New Zealand

• North Island - Firth of Thames North Island - Firth of Thames North Island - Firth of Thames Miranda reserve[Miranda]

  WebpageSatellite View
  An hours drive from Auckland, Miranda is the focal point of the seabird coast. Thousands of waders can be encountered from October to March including Wrybill, New Zealand Dotterel, Banded Dotterel, Red-necked Stint, Terek Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and large numbers of Godwits and Knot. NB A number of Fatbirder correspondents report that their cars have been broken into when visiting this site - please do NOT leave anything on show in your car, such as bags or optics.

• North Island - Tiritiri Matangi Island

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Only a short ferry ride from Auckland city centre this predator free island is a glimpse of the paradise lost when european settlers introduced rats, possums and stoats to the fragile aotearoan ecosystem. Highlights include Takahe, Kokako, Stitchbird, Saddleback and Little Spotted Kiwi. One of the Fatbirder's most favourite places in the world!

• North Island - Zealandia

  WebsiteSatellite View
  ZEALANDIA is the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, with an extraordinary 500-year vision to restore a Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to their pre-human state. The 225 hectare (500+ acre) ecosanctuary is a groundbreaking conservation project that has reintroduced 18 species of native wildlife back into the area, some of which were previously absent from mainland New Zealand for over 100 years.

• South Island - Eglington Valley and Milford Sound

  Satellite View
  A stunning drive with plenty of opportunities to look for Yellowhead, Kaka, Rifleman, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Brown Creeper, Kea, Rock Wren, New Zealand Falcon, Blue Duck and Fjordland Crested Penguin.

• South Island - Haast Pass

  InformationSatellite View
  Midway between Haast and Wanaka, on the South Island, an early morning visit to this ancient Red Beech forest should reveal Yellowhead, Kaka, Rifleman, Yellow-crowned Parakeet and Brown Creeper.

• South Island - Kaikoura

  InformationSatellite View
  Snuggled under a stunning mountain range this coastal town is only 5km from the continental shelf which means that Albatross, Petrels, Shearwaters and cetaceans are abundant, especially April - August. Get a boat out and seawatching will never be quite the same again, expect nostril to nostril encounters with Royal, Wandering, Shy, Salvins, Bullers and Black-browed Albatross, Westland Black Petrel, Cape Pigeon, Fairy Prion, Giant Petrels and more.

• South Island - Otago Peninsula

  InformationSatellite View
  Easily accessible from Dunedin on the South Island the Otago offers colonies of Royal Albatross, Yellow-eyed Penguin, Spotted Shag, Stewart Island Shag and plenty of seabird action offshore.

• Stewart Island

  InformationSatellite View
  A gem at the southern tip of New Zealand with abundant birdlife including Blue, Yellow-eyed and Fjordland Crested Penguins, Seabirds galore, Weka, Kaka and the most reliable sites to witness the national icon, Brown Kiwi.

• Narena Olliver

  | narena@nzbirds.com

• Duncan Poyser

  | duncanpoyser@hotmail.com

• Number of bird species: 396

  (As at March 2024)

