Red-winged Wood-Rail

Stunning hummingbird with a short straight bill. Males have a dark blue crown with red, blue, and gold tufted “horns” on the side. Otherwise largely metallic green above and white below with a black throat. Females have a green cap and lack the horns. Found in riverine belts and open savanna grasslands; may venture into adjacent human-modified habitats.

A large, dark nectar feeder endemic to New Zealand. Easily distinguished by two curled white feather tufts (“poi”) visible on the throat. Tail and wings have blue, purple, and green iridescence. Found throughout much of New Zealand, including Auckland, Kermadec, and Chatham Islands, though mostly absent from Canterbury. Favors native forest and scrub, also venturing into suburban parks, farmland, and rural gardens. Often detected by its unique voice consisting of melodious notes intermixed with croaks, coughs, clicks, and wheezes. Also listen for its noisy whirring flight. Similar to male Eurasian Blackbird, but easily identified by its white throat feathers and iridescence. Song can be easily confused with that of a bellbird, but listen for distinct loud coughs, grunts, and wheezes in Tui song.

An Inconspicuous, mid-sized raptor of the lowland and foothill forest interior. Dark eye, dark gray back, pale gray head and whitish belly, although a rare, dark-bellied form also occurs. Scans the forest floor from the mid-story for reptiles and insects. Orange facial skin and legs make it unmistakable in its range. Call, a high pitched “wi-ki-ki!” or longer series, sometimes given while stretching its wings straight up above its back, in display.