictures - Photos
30 images Created 24 Aug 2009
The 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.
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.