  National Bird - Kiwi Apteryx mantelli

• Number of endemics: 97

  …including Breeding Endemics:
  Southern Brown Kiwi (Tokoeka) Apteryx australis
  Okarito Brown Kiwi (Rowi) Apteryx rowi
  Northern Brown Kiwi Apteryx mantelli
  Great Spotted Kiwi Apteryx haastii
  Little Spotted Kiwi Apteryx owenii
  Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata
  Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos
  Brown Teal Anas chlorotis
  Auckland Island Teal Anas aucklandica
  Campbell Island Teal Anas nesiotus
  New Zealand Scaup Aythya novaeseelandiae
  New Zealand Grebe (Dabchick) Poliocephalus rufopectus
  Fiordland (New Zealand) Crested Penguin Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
  Snares Crested Penguin Eudyptes robustus
  Erect-Crested Penguin Eudyptes sclateri
  Yellow-Eyed Penguin Megadyptes antipodes
  Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora
  Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi
  New Zealand [Wandering] Albatross Diomedea antipodensis
  Campbell Albatross (Mollymawk) Thalassarche impavida
  White-Capped Albatross (Mollymawk) Thalassarche steadi
  Chatham Island Albatross (Mollymawk) Thalassarche eremita
  Salvin's Albatross (Mollymawk) Thalassarche salvini
  Buller's Albatross (Mollymawk) Thalassarche bulleri
  Grey-Faced Petrel Pterodroma gouldi
  Chatham Island Taiko (Magenta Petrel) Pterodroma magentae
  Mottled Petrel Pterodroma inexpectata
  Chatham (Island) Petrel Pterodroma axillaris
  Cook's Petrel Pterodroma cookii
  Pycroft's Petrel Pterodroma pycrofti
  Westland Petrel Procellaria westlandica
  Black (Parkinson's) Petrel Procellaria parkinsoni
  Buller's Shearwater Puffinus bulleri
  Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia
  Hutton's Shearwater Puffinus huttoni
  Kermadec Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma albiclunis
  New Zealand Storm-Petrel Pealeornis maoriana
  New Zealand King Shag Leucocarbo carunculatus
  Otago Shag Leucocarbo chalconotus
  Foveaux Shag Leucocarbo stewarti
  Chatham Island Shag Leucocarbo onslowi
  Bounty Island Shag Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
  Auckland Island Shag Leucocarbo colensoi
  Campbell Island Shag Leucocarbo campbelli
  Spotted Shag Stictocarbo punctatus
  Pitt Island Shag Stictocarbo featherstoni
  New Zealand Falcon Falco novaeseelandiae
  Auckland Island Rail Dryolimnas muelleri
  Weka Gallirallus australis
  South Island Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri
  Chatham Island Snipe Coenocorypha pusilla
  Snares Island Snipe Coenocorypha huegeli
  Iredale's (Stewart Island) Snipe Coenocorypha iredalei
  Sub-Antarctic Snipe Coenocorypha aucklandica
  Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor
  South Island (Pied) Oystercatcher Haematopus finschi
  Chatham Island Oystercatcher Haematopus chathamensis
  Black Stilt Himantopus novaezelandiae
  New Zealand Plover (Dotterel) Charadrius obscurus
  Banded Dotterel (Double-Banded Plover) Charadrius bicinctus
  Shore Plover Thinornis novaeseelandiae
  Wrybill Anarhynchus frontalis
  Red-Billed Gull Larus scopulinus
  Black-Billed Gull Larus bulleri
  Fairy Tern Sternula nereis
  Black-Fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus
  New Zealand Pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
  Chatham Island Pigeon Hemiphaga chathamensis
  Kakapo Strigops habroptilus
  New Zealand Kaka Nestor meridionalis
  Kea Nestor notabilis
  Red-Crowned Parakeet Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae
  Yellow-Crowned Parakeet Cyanoramphus auriceps
  Orange-Fronted (Malherbe's) Parakeet Cyanoramphus malherbi
  Forbes' Parakeet Cyanoramphus forbesi
  Antipodes Island Parakeet Cyanoramphus unicolor
  Reischek's (Hochstetter's) Parakeet Cyanoramphus hochstetteri
  
  Passerines
  
  Rifleman Acanthisitta chloris
  Rock (South Island) Wren Xenicus gilviventris
  North Island Kokako Callaeas wilsoni
  North Island Saddleback Philesturnus rufusater
  South Island Saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus
  Stitchbird Notiomystis cincta
  Grey Gerygone (Warbler) Gerygone igata
  Chatham Gerygone (Warbler) Gerygone albofrontata
  New Zealand Bellbird Anthornis melanura
  Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
  Whitehead Mohoua albicilla
  Yellowhead Mohoua ochrocephala
  New Zealand Brown Creeper Mohoua novaeseelandiae
  New Zealand Tomtit Petroica macrocephala
  North Island Robin Petroica longipes
  South Island Robin Petroica australis
  Chatham Island Black Robin Petroica traversi
  New Zealand Fernbird Bowdleria punctata
  Snares Fernbird Bowdleria caudata
  New Zealand Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae

• A Checklist to New Zealand Birds

  | (Frogs, Reptiles, Mammals and Butterflies) | By Kerry-Jane Wilson | Canterbury University Press | 2007 | Paperback | 64 pages, no illustrations | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781877257513 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• A Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

  | By Julian Fitter & Don Merton | Harper Collins | 2014 | Paperback | 320 pages, 600+ colour photos | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780007354757 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds Of New Zealand

  | By Oscar Thomas | John Beaufoy Publishing | Edition 2 | 2023 | Paperback | 176 pages, 300 colour photos, 2 colour maps | ISBN: 9781913679415 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Atlas of Bird Distribution in New Zealand 1999-2004

  | By CJR Robertson, P Hyvonen, MJ Fraser & CR Pickard | Ornithological Society of New Zealand | 2007 | Hardback | 533 pages, 2100 maps, figs | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780958248655 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of New Zealand

  | By Alison Dench | New Holland | 2015 | Paperback | 80 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781869663339 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of New Zealand Checklist

