Sharpe's Apalis

A small charcoal-colored songbird endemic to New Zealand. Confined to central North Island and a few offshore predator-free islands. Favors mature native and exotic forest stands. Male is almost all black with a white spot above the bill. Female and juvenile grayer, with lighter patches on breast and throat. Can be incredibly confiding and curious about humans. It is possible to bring individuals out into the open by disturbing leaf litter and then sitting quietly. Actively flushes out prey with foot trembling and by flicking its wings and tail. Male song is a loud and simple phrase of notes including “pwee-pwee-pwee.”

A stone-colored terrestrial bird of stony hillsides, mountain ridges, and meadows above treeline. Adults speckled gray and white above, with dense rusty streaking on white underparts, red bill, and deep red legs. Usually forages in small groups, often in very exposed areas such as cliff sides and rocky ridges. Song, often given by multiple birds in a group simultaneously, is high-pitched and has a slippery, squeaky quality like wet shoes on tile; male song louder and ascending, female’s softer and descending.

A small rainforest starling with a short square tail. In poor light, can look completely black, but usually shows a purple head; the rest of the body and wing are black with blue gloss. Even in bad viewing conditions, the pale eye is obvious. Found in lowland rainforest, gallery forest, and along forest edge. Often in small groups. Very similar to Purple-headed Starling, but ranges don’t overlap, and easily separated by the yellow eye. Found in the same habitat as Splendid Starling, but much smaller, with a shorter and narrower tail. The vocalizations include nasal whistles and scratchy notes.