Shining Honeycreeper

A small, noisy songbird endemic to New Zealand, found on the South and Stewart Islands. Favors myriad forest types. Note brown upperparts with an ashy-gray face and neck, and pale creamy-brown underparts. Often located first by its harsh chattering contact calls and canary-like song. Forms fast-moving flocks in the canopy that will come down to investigate “squeaking.” Associates with other species such as Silvereye and Gray Gerygone in the non-breeding season, forming noisy, continuously chattering flocks. Pipipi is the main host of the parasitic Long-tailed Koel, and so adults can be encountered feeding a much larger Koel chick. Distinguished from Dunnock by lighter underparts; does not feed on the ground. Look for sharp contrast between gray face and lighter underparts and larger size to distinguish from Gray Gerygone.

A small to medium-sized honeyeater with a bright yellow chin and crown and bold black cheeks. Note the namesake small yellow tufts behind the ear. Gregarious and usually seen in groups; often aggressive towards other birds. Typically found in woodland areas around the southeast parts of Australia.

A rare, medium-sized honeyeater of mid-montane forest canopy. Overall yellowish color with faint streaking, strongest on the head. Two prominent lines behind the eye, dark below and pale above, also a prominent yellowish tuft in the flank. Similar to Gray-streaked and Rufous-backed Honeyeaters, but Yellow-streaked is slightly smaller and has a yellowish rather than gray base color and lacks the rufous flanks. Also similar to Leaden but is slightly larger and again differs in color. Call, a meek, double, downslurred whistle “piuu piuu”.