identifying
New Zealand Birds

Five minute bird call survey

The five-minute bird count method has been used widely throughout New Zealand since the 1970’s to monitor the density & diversity of local bird populations.

The method is quite simple.
You stand quietly in one place for five minutes, & record all birds seen or heard in that time.
This method ideal in our native rainforests, where dense vegetation can make birds harder to see.

These counts are used as an index measure & used for comparisons in an area over time.

New Zealand Native Birds

Bellbird / Korimako Well camouflaged, the bellbird is usually heard before it is seen. Females are dull olive-brown, with a slight blue sheen on the head & a pale yellow cheek stripe. Males are olive green, with a purplish head and black outer wing & tail feathers. Bellbirds are unique to New Zealand, & on Captain Cook’s arrival he described them as sounding ‘like small bells exquisitely tuned’. — **Bellbird / Korimako**
Well camouflaged, the bellbird is usually heard before it is seen. Females are dull olive-brown, with a slight blue sheen on the head & a pale yellow cheek stripe. Males are olive green, with a purplish head and black outer wing & tail feathers.
Bellbirds are unique to New Zealand, & on Captain Cook’s arrival he described them as sounding ‘like small bells exquisitely tuned’.

Fantail / Piwakawaka Easily recognised by its long tail which opens to a fan. Known for its friendly ‘cheet cheet’ call and energetic flying antics, the aptly named fantail is one of the most common & widely distributed native birds on the New Zealand mainland. — **Fantail / Piwakawaka**
Easily recognised by its long tail which opens to a fan.
Known for its friendly ‘cheet cheet’ call and energetic flying antics, the aptly named fantail is one of the most common & widely distributed native birds on the New Zealand mainland.

KererŪ / Wood Pigeon The Kererū is a large bird with irridescent green and bronze feathers on its head and a smart white vest. The noisy beat of its wings is a distinctive sound in our forests. New Zealand's native pigeon is the only disperser of large fruits, such as those of karaka & taraire, we have. The disappearance of the Kererū would be a disaster for the regeneration of our native forests. — **KererŪ / Wood Pigeon**
The Kererū is a large bird with irridescent green and bronze feathers on its head and a smart white vest. The noisy beat of its wings is a distinctive sound in our forests.
New Zealand's native pigeon is the only disperser of large fruits, such as those of karaka & taraire, we have. The disappearance of the Kererū would be a disaster for the regeneration of our native forests.

Kingfisher / Kōtare Kingfishers are found throughout New Zealand in a wide range of habitats, including forest, river margins, farmland, lakes, estuaries & rocky coastlines. A distinctive bird with a green-blue back, a light underside & a large black bill. Kingfisher normally perch in elevated observation points, like power lines & high trees, so if you’re looking for them look up. — **Kingfisher / Kōtare**
Kingfishers are found throughout New Zealand in a wide range of habitats, including forest, river margins, farmland, lakes, estuaries & rocky coastlines. A distinctive bird with a green-blue back, a light underside & a large black bill.
Kingfisher normally perch in elevated observation points, like power lines & high trees, so if you’re looking for them look up.

Paradise Duck / PŪtakitaki Unusually for ducks, the female is more eye-catching than the male; females have a pure white head & chestnut-coloured body, while males have a dark grey body & black head. The paradise shelduck is New Zealand’s only shelduck, large waterfowl that have goose-like features. They are commonly observed flying in pairs or grazing on pasture. They are very vocal birds, with males giving a characteristic ‘zonk zonk’, while females make a more shrill ‘zeek zeek’ while flying or as a warning to intruders. — **Paradise Duck / PŪtakitaki**
Unusually for ducks, the female is more eye-catching than the male; females have a pure white head & chestnut-coloured body, while males have a dark grey body & black head.
The paradise shelduck is New Zealand’s only shelduck, large waterfowl that have goose-like features. They are commonly observed flying in pairs or grazing on pasture. They are very vocal birds, with males giving a characteristic ‘zonk zonk’, while females make a more shrill ‘zeek zeek’ while flying or as a warning to intruders.

PŪkeko / Purple Swamphen The Pūkeko is very common in New Zealand, making the most of any grassland or wetland areas. It is quite a distinctive bird with black wings, a deep blue body & bright orange beak & legs. While they are capable of flying quite a distance, their flight always looks awkward with their long legs dangling. And more often than not their flights end in a crash landing. — **PŪkeko / Purple Swamphen**
The Pūkeko is very common in New Zealand, making the most of any grassland or wetland areas. It is quite a distinctive bird with black wings, a deep blue body & bright orange beak & legs.
While they are capable of flying quite a distance, their flight always looks awkward with their long legs dangling. And more often than not their flights end in a crash landing.

