Tui
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
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.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Prosthemadera
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-winged Illadopsis
Illadopsis rufescens
A mid-sized, chunky, drably colored babbler. Has a white throat and pale gray underparts, often with some darker olive-brown on the breast. Found in the understory of rainforest at low and middle elevations, usually in pairs. Shy and skulking, and rarely seen unless searched for. Similar to other illadopsises, and best located and distinguished by voice. Visually most similar to Puvel’s Illadopsis, but found in different habitat, slightly smaller, and grayer, less buffy, on the underparts. Paler below than Brown or Pale-breasted Illadopsises. Most often detected by distinctive voice: a series of several whistles in an up then down pattern that is weirdly reminiscent of trying to start a car.
Dark-throated Seedeater
Sporophila ruficollis
A small finchlike bird with a short and stubby bill. Males are a striking combination of gray, black and a rich cinnamon color. Males have a black breast and cheeks, a cinnamon belly, and a gray helmet that becomes brownish towards the back. Male “melanops” morphs have a black hood and are olive-brown above and pale below. Females are olive-brown above and buff below. Both sexes have a white wing spot that is not found in the “melanops” morph. Inhabits mature grasslands, usually near water, where it is often seen in flocks with others seedeaters during migration.
Riverbank Warbler
Myiothlypis rivularis
Brownish warbler with a strong vireo-like head pattern. Note the strong white eyebrow offset by a gray crown that is bordered with black. Largely olive-green above and buff below. The northern subspecies lacks the black border to the crown and has cinnamon-buff underparts and eyebrow. Usually seen foraging on the forest floor next to streams and rivers. The song is an ascending series of very loud whistles.
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