Layard's Warbler

A compact raptor endemic to New Zealand, with streaky cream-and-brown breast and reddish-brown undertail. In flight, note rapid beating of long pointed wings, and long rounded tail shape while gliding. Females are much larger than males. Widely distributed throughout New Zealand in native and exotic forest, as well as in tussock grassland and farmland. Will aggressively dive-bomb intruders close to nesting sites. Distinctive “kek-kek-kek” call given during attacks. Similar to Swamp Harrier but smaller; rarely feeds on road kill, actively chases prey, and glides with wings set flat rather than a shallow “V” shape like the Swamp Harrier.

A medium-sized honeyeater of mid-mountain oak forest and adjacent secondary areas. Upperparts olive, underparts gray with mottling and some streaking on the crown. Note distinctive white crescents beneath the eye and on the cheek. Solitary and inconspicuous in the upper levels of forest. No other honeyeaters have these white cresents on the face. Voice, an often repeated, whistled “chirrup!” or more musical, wrenlike “chii-pi-dup!”.

A small and nondescript flycatcher that is nowhere near as exciting-looking as the name suggests. Generally found in large bamboo thickets, but can also occur in other viney tangles in forest gaps and edges. Overall dingy olive upperparts and faintly streaked brownish underparts are fairly distinctive; most similar species in range are either yellower or grayer, not brownish. Most often found by its voice, a short series of hollow “pip” notes.