Places

The eye stripe on this duck is an indication of grey duck (Anas superciliosa) heritage, but the iridescent speculum on the wing is blue, a mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) trait. So is it a grey duck or a mallard? It’s impossible to tell by plumage as mallard characteristics are dominant, meaning you can have a [...]

I’m struck by the contrast of the pale, uniform underside of this fungus against its dull brown-grey dorsal surface. This is a bracket fungus, which are also called shelf fungi, and the white underbelly is where it forms fruiting bodies. Bracket fungi such as this one are an important part of forest ecosystems, as they [...]

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) drakes in other countries tend to have more vivid colours, the ones we see in New Zealand are a bit toned done due to the pervasive interbreeding with the native grey ducks (Anas superciliosa).

This tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) in silhouette shows off several gaps in its wings. The outermost feathers on its wings are the primaries and they’re labelled from the centre of its body outward. The 8th primary feather of the tūī (the third from the outer edge) has a gap, while primaries 7 to 4 each have [...]

We tend to call it by its scientific name, Pinus radiata, or just radiata pine, but it also has a more romantic sounding name, the Monterey pine, which gives away its coastal California origins. Pinus radiata is the cornerstone species of New Zealand’s exotic forest industry: 90 percent of exotic forest plantations are Pinus radiata [...]

The white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae) is called matuku moana in Māori. The long strappy feathers on its back are much more pronounced in the breeding season. Both males and females have these nuptial plumes and use them in courtship displays. They also have short pinky brown plumes on their chest in the breeding season, [...]

This is a young thrush (Turdus philomelos), which you can tell from the pale marks on its wings. While I was sitting at my desk, it came in through an open ranch slider, flew over my shoulder and crashed into the window in front of the desk. Startling for both of us, and the bird [...]

Southern black-backed gulls (Larus dominicanus dominicanus) are found all around New Zealand’s coast, up rivers and around farmland. They’re also notorious scavengers and predators of native wildlife. And, to top all that off, they’re an aviation hazard, which is why they’re one of two native bird species that have no legal protection in New Zealand. [...]

Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris) are common around towns and cities, but you can also see them at the beach. This one, on the Motueka estuary, is using its beak to hold up a stone and see what’s underneath it.