New Zealand is residence to a few of the rarest birds on the earth. And this isn’t by chance. It would possibly shock you to be taught that New Zealand’s biodiversity is uncommon and really totally different from the remainder of the world. And the South Island birds are a few of the most unusual.
As an island, birdlife dominated the land and skies and developed with out the specter of mammals strolling the shores, that’s, till people arrived round 1300 AD. The solely native mammals in New Zealand have been two sorts of bats.
The first people launched rats and canines into the wild right here, after which in a while, settlers introduced in pigs, goats, deer, extra rat species, cats, rabbits, mustelids (ferrets, stoats, and weasels), and possums. Since then, dozens of hen species have grow to be extinct, and others are endangered and hanging on for pricey life. In truth, a conservative estimate is that launched mammals kill greater than 25 million native birds yearly. Combined with different elements like land clearance, habitat loss, meals competitors, and drainage, most birds face a difficult future.
But the kiwis are combating again—each the folks and the birds.
Instead of giving up and letting many extra species go extinct, the Department of Conservation (DOC) in New Zealand, together with many different teams, non-public, public, trusts, and nonprofits, like Predator Free NZ, are working around the clock to battle the extinction on our shore. With large efforts of predator management across the nation, it offers the birds a significantly better likelihood at survival. Without it, we are able to just about kiss most of them goodbye inside our lifetimes.
Protecting these uncommon South Island birds is necessary to me. If you’ve adopted me for a very long time, you most likely have observed how I’ve shifted my content material increasingly towards conservation and sustainability. I attempt to align myself with manufacturers that look after the planet and its creatures.
For the previous decade, together with DOC, one among my largest supporters has been RealNZ (previously Real Journeys). Founded by native legends Les and Olive Hutchins again within the 50s, they helped battle the great battle to avoid wasting Lake Manapouri and defend Fiordland. These conservation values have lengthy been the core of the corporate ever since. We suppose alike and see how distinctive our taonga (treasured) species are first-hand on the South Island in Fiordland and Rakiura (Stewart Island).
I’ve traveled throughout New Zealand for the previous decade and located a few of the greatest locations for assembly a few of our uncommon and endangered South Island birds round Fiordland and Rakiura.
Get prepared to fulfill a few of my favourite South Island birds. Enjoy!
1. The cheeky Kea
The high contender for each essentially the most liked and most despised hen in New Zealand needs to be the kea. The world’s solely alpine parrot is taken into account one of the clever birds on the earth, which implies they typically stand up to no good. Farmers claimed they killed their sheep, so there was a government-sponsored bounty on their beaks for a century – killing over 150,000 kea.
Almost extinct, lower than 7,000 kea are left in New Zealand, and they’re nationally endangered and declining. Beautiful and cheeky, they’re a fan favourite of vacationers, that’s, till they rip your automotive window rubber to items or destroy your tent and throw your climbing boots off a cliff. With huge personalities and essentially the most lovely feathers, kea are particular. We’re fortunate to have them.
Because the populations of kea are so small now, it’s not all the time simple to search out them. One place you possibly can see them is alongside the Milford Road in Fiordland. They love hanging out by the Homer Tunnel and at a few of the pullover spots. If you’re taking a day journey to Milford Sound with the bus switch from Queenstown or Te Anau with RealNZ, they cease at these locations, and you’ll see them up shut and private.
But bear in mind, NEVER FEED THE KEA. As we are saying right here, a fed kea is a useless kea. Feeding kea is unhealthy for a lot of causes – you possibly can learn extra right here.
2. The alpine rock wren/pīwauwau
While most individuals affiliate the kea as New Zealand’s iconic alpine hen, the reality is they’re solely partly alpine as they nest within the forest. Rock wren/pīwauwau are literally New Zealand’s solely true alpine hen. Ka-boom, take that, kea!