  | By Brian O'Flaherty | New Holland Publishers New Zealand | 2005 | Paperback | ISBN: 9781869661199 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of New Zealand: A Photographic Guide

  | By Paul Scofield & Brent Stephenson | Yale University Press | 2013 | Paperback | 544 pages, 1005 colour photos, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780300196825 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of New Zealand: Locality Guide

  | By Stuart Chambers | Arun Books | 2014 | Paperback | 408 pages, col photos, illustrations | ISBN: 9781505368871 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birdwatching in New Zealand

  | A complete guide | By Alan Froggatt | Upstart Press | 2024 | Paperback | 128 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781869665135 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Buller's Birds of New Zealand

  | The Complete Work of JG Keulemans | By Geoff Norman, Stephen Fry(Foreword By), John Gerrard Keulemans (Illustrator) & Walter Buller | 2014 | Te Papa Press | Hardback | 192 pages, b/w photos, colour & b/w illustrations | ISBN: 9780987668868 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand

  | (Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica) | Ornithological Society of New Zealand Checklist Committee | 2010 | Paperback | 500 pages, 4 maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781877385599 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Collins Field Guide: Birds of New Zealand, Hawaii, Central and West Pacific

  | By Ber Van Perlo | Harper Collins | 2011 | Hardcover | 256 pages | 95 colour plates | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780007287383 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Field Guide to New Zealand Seabirds

  | By Brian Parkinson |New Holland Publishers | 2007 | Paperback | 136 page, 166 Colour Photos, 108 Maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781869661502 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

  | By Barrie Heather, Hugh Robertson & Derek Onley | Penguin Books New Zealand | 2015 | Paperback | 464 pages, 85 plates with colour illustrations; b/w illustrations, colour | ISBN: 9780143570929 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Flight of the Huia

  | Ecology and Conservation of New Zealand's Frogs, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals Kerry-Jayne Wilson411 pages, col photos, illus.Canterbury University Press | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780908812523 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• New Zealand Birds in Pictures

  | By Kimball Chen | New Holland | 2019 | Hardback | 256 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781869664831 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Photographic Guide to Birds of New Zealand

  | By Geoff Moon | New Holland Publishers | 2012 | Paperback | 141 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781869663278 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The 50 Best Birdwatching Sites In New Zealand

  | By Liz Light & Oscar Thomas | John Beaufoy Books | Edition 2 | 2023 | Paperback | 220 Pages | 200 colour photos | 5 Colour Maps | ISBN: 9781913679408 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Cuckoo and the Warbler

  | A True New Zealand Story | By Kennedy Warne & Heather Hunt | Potton & Burton | 2016 | Paperback | 36 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9780947503048 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

  | By Hugh Robertson & Barrie Heather | Penguin NZ | Edition 2 | 2015 | Paperback | 191 pages, 85 plates with colour illustrations; colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780143570936 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds

  | By Geoff Moon | Reed Publishing | 1996 | Reed Publishing | Hardback | 256 pages, Col photos throughout | ISBN: 9780790005041 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Story of New Zealand's Unique Birds

  | From Adzebill to Yellow-Eyed Penguin | By Alan Froggatt | Upstart Press | 2021 | Paperback | 200 pages, colour & b/w photos, 1 colour map | ISBN: 9781869665616 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• New Zealand Birds Online

  Website
  The digital encyclopaedia of New Zealand birds

• Massey - NZ

  Course
  An introductory biology and natural history course presented within an evolutionary framework that investigates the diversity of animal life, human-animal interactions, nutrient and energy flows, conservation and sustainability. This course places emphasis on wild animals and ecological processes operating within New Zealand and globally

• New Zealand Rare Birds Committee

  Website
  The Society's Rare Birds Committee has been in existence for about 25 years

• Birding New Zealand

  Website
  The New Zealand Birding Network is a group of operators located throughout New Zealand offering bird-watching orientated tours, excursions and accommodation. In addition to unique birds and fantastic scenery, New Zealand has a well-developed infrastructure, visitor facilities are up-to-date. It is a safe and easy place to travel with friendly people who welcome visitors and love showing-off their country.

• Birds NZ (Ornithological Society of New Zealand)

  Website
  General information about who the Ornithological Society of New Zealand are and what they do. Founded in 1939 the OSNZ was incorporated in 1953 and now has about 1000 financial members world-wide. A feature of OSNZ is the diversity of its membership, which ranges from professional ornithologists and government institutions in New Zealand and overseas through secondary and tertiary students and experienced amateur observers to learners and beginners. No special qualifications are required for admission and membership is open to all who are interested in birds.

