New Zealand Scaup
Aythya novaeseelandiae
New Zealand endemic diving duck. Widely but patchily distributed throughout North and South Islands; not found on Stewart Island, and no longer present on Chatham Islands. Unlike any other resident duck species. Compact and dark; floats on water with cork-like buoyancy, showing bath-toy duck silhouette. Forms large flocks, often congregating in sheltered areas near willows or reed beds. Spends a lot of time underwater, where it can travel considerable distances. Sexes alike but distinguishable. Male has dark black plumage, iridescent blue-green head and wings, and yellow iris. Female is duller brown with brown iris. Flies with very fast wingbeats, often just above the water’s surface. Vagrant Hardhead differs in its white iris, white undertail, and white “saddle” on bill.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aythya novaeseelandiae
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Aythya
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Red-faced Woodland-Warbler
Phylloscopus laetus
Small pretty warbler. Green on the upperparts, red on the face and throat, and white on the belly. Found in montane forest, mostly in the mid-story and canopy. Like other woodland-warblers, active and always on the move. The distinctive song consists of higher and lower “spit” notes that are quickly alternated in a sort of very loose trill. Similar to Brown Woodland-Warbler, but paler on the belly, with more red on the face and throat.
Red-billed Curassow
Crax blumenbachii
Very large terrestrial species. Males are mostly black with a curly crest and a white belly and vent. Note the red bill knob with a small wattle. Females have black-and-chestnut bars on their wings and a rufous belly. Inhabits humid primary forests with dense understory where it normally forages in pair or small family groups.
Pale-footed Bush Warbler
Hemitesia pallidipes
A retiring warbler of densely vegetated forest edges, lightly wooded slopes, and clearings in foothill to montane regions; favors areas with thick ground vegetation. Dull and unremarkable to look at; plain brown above and paler brown below, with a white throat and eyebrow. More contrastingly marked than Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler; smaller and stouter than Manchurian and Japanese Bush Warblers. Song is what sets it apart: a sharp note followed by a quick bout of chattering and squeaking.
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