TŪĪ These attractive birds can often be heard long before they are spotted. If you are fortunate to glimpse one you will recognise them by their distinctive white tuft under their throat. This tuft contrasts dramatically with the metallic blue-green sheen to their underlying black colour. Tūī are common throughout New Zealand in forests, towns & on off-shore islands. They are found in native forests, bush reserves & bush remnants. They are adaptable birds, & can also be found in suburban areas, particularly in winter if there is a flowering gum about. — **TŪĪ**
These attractive birds can often be heard long before they are spotted. If you are fortunate to glimpse one you will recognise them by their distinctive white tuft under their throat. This tuft contrasts dramatically with the metallic blue-green sheen to their underlying black colour.
Tūī are common throughout New Zealand in forests, towns & on off-shore islands. They are found in native forests, bush reserves & bush remnants. They are adaptable birds, & can also be found in suburban areas, particularly in winter if there is a flowering gum about.

Wax-eye / Silvereye The wax-eye, also known as the silvereye – is a small olive green forest bird with white rings around its eyes. These friendly birds were self introduced in the 1800s and now have a wide distribution throughout New Zealand. They have made the forest their home & are now among the most common bird in suburbia too. They have a pleasant subtle call as they move, in a flock through the forest. — **Wax-eye / Silvereye**
The wax-eye, also known as the silvereye – is a small olive green forest bird with white rings around its eyes.
These friendly birds were self introduced in the 1800s and now have a wide distribution throughout New Zealand. They have made the forest their home & are now among the most common bird in suburbia too. They have a pleasant subtle call as they move, in a flock through the forest.

Introduced Species

Black Bird Introduced to New Zealand, and is now our most widely distributed bird species. Now common in a wide range of habitats including suburban gardens, farmland, woodlands & indigenous forests. A medium-sized song bird the blackbird is larger than a song thrush. Blackbird is a bit of a misleading name with only the adult male being entirely black, while the female is almost totally brown & even quite light on it’s underside. — **Black Bird**
Introduced to New Zealand, and is now our most widely distributed bird species. Now common in a wide range of habitats including suburban gardens, farmland, woodlands & indigenous forests.
A medium-sized song bird the blackbird is larger than a song thrush. Blackbird is a bit of a misleading name with only the adult male being entirely black, while the female is almost totally brown & even quite light on it’s underside.

Song Thrush The song thrush can be recognised by its speckled brown-on-cream chest. But it’s usually heard before it is seen, their distinctive song spans a wide range of notes, repeating it 2-3 times. Song thrushes were introduced from England, & were released widely in New Zealand from the mid 1800s. Now common throughout mainland New Zealand, they can be found singing from high atop a tree or from power lines. — **Song Thrush**
The song thrush can be recognised by its speckled brown-on-cream chest. But it’s usually heard before it is seen, their distinctive song spans a wide range of notes, repeating it 2-3 times.
Song thrushes were introduced from England, & were released widely in New Zealand from the mid 1800s. Now common throughout mainland New Zealand, they can be found singing from high atop a tree or from power lines.

Welcome Swallow Small fast-flying birds found in open country particularly around lakes, riverbeds & wetlands. They fly low over open water, darting from side to side to catch insects. Distinctive with a V-shaped tail, blue-black back & grey underside. Welcome Swallows were self-introduced in the mid 1900s, but established quickly & are now quite common — **Welcome Swallow**
Small fast-flying birds found in open country particularly around lakes, riverbeds & wetlands. They fly low over open water, darting from side to side to catch insects.
Distinctive with a V-shaped tail, blue-black back & grey underside. Welcome Swallows were self-introduced in the mid 1900s, but established quickly & are now quite common

Yellowhammer Yellowhammer were introduced from England, released in New Zealand from the mid 1800s. Now common throughout New Zealand, including many off-shore islands. A small bird, about the size of a sparrow, with a bright yellow head & body, the yellowhammer is easy to identify. They can be found in grasslands, feeding on seeds in large flocks, during most of the year — **Yellowhammer**
Yellowhammer were introduced from England, released in New Zealand from the mid 1800s. Now common throughout New Zealand, including many off-shore islands.
A small bird, about the size of a sparrow, with a bright yellow head & body, the yellowhammer is easy to identify. They can be found in grasslands, feeding on seeds in large flocks, during most of the year

Native bird recordings were adapted from New Zealand Department of Conservation copyright material, licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.

Five minute bird call survey

Get in touch