• Birds NZ Local Branches

  Webpage
  Click on your region to find out more information about meetings and events near you.

• Forest & Bird

  Website
  P0 Box 631, Wellington. +64 4 3857374 l.bates@wn.forest-bird.org.nz NZ's equivalent of the RSPB etc. are an active, successful New Zealand based conservation organisation. Since 1923 we have worked for the protection of New Zealand's native forests, threatened species, marine heritage and for a healthier environment

• Kakapo Recovery Project

  Website
  Imagine you wake up one day and are told to look after the last 62 kakapo in the world! What would you do? Well, that is the challenge facing the Kakapo Recovery Programme every day. It sounds daunting, but it is all about doing some fairly simple things over and over again, and doing them well. We manage the birds in the wild to ensure they are healthy and ready for breeding. We research new ideas that might help ensure a future for the kakapo. We develop new technology that helps us in our daily work

• Kiwi Conservation Club

  Website
  The Kiwi Conservation Club is a Forest and Bird project for children.

• New Zealand Ecological Society

  Website
  The New Zealand Ecological Society was formed in 1951 to promote the study of ecology and the application of ecological knowledge in all its aspects. Through its activities, the society attempts to encourage ecological research, increase awareness and understanding of ecological principles, promote sound ecological planning and management of the natural and human environment and promote high standards both within the profession of ecology by those practicing it, and by those bodies employing ecologists

• Pukaha-Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre

  Website
  We’re 30kms north of Masterton, Wairarapa and 10km south of Eketahuna, Tararua. It’s about 2 hours to drive north-east from Wellington, a little longer heading south-west from Napier, or an hour south from Palmerston North.

• Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project

  Webpage
  The Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project aims to restore approximately 5000 hectares of beech forest on the shores of Lake Rotoiti, in Nelson Lakes National Park. This is being achieved through an extensive predator trapping programme and the area is managed as a "mainland island"

• Save the Kiwi

  Website
  The kiwi could disappear from our forests if we don’t work to save it now. Join the cause to save the kiwi.

• Tiritiri Matangi Supporters

  Website
  Located 30km north east of central Auckland and just 4km from the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Tiritiri Matangi Island is one of New Zealand`s most important and exciting conservation projects. 120 years of farming saw this 230-hectare island stripped of 94% of its native bush but between 1984 and 1994, volunteers planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees. The island is now 60% forested. The remaining 40% will be left as grassland for species such as the Takahe. In conjunction with this planting programme, all mammalian predators have been eradicated and a number of species of threatened and endangered birds have been successfully introduced. Nowhere else in New Zealand can you readily walk amongst so many species in such significant quantities. Tiritiri Matangi is one of only 2 Open Scientific Reserves in New Zealand, the other being the Albatross colony at Taiaroa Heads near Dunedin. Ferries depart from both Gulf Harbour and downtown Auckland allowing 150 visitors per day to visit the island. This is in addition to any private craft that may land. For ornithologically minded people, no visit to Auckland would be complete without a trip to Tiritiri Matangi. This gets such a large entry as it happens to be one of the Fat Birder`s most favourite places on earth!

• Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre

  Website
  For more than 12 years the award-winning Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre has cared for and treated thousands of injured birds

• Wingspan - Birds of Prey Trust

  Website
  The Goal of Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust is to: Restore New Zealand birds of prey into our daily lives and secure their long-term future through practical research based conservation action and education….

• Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust

  Website
  The Yellow-eyed Penguin, or hoiho as it was known to Maori, is a rather remarkable bird. Please take some time to discover this wonderful but threatened Penguin.

Abbreviations Key

• **New Zealand's National Parks

  InformationSatellite View

• *Forest & Bird Reserves

  InformationSatellite View
  Forest & Bird owns nearly 40 nature reserves totalling more than a thousand hectares around New Zealand. Most of these reserves are bequeathed to us and are actively managed by members, who undertake restoration work such as planting, weed-busting, pest control and reintroduction of native species.

• CvP Pureora Forest Park

  WebpageSatellite View
  The park preserves the last remnants of extensive native podocarp forests that once covered most of the central North Island. When deep under the canopy of these ancient trees, it’s easy to imagine primeval New Zealand as it existed thousands of years ago... ...a key place for Kokako, and there is a bird viewing tower near the cabins where Parakeet and Kaka are often seen.

