New Zealand : birds

New Zealand is a good place for bird watching.  Its islands, natural forests and grasslands provide natural habitat to many sea and land birds.  During our trip to New Zealand, we saw more than a dozen spices of birds.  Some of them are native birds and some are introduced by settlers.

Kiwi
Kiwi is a native bird of New Zealand.  It does not fly.  It is only found in New Zealand. Kiwi becomes a symbol of New Zealand besides its golden fern. After European settlers arrived in New Zealand, dogs and sheep farming had significantly reduced its number.   

(Kiwi)

Kea
Kea is another New Zealand native bird.  It lives in the Southern Alps in the South Island.  It also does not fly.  It survives in the harsh natural environment.  When sheep farming expanded into its natural habitat areas, there were reports of kea attaching sheep. We met this kea in the Fiordland National Park.

(Kea)

Penguin
Penguins are found only in the South.  New Zealand is home to many species of penguins.  We saw the small blue penguin in the Oamaru harbour near Dunedin.

(Blue penguin inside the artificial nesting box)

(Warning sign for penguins crossing)

White and Black Swan
Black swan is less commonly seen than white swan.  We saw both white and black swan in the Rotorua Lake.

(Black swan)

(White swan)

Red-billed Gull
Large number of gulls live along the coasts and harbours.  We took a picture of this red-billed bull also in the Rotorua Lake.

(Red-billed gull)

Paradise Duck
Paradise duck has colourful feathers.  This paradise duck was enjoying its sun bath in the Hagley Park, Christchurch.

(Paradise duck next to a fountain)

Mallard Duck
These two lovely mallard duck duckings rested in the grassland near the Avon River inside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

(Ducklings surrounded by beautiful daisies)

Goldfinch
Goldfinch was introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s by the European settlers.  It has gold bars in its black wings.  Male goldfinch has brilliant red face.



(A male Goldfinch on top of the pine tree)

 Matata
Matata is a fernbird.  Local Maori calls it matata.  We saw this matata in the bush near the Hagley Park.

(Matata)