Purplish-mantled Tanager

New Zealand’s smallest kiwi species. Light grayish brown with white horizontal banding or “spotting” along the length of the body. Restricted to offshore predator-free island sanctuaries and to the mainland Zealandia sanctuary in Wellington. More often heard than seen, including loud sniffling as it forages for invertebrates. Male produces a series of burry, rising high-pitched whistles. Female has a lower ascending burry whistle. Both sexes repeat their call many times, often duetting. Could be confused with Weka by voice and shape; look for the kiwi’s much longer bill and lack of tail, and listen for its multisyllabic call.

A long-tailed green parrot with a light olive hood, an orange bill, and a yellowish-green underside. Note the yellow bar on the underwing in flight. Juveniles have a dark brownish-black bill. Gregarious, found in pairs or groups high up within forest and savanna in the lowlands, hills, and mountains in its limited range in the eastern Lesser Sundas. Smaller than Marigold Lorikeet, with a lighter colored head, and lacks Marigold’s broad yellow collar. Gives characteristic lorikeet screeches: “eek.”

Slender, long-tailed bird found in shrubby woodland (especially mangroves). Brown above and buffy below with gray cap, black mask, and bold black-and-white pattern on underside of tail. Bill is black on top, yellow below. Similar to Yellow-billed Cuckoo, but note buffy belly, black mask, and no rufous in the wings. Shy; tends to sit still for long periods of time, can be difficult to spot. Song is a series of low croaking notes, gradually becoming longer and lower-pitched. Feeds primarily on insects and small reptiles.