• IR Blumine Island

  WebpageSatellite View
  Blumine Island Oruawairua (Māori) Geography Location Marlborough Sounds South Island Coordinates 41.1748°S 174.2395°E Area 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi) Highest elevation 298 m (978 ft) Administration New Zealand Demographics Population 0 Blumine Island, or Oruawairua in the Māori language, is in the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island of New Zealand. Contents 1 Description 2 Kiwi 3 See also 4 References Description Blumine Island covers 337 hectares (830 acres) and is mostly hill country. The island is located about 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Picton. It is the site of a scenic reserve meaning anyone can visit the island. A visit by Captain James Cook left the island infested with introduced pests, which have since been eradicated through the use of helicopter poison drops, conducted by the Department of Conservation. In May 2008 the island was declared predator free and efforts began to reintroduce native species back to the island. It now has translocated Yellowhead, Orange-fronted Parakeet, King Shag and Rowi (Okarito Brown) Kiwi.

• IR Tiritiri Matangi Island

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Located 30km north east of central Auckland and just 4km from the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Tiritiri Matangi Island is one of New Zealand's most important and exciting conservation projects. 120 years of farming saw this 220-hectare island stripped of 94% of its native bush but between 1984 and 1994, volunteers planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees. The island is now 60% forested. The remaining 40% will be left as grassland for species such as the Takahe.

• Kiwi & Birdlife Park - Queenstown

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Set in 8 acres of beautifully landscaped native bush the Kiwi & Birdlife Park in the centre of Queenstown is a truly magical place to visit. Discover the nocturnal world of the Kiwi at home amongst the tree ferns. Follow the trail to aviaries nestling amongst the bush where birdsong mongles with the soft sound of the flowing streams…

• MIR Boundary Stream

  WebpageSatellite View
  Discover the tallest waterfall in Hawke's Bay, or native forest and birds in an area protected from pests and predators as a 'mainland island'. Explore a limestone landscape or a picturesque lake. The North Island kōkako reintroduction program began in 2001 with the transfer of 10 wild birds from Te Urewera. Since then numbers have steadily increased. There were 27 birds (12 pairs and 3 single birds) in 2010.

• NP Te Urewera

  InformationSatellite View
  Te Urewera is the largest of four national parks in the North Island. Covering an area of approximately 2,127 km², it was in the north of the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island.

• NR Atawhai-Whenua Reserve, Waiheke Island

  WebpageSatellite View
  Atawhai Reserve is fortunate in that Waiheke Island is free from possums, weasels and wild ferrets. The overall vision has been to restore the whole ecotone sequence from ridge top through freshwater wetland to the sea. Replanting - with broadleaved and podocarp species common to Waiheke - is now mostly completed.

• NR Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve

  WebpageSatellite View
  The Cape Kidnapper Gannet Reserve is rare in ornithological circles as it contains the largest and most accessible mainland gannet colony in the world. By this very rarity, many visitors from both within New Zealand and from overseas, have been drawn to Hawke's Bay to visit the reserve and experience for themselves the gannets in their natural environment.

• NR Farewell Spit

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Farewell Spit is the longest natural sandbar in the world. Maori people named the spit Onetahua, meaning heaped up sand - the long sandbar stretches out 35km from the very tip of the South Island of New Zealand

• NR Kapiti Island

  InformationSatellite View
  The island is home to a number of native birds, mostly re-introduced. These include takahe, North Island kōkako, brown teal, stitchbird (hihi), North Island saddleback (tieke), tomtit (miromiro), fantail (piwakawaka), morepork (ruru), weka and North Island robin (toutouwai). The brown kiwi and little spotted kiwi were released on the island between 1890 and 1910, and the island is now the stronghold for the latter species. Rat eradication has led to increases in red-fronted parakeets, North Island robin, bellbirds, and saddlebacks, and the island is considered one of New Zealand's most important sites for bird recovery, as well as a major breeding site for sea birds. In April 2005, the critically endangered short-tailed bat was introduced to the island from a threatened population in the Tararuas, providing them with a separate, safer habitat.

• NR Mana Island

  InformationSatellite View
  The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) now administers the island and has started to restore the forests, with over 500,000 trees being planted so far by volunteers. In 1989/90 mice were eradicated from the island. Subsequently, a wetland on the island was restored and several threatened bird, lizard and plant species translocated to Mana.

• NR Maungatautari Restoration Project

  InformationSatellite View
  Because poisons and trapping, traditional methods of pest control, have limited success and seldom last long, the creators of the plan decided to enclose the 34 square kilometres of bush with a 47 km pest-exclusion fence to create an ecological island. When the environment is rendered suitable, the area will be repopulated with the entire suite of charismatic species that may now be locally extinct, such as North Island brown kiwi, North Island kōkako, kakariki, tuatara and many others. Kaka already visit regularly and are likely to become resident if suitable methods are employed.