Weighing lower than an AA battery, they’re tiny however mighty. I’ve been identified to waste a ton of time whereas tramping, ready round, and in search of rock wren after I’m within the mountains. Just final summer season, I made an epic mistake by spending two hours watching the rock wren on the Gillespie Pass, which means I needed to end the tramp in the dead of night in a forest the place the path was mainly invisible. 10/10 don’t suggest. But hey, it’s fairly cool there are rock wren up there! I’ve additionally seen them a couple of instances whereas tramping in Fiordland.
Rock wren are in deep trouble. Stoats love them, and local weather change will influence them too. When critical predator management efforts exist, about 85% of nests are profitable. Without predator management, nests nearly all the time fail.
3. The quirky weka
If I had a greenback for all of the instances that vacationers have informed me they have been so fortunate and noticed 20 kiwi in Fiordland who got here proper as much as them, I might most likely have round $20. Striking a stability between bursting their bubble and maintaining them completely satisfied, I discover myself kindly explaining that it was undoubtedly not kiwi; as an alternative, it was most likely the weka.
If anybody sees 2o curious kiwi through the daylight that come proper as much as you, please let me know as a result of that doesn’t occur, haha. Kiwi are uncommon, elusive, shy, solitary, and, most significantly, nocturnal. Weka? You see them everywhere, particularly in Fiordland. They’re so considerable they eat them on the Chatham Islands.
Weka have a tendency to not get a number of love. They come throughout as bizarre, scavenger-esque, and infrequently even a complete ache, particularly for conservation staff. They are predatory with different native species (regardless that they’re additionally threatened and declining), in order that they’re typically not welcome on predator-free islands.
Weka poop their very own weight in a day, which earns them respect, for my part!
4. The takahē: the hen that got here again from the useless
Takahē have lengthy been one among my favourite hen success tales in New Zealand. Declared extinct after not being noticed for 50 years, takahē have been rediscovered in 1948, hidden deep in Fiordland’s Murchison Mountains.
Takahē are New Zealand’s largest flightless hen, with mammals being the largest menace to their survival. In 2007, a stoat plague halved the takahē inhabitants within the Murchison Mountains, and these days, there are about 400 birds. Another great but bizarre poo truth is that the takahē can poo as much as 9 meters a day.
While it’s tougher to see them within the wild as a result of their populations are protected, you possibly can see takahē in many sanctuaries across the nation. These massive blue flightless birds give us all hope for different species. For instance, the South Island kōkako was listed as extinct till 2013 when DOC reclassified its standing as ‘data deficient,’ with many individuals recording sightings and songs of the hen because the hunt continues to search out them.
5. The most expressive tawaki/Fiordland crested penguin
The Fiordland crested penguin/tawaki is the one penguin on the earth to stay deep within the rainforest right here in New Zealand. With their jaunty, bushy yellow eyebrow feathers, they’re very uncommon, with the present tawaki inhabitants sitting between 2,500 and three,000 breeding pairs.
For the previous 70 years, they’ve been in decline, so seeing these guys within the wild makes it all of the extra particular.
Doubtful Sound is likely one of the locations the place I’ve usually seen tawaki. On the Doubtful Sound in a single day cruises with RealNZ, you will have a greater likelihood of seeing them at daybreak or nightfall they go/return from the ocean. The greatest time of yr to see tawaki is through the breeding season, from July to November.
6. The white-water rafting blue duck – the whio
Did you recognize our endemic duck right here in New Zealand doesn’t quack? The whio/blue duck may be very uncommon, with solely 3,000 left; the males whistle whereas the females growl. Also, a superb reminder that the ‘wh’ in ‘whio’ is pronounced as an ‘f.’ Fee-oh. Say it with me, fee-oh.
The white water rafting duck, whio want clear, fast-flowing rivers to thrive. You’ll additionally spot them on the 10-dollar observe right here. Whio Forever helps take care of these South Island birds in a partnership between Genesis Energy and DOC. RealNZ additionally contributes in direction of Whio Recovery as a part of its conservation initiatives.
