The spur-winged plover (Vanellus miles) is an Australian species that used to visit New Zealand only occasionally. They started breeding in Southland in the 1930s and since then have spread throughout New Zealand. Because it brought itself here, it’s considered a native species, but unlike most native bird species, the spur-winged plover has no legal [...]
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On a trip around Awaroa Inlet on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, this swamp harrier/kāhu (Circus approximans) was cruising along the shore, grazing the tops of ferns, looking for prey. Harriers vary quite a bit in colour, becoming lighter as they grow older.
The yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) was introduced to New Zealand in the late 1800s and has spread throughout the country. They feed on seeds and are especially fond of grass seeds, so they like open country where grass seeds abound: paddocks and low scrub. Because grass seeds are their preferred diet, they don’t appear to compete [...]
Fantails occur all around New Zealand and four subspecies are recognised. The South Island fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa fuliginosa) is the subspecies found, well, in the South Island. There’s also a North Island subspecies (R. f. placabilis), a Chatham Island subspecies (R. f. penita) and an extinct Lord Howe Island subspecies (R. f. cervina). The fantail [...]
Fantails are territorial during the breeding season, so when you’re in the bush and fantails come visiting, they’re checking you out to make sure you’re not trying to take over their territory. And they’re not afraid to tell you off. They look like angry ewoks.
The New Zealand fantail is very similar to Australia’s grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), and the grey fantail has been considered to be Rhipidura fuliginosa (the New Zealand species) in the past. Fantails are about 16 cm long, and half of this is their tail, the size of which becomes apparent when they spread out their tail [...]
Fantails have coped well with human settlement. They like native bush (of course), but loss of habitat hasn’t affected the fantail as much as it has other New Zealand species, as fantails also like exotic forest, farmland, parks and gardens. They’re found from sea level to snowline, pretty much anywhere where insects can be found. [...]
These guys are the welcoming committee of the New Zealand bush, turning this way and that, giving their loud ‘cheet cheet’ calls, showing off their tails, all the while continuing to hunt for the insects that make up the bulk of their diet. The fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) has over a dozen names in Maori, many [...]
Hop plants (Humulus lupulus) can be seen throughout the Motueka area in spring and summer, strung onto overhead wires. The hop bines are encouraged to grow along the wires and in late summer, the flowers of the female plants are harvested. No, that “bine” isn’t a typo, the term is used for vines that sends [...]
The white-fronted tern (Sterna striata) is often seen in large flocks along the New Zealand coastline. Their relationship with fish is complicated: the white-fronted tern is also known as the kahawai bird, from its habit of flocking over shoals of kawahai. It’s not the kahawai, they’re interested in, though, because terns are after the smaller [...]