• NR Motunau Island

  InformationSatellite View
  Motunau Island is a small, three hectare island nature reserve lying 1.2 km off the coast of New Zealand's South Island, at the northern end of Pegasus Bay, south of the mouth of the Motunau River. The reserve is managed by the Department of Conservation and access is by permit only. The island is an important site for seabirds. In 1967, it was the breeding site of an estimated 23,000 individual birds. It is home to a colony of 5,000 white-flippered penguins. Other birds recorded as breeding there include white-faced storm petrels, sooty shearwaters, fairy prions, variable oystercatchers and white-fronted terns.

• NR Nga Manu

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Nga Manu Nature Reserve offers you a unique opportunity to have a hands on experience related to the natural history of New Zealand. We hope that by visiting the Reserve you will gain an understanding of the ecosystems by using examples of plants and animals that can be observed within the different habitats that make up the Reserves ecosystems…

• NR Nugget Point

  InformationSatellite View
  Nugget Point is one of the most iconic landforms on the Otago coast. Located at the northern end of the Catlins coast, along the road from Kaka Point, this steep headland has a lighthouse at its tip, surrounded by rocky islets (The Nuggets). The point is home to many seabirds, including penguins, gannets and royal spoonbills, and a large breeding colony of fur seals. Roaring Bay, on the south coast of the tip of Nugget Point, is home to a small colony of yellow-eyed penguins.

• NR Oamaru Blue Penguine Colony

  WebsiteSatellite View
  The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is situated in the former Oamaru harbour quarry. Once worked to provide rock for the construction of the Oamaru harbour, the quarry was turned over to the penguins in 1992, however the penguins have been present in small numbers since the early 1980s… this site has a webvcam too…

• NR Pekapeka Wetland

  InformationSatellite View
  Pekapeka Wetland is a wetland reserve located 12 kilometres by road south of Hastings in the Poukawa Basin of Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

• NR Pigeon Island - Wāwāhi Waka

  InformationSatellite View
  Pigeon Island (Wāwāhi Waka) is located in at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand near the township of Glenorchy. It is 170 hectares in size and is the largest island in the lake. Native New Zealand birds that can be found on Pigeon Island are: tui, wood pigeon, bellbird, brown creeper and yellow-crowned parakeet. Buff weka were translocated from Stevensons Island in 2006 and are now commonly seen.

• NR Pukaha Mt. Bruce National Wildlife Centre

  InformationSatellite View
  Conservation hope for New Zealand's threatened and unique forest parrot, the kaka, has soared following a breeding success at the Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. The kaka reintroduction programme at Mount Bruce has exceeded conservation expectations with at least two kaka pairs nesting and raising chicks a year before expected said conservation officer Doug Mende. See the Website

• NR Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre

  WebpageSatellite View
  The Miranda Shorebird Centre is located in New Zealand on the Firth of Thames, one hour south east of Auckland and half an hour west of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Miranda coast is a world-renowned destination for birdwatchers. Thousands of wading birds from the Arctic tundra, along with similar numbers of New Zealand breeding shorebirds gather at Miranda each year. The Miranda Shorebird Centre is both a lodge as well as an information/education centre. It features extensive displays and dioramas on the natural history of Miranda and its international significance.

• NR Tuku

  InformationSatellite View
  The Tuku Nature Reserve lies in the Tuku-a-tamatea (Tuku) River Valley in the south-west of the island of Rekohu, the main island in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands group in the south-west Pacific Ocean. It is important for the conservation of the critically endangered Magenta Petrel Pterodroma magentae. The reserve is based on 1238 ha of land still largely covered with dense native forest.

• RP Muriwai Gannet Colony

  WebpageSatellite View
  Muriwai is one of Auckland's so-called West Coast beaches, with good fishing, strong winds and rough waves. These conditions attract not only the gannets…

• RP Shakespear

  InformationSatellite View
  Shakespear Regional Park is a nature park in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is located at the tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Together with New Zealand Defence Force land to the north, most of the Park lies within the Shakespear Open Sanctuary. A 1.7-kilometre pest/predator-proof fence (completed March 2011) across the peninsula between protects the park's wildlife. This includes resident invertebrates and lizards, along with birds migrating from the nearby Tiritiri Matangi island sanctuary. Brodifacoum poison airdrops were conducted in July 2011 to eradicate mammalian pests.

• RP Tawharanui

  InformationSatellite View
  Tawharanui Regional Park covers 588 hectares of the peninsula's land and Tawharanui Marine Reserve covers the northern coastal sea. Both are administered by Auckland Council [1] which also owns the regional park. The park combines a "mainland island" sanctuary for the conservation of native plants and animals with farmland and public recreation areas.