While the kea are likely to get all the eye on the Milford Road, I’ve noticed many whio there too, in addition to round Fiordland.
7. The cute little $100 mohua/yellowhead
So a lot of our flashier, larger South Island birds get all the eye right here in New Zealand, and it’s simple to neglect concerning the little guys. The mohua/yellowhead is a small, insect-eating hen that lives solely within the forests of New Zealand’s South Island. Mohua are uncommon and declining; actually, there are lower than 5,000 mohua left.
Nowadays, you will discover mohua gracing our $100 observe right here in New Zealand.
Early settlers referred to as it the ‘bush canary’ due to its shade and delightful tune. You can discover mohua in pockets across the South Island, together with Fiordland. They’re a hen you kinda need to be on the hunt to search out. I’ve seen them essentially the most in Fiordland, round Dusky Sound, the place there may be a number of predator management. In partnership with DOC, RealNZ runs some critical predator management efforts round Dusky Sound, together with the formidable Cooper Island Restoration Project.
8. The different noisy and loveable parrot – the kākā
The forest-dwelling cousin of the kea is the kākā, lovely brown, purple, and yellow coloured parrots which are making an actual comeback throughout most of New Zealand; even when you don’t see them, you possibly can hear them chattering and shrieking away within the treetops.
Like a lot of our different South Island birds, they’re nonetheless in danger from predators, but additionally habitat loss – kākā want a number of forest to thrive.
9. The iconic kiwi/tokoeka, our nationwide treasure
The kiwi undoubtedly is likely one of the world’s weirdest birds. Unique, curious, and nocturnal, kiwi can’t fly, they usually have free, hair-like feathers. There are 5 species of kiwi throughout New Zealand, with lower than 70,000 left. Down south right here, we’ve the tokoeka kiwi, which accurately means ‘weka with a walking stick.’ And there are three genetically distinct types of the tokoeka kiwi: Haast, Fiordland, and Rakiura (Stewart Island).
Your greatest likelihood of seeing kiwi within the wild is on Rakiura. Realnz’s Chief Conservation Officer, Paul Norris, can also be chair of Predator-Free Rakiura, whose objective is to rid Rakiura of launched predators to assist greater than 20 threatened species. RealNZ works laborious to assist this marketing campaign.
Nationwide, roughly 20% of the kiwi inhabitants is underneath administration. In areas with predator management, 50-60% of chicks survive. Without predator management, 95% of kiwi die earlier than reaching breeding age.
10. The beloved, drunken kererū
New Zealand’s pigeon, the kererū, is a big, superbly inexperienced, bronze, and white hen you possibly can typically see across the nation. With a tiny head, you possibly can all the time hear the woosh-woosh sound it makes because it takes flight within the forest.
But maybe what kererū are most identified for is that they sometimes get drunk on fermented berries and fall out of timber. And not only one, both.
Population-wise, they’re doing okay, although the kererū is declining in areas with no predator management.
11. The musical bellbird/korimako, with its haunting songs
When I lived in Dublin Bay in Wānaka, a bellbird/korimako lived within the huge tree outdoors my balcony. At sundown, he would start singing. I’ve such lovely reminiscences of it, and every time I hear the decision of the bellbird within the forest, I keep in mind that chapter of my life.
The tune of the bellbird might be essentially the most simply recognizable name right here in New Zealand.
12. The boisterous little fantail/pīwakawaka
Known for its iconic ‘cheet cheet’ tune and energetic flying antics bopping round everywhere in the forest, the fantail/pīwakawaka is likely one of the most typical native birds right here in New Zealand. Because they’ve many chicks, fantails have fared comparatively properly with the incursion of mammal predators. You would possibly even see a stable black fantail when you’re fortunate.
In Māori tales, the fantail was answerable for bringing information of demise. It’s horrible luck to see a fantail in a home.
