The Birds of New Zealand, Part II
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
In the short time since my last blog regarding the birds of New Zealand, I have managed to come across several more fascinating species I'd like to share. Many of these, I thankfully got to share with my parents, who both came to visit me for a couple weeks this past month.
Takahē
The takahē is so rare it was once thought to be extinct for about 50 years, before being rediscovered in 1948. Since then, there have been major efforts to protect them and reintroduce them to different areas. Their population now stands at a little over 500. They look similar to the pūkeko (mentioned In the first edition), but these swamphens are larger and also flightless. The takahē is also featured on the country's $100 banknotes. I was lucky enough to come across a pair of them wandering in the grasses of the Rees Valley in the South Island on a crisp autumn morning at the end of one of my backpacking trips. One ran off into the woods, but the other stuck around long enough for me to get a video.
Yellow-Crowned Parakeet
Though the most common parakeet in New Zealand, the yellow-crowned parakeet has declined significantly in population over the last few decades. Their biggest threats are rats and stoats.
South Island Saddleback
Another species that was brought from the edge of extinction, the last 36 saddlebacks were translocated from a rat-infested island far to the south to safer islands. It was one of the first successful endeavors of its kind, and the population is now thought to exceed 2000. In Maori culture, the bird is thought to have acquired its orange feather after the demigod Maui scorched its feathers for ignoring his request for it to bring him water.
New Zealand Fantail
The fantail, though unique only to this country, is a prospering species, noted for its tail. In Maori tradition, fantails are thought to be able to communicate with the underworld. Therefore, if a fantail enters a house, it is treated as a harbinger of death of bad news. Thankfully, I have only seen them out in the wild, where I can enjoy their beauty without worrying about any dark portents.
Variable Oystercatcher
True to its name, the oystercatcher typically feeds on shellfish they find while scouring beaches and estuaries. Interestingly, they can live to be over 30 years old. Though their numbers were brought low through hunting, once they gained protected status, their population has resurged to over 6000. I have witnessed them on the shores of both the north and south islands, but the video below is from the Marlborough Sound.
King Shag
Shags are also known as cormorants. The King Shag is only ever existed in one place on earth, in the Marlborough Sound region. Though they are considered a vulnerable species, their numbers have always been consistently low, and today stand at well under 1000. Among cormorants, they are known as some of the best deep divers, and for that reason, the Maori tales say that a curse was placed on them to limit their numbers to prevent their superior fishing skills from elbowing out the other species.
Spotted Shag
Another kind of shag. These have yellow feet, which is a shared trait only among one other variety, that one being found in Antarctica. Spotted shags do not have oil in their feathers, and this lack of buoyancy is what allows them to dive deeply, up to 20 meters (though the king shag can easily dive double, and even triple that depth). These are much more common than the king shag, with some estimations adding up to 50,000 strong.
Grey Warbler
The grey warbler is the most widely distributed of endemic bird species in New Zealand. In Maori tradition, their songs would mark the start of the crop planting season. They are one of the few birds to have adjusted well to human habitation.
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