• WR Orokonui Ecosanctuary

  InformationSatellite View
  The Ecosanctuary is in a north-facing valley comprising about 250 hectare (ha) of regenerating native forest. In December 2006 work started on building a 9 km long specialised pest-exclusion fence, to enclose 307 ha of regenerating forest. Pest eradication commenced in August 2007 with shooting of goats and 800 possums by ground-based teams. This was immediately followed by the scattering from aircraft of bait poisoned with brodifacoum into the fenced area. The trust's consent application[1] states that when the valley is free of pests, the health of the forest will improve, leading to an increase in seedlings, flowers, seeds, invertebrates and thus increased food supply to birds.

• WR Pauatahanui

  InformationSatellite View
  Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve is a wetland reserve located in Pauatahanui and on the eastern edge of the Pauatahanui Inlet of the Porirua Harbour in Porirua, New Zealand. Birds include bar-tailed godwit, royal spoonbill, caspian tern, paradise duck, pied stilt, sacred kingfisher, white-faced heron, New Zealand shoveler, pukeko and black shag.

• WR Pauatahanui

  InformationSatellite View
  The reserve contains the most significant area of saltmarsh in the lower North Island of New Zealand. A good place to see Fernbird.

• WR Royal Albatross Centre, Taiaroa Head

  WebsiteSatellite View
  The Royal Albatross Colony at Taiaroa Head, on the tip of the Peninsula, is the only mainland breeding colony of albatross in the world…

• WR Willowbank, Christchurch

  WebsiteSatellite View
  View New Zealand Kiwi & other native birds & animals up close at our wildlife park near Christchurch Airport, open daily. Nocturnal kiwi bird viewing in an open and natural enclosure. Guided tours available. Willowbank is actively involved in the breeding and conservation of a variety of Kiwi and other endangered species…

• WS Brook Waimarama Sanctuary

  InformationSatellite View
  The Brook Waimarama Sanctuary is a 715 hectare mainland “ecological island” sanctuary located in Nelson, New Zealand. The Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust was established in 2004 with the intent of restoring the local populations of pre-European flora and fauna which have been ravaged by introduced mammalian predators. Invasion by introduced weeds also poses a threat.

• WS Bushy Park

  InformationSatellite View
  Bushy Park is a forest located on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, at 791 Rangitatau East Road, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Kai Iwi, Whanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui Region. It features an Edwardian-era homestead, Bushy Park Homestead, which is a Category I heritage building registered with Heritage New Zealand, a predator-free native bird sanctuary, and a virgin rainforest.[1] It measures approximately 100 hectares (250 acres), and is characterized as a "lowland remnant of rata-podocarp taka-puketea [sic] rainforest". According to Forest & Bird, Bushy Park is considered to be amongst the 25 best restoration ecology projects in Australia and New Zealand.

• Zealandia

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Imagine a secret valley only three kilometres from the City: 252 steep-sided hectares, clothed in a regenerating native hardwood forest. The forest teems with life: skinks, geckos and native frogs abound, but most noticeable of all is the bird life. Like the forests of old, this forest rings with the songs of species once lost to Wellington.

• BirdingNZ

  Forum
  Forum about New Zealand birds, for New Zealand birders. The discussion forum is free and easy to join, allowing anyone with an interest in NZ birds—resident scientists, international twitchers, and everyone in between—to find and share information. A key goal of the site is to allow people to quickly and easily distribute details about rare bird observations, so that others may also have a chance to see something special. To help achieve this goal, registered members can easily subscribe to receive an email alert of posts made to the Bird Sightings and Alerts forum…

• Akaroa Harbour Cruises

  Boat Trips
  Some of the wildlife you will see on the cruise include: Sea Birds usually seen: Little Blue Penguin, Spotted Shag, Black Back Gull, Red Bill Gull, White Fronted Tern. Often seen: Great Cormorant, Little Black Shag, White Throated Little Black Shag, Pied Little Black Shag. Birds sometimes seen: Gannet, Fluttering Shearwater, Hutton`s Shearwater, Northern Giant Petrel, Cape Pigeon, Yellow Eyed Penguin, Mollymawk.

• Aurora Charters - Stewart Island

  Charter
  Imagine cruising through crystal clear waters, taking in the spectacular views of Rakiura National Park. Walk through native bush and listen to the song of native birds all around...

• Birding Ecotours

  Tour Operator
  New Zealand is a truly photogenic country that looks more striking than any movie could convey, and within its walls of beaches and mountains, fiords and volcanoes, there is really too much to see and do. You could be surfing, bungee jumping, snowboarding, kayaking, or just hanging out on a beach with a beer; add to that rich Maori cultural experiences, outdoor music festivals, energetic cities, and amazing wildlife, and you’re looking at some seriously good times.

• Elm Wildlife Tours

  Tour Operator
  Elm Wildlife Tours is based in Dunedin and offers Nature and Wildlife Tours of the South-eastern Coast of New Zealand. Our tours guide visitors to some of the most spectacular wildlife spots in the area including our private conservation areas, where close-up viewing of some of the World's rarest wildlife is achieved…

• Farewell Spit Eco-tours

  Tour Operator
  Welcome to Farewell Spit Eco Tours - Tour Operators to the world famous Farewell Spit. Gannet Colony, Wader Watch, Cape Farewell and many other eco tours in Golden Bay, Nelson, New Zealand.

• Foris Eco-tours

  Tour Operator
  An unforgettable experience for all birders, Stunning scenery, 100+ species, North and South Islands, 2 pelagic trips, See a representative of New Zealand’s six endemic families (wrens, kiwi, wattlebirds, parrots, stitchbirds, mohouas), 3 chances to see wild kiwi, 2 chances to see kokako, Numerous endangered species, Expert guides , Limited numbers.

• Gannet Safaris

  Trips
  Cape Kidnappers safari experience takes you to Hawke's Bay Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony - the world's largest, most accessible Gannet nesting place. It's the only way of being taken right to within a few feet of these remarkable birds - there is no walking required!

• Kapiti Island Nature Tours

  Tour Operator
  Your best chance to encounter Little Spotted Kiwi in the wild, and other endangered native birds like Takahe, Kaka, Weka, Tieke (Saddleback), Kereru, Kokako, Hihi, and Toutouwai | Genuine Maori hospitality | Native forest | Overnight Kiwi spotting tours | Guided nature walks | Conservation | Bird watching | Maori culture and storytelling | Accommodation and meals in our Kapiti Nature Lodge | Life-long nature-inspired experiences to treasure

• Kiwi Wildlife Tours

  Tour Operator
  Birds are our business! We know what they look like and sound like, and of course where to find them. Come with us in a small group and we will show you the secrets of New Zealand's unique birds, bats and marine mammals. At the same time, you will see some of the most wild and beautiful places on earth. And in comfort and style! Our tours are an opportunity to learn about our native fauna, especially for wildlife enthusiasts or people with little knowledge who would like to learn. We teach natural history skills, photography and sound recording. Tours are particularly suited to people already involved in bird watching in their own countries but who would like to travel outside their area of knowledge with a group of like-minded people.

• Monarch Wildlife Cruises

  Boat Trips
  m.v. Monarch cruises to Taiaroa Head at the entrance to Dunedin's harbour, where nine species of seabirds and New Zealand Fur Seals breed. Taiaroa is the only place on earth where the Royal Albatross, the world's largest seabird, nest on a mainland but only from Monarch can all the habitats be seen.

• Myths & Legends Eco-Tours

  Facebook Page
  Come and enjoy the sights, the bird song and the amazing bio-diversity that the Sounds has to offer - the Dolphins, seals, fish, birds, and beautiful podacarp forests

• Nature Quest New Zealand

  Tour Operator
  We are specialists in custom designed & private guided birdwatching trips for individuals and couples tailored to your specific requirements and interests. Self drive consultancy for birding trips, custom group tours & ground agency services for overseas birding/nature tour companies and conservation societies…

• Nature Travel Specialists

  Tour Operator
  Nature Travel Specialists believes that travel is most enjoyable when it expands the horizons of both visitor and visited, when both give and receive from each other. With this in mind we design itineraries that enable our travelers to explore the natural areas of the world, in the company of English-speaking local tour guides who know their country and region intimately

• New Zealand Land and Pelagic Trips

  Tour Operator
  I am a Kiwi by birth and inclination, and, as an excuse to get back home and to show New Zealand and its birds to others, I run a birding tour to New Zealand in November of alternating years. I charge enough to cover costs; making money on these tours is not my priority. I like to keep the group to 8-10 in size. We stay at quality accommodations and the food is outstanding; the trips have been described more than once as culinary tours of New Zealand with some birding thrown in, or as eating our way around New Zealand. But seriously, the quality of New Zealand restaurant food and wines is outstanding these days. The tours are not physically strenuous, but we do keep moving, and so you must be reasonably active and in fairly good shape.

• Ruggedy Range

  Tour Operator
  Ruggedy Range