Maui (the trickster demi-god), pondering he may eradicate demise by efficiently passing by way of the goddess of demise, Hine-nui-te-po, tried to enter the goddess’s sleeping physique by way of the pathway of delivery. The fantail, warned by Maui to be quiet, started laughing and woke Hine-nuite-po, who killed him.
13. The crowd favourite – the tūī
It looks as if every part in New Zealand is known as after the tūī. Beers, manufacturers, and even canines are sometimes referred to as tūī, one among our most prolific and noisy songbirds. If you hear a tune within the forest, it’s typically the tūī. The tūī is great at mimicking sounds and calls from different birds.
With lovely coloring and a white feather on the chest, they’re simple to identify. Sometimes they’re a bit territorial.
14. The pleasant little South Island robin/toutouwai
The New Zealand robin/toutouwai is all the time one among my favourite South Island birds as a result of they’re so curious. Now that I’m into birdwatching, I typically decelerate whereas tramping and take the time to hear for calls and to soak within the place I’m exploring. Inevitably, a robin often reveals as much as hold me firm.
If you sit nonetheless and watch them lengthy sufficient, they may typically come proper as much as you. I’ve had them land on my cameras or perch on my boots. They like that our boots churn up the bottom revealing bugs for them to munch on.
While they’re declining, I typically see them climbing within the nationwide parks. There are three varieties: North Island robins, South Island robins, and Stewart Island robins, all of that are carefully associated. With their chubby spherical our bodies perched on lengthy spindly legs, they’re tremendous cute to watch within the wild.
15. Our guardians and fortune tellers – the tīeke/saddleback
Sadly there are solely about 700 South Island saddlebacks are left right here in New Zealand; you possibly can generally see them in Fiordland and on Rakiura. All these birds are descended from the survivors of the 36 saddlebacks rescued in 1964 when a ship unintentionally introduced rats to their remaining island refuge.
Saved from the brink of extinction, tīeke are one of many nice conservation success tales, and it’s lovely to see them within the wild.
16. And my all-time favourite – the kākāpō
You guys know that I’ve been OBSESSED with the kākāpō since I moved to New Zealand. My absolute favourite, the kākāpō, takes the highest prize for the good, weirdest, most attention-grabbing native hen. Nocturnal and flightless, kākāpō are the one lek-breeding parrot species on the earth, they usually solely breed when rimu timber put out sufficient fruit, often each two to 4 years. They are additionally one of many longest-lived hen species on the earth, clocking in at round 90 years previous and being the heaviest parrot.
The historical past of the kākāpō is a tragic one. Once, they have been the third most typical hen in New Zealand. But when people and predators arrived, they didn’t stand an opportunity. They have been decimated, and it wasn’t till the 70s that conservation started actively in search of them once more to avoid wasting their species. A number of have been present in Fiordland, all males, after which a tiny inhabitants was discovered on Rakiura with females. While they don’t have a lot genetic variety, the kākāpō are slowly making a comeback.
With solely 248 kākāpō left in New Zealand, all of them have names and are taken care of by DOC and Kākāpō Recovery, who work around the clock to carry these guys again from the brink of extinction. Sadly you most likely received’t see any kākāpō in New Zealand, they usually stay solely on offshore, predator-free islands, with restricted entry.
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to go to them each on Whenua Hou and Anchor Island, the place RealNZ generally helps with trapping. I’ve even been privileged sufficient to fulfill and maintain Sirocco a couple of instances – our well-known Spokesbird for Conservation. You might need seen him in that viral video with Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine.
But when you get fortunate and are right here when there’s a breeding season with many chicks, typically Kākāpō Recovery will typically have a few of the hand-reared chicks on the mainland in particular locations the place you would possibly get the prospect to see them. And we are able to all dream about seeing them within the wild once more sooner or later!
What South Island birds did I miss? How many have you ever seen? I wish to hear all of your tales – share!
Many because of RealNZ for all of their laborious work in conservation and for being so inspiring, and for supporting me to assist inform these highly effective tales – like all the time, I’m maintaining it actual – like you possibly can anticipate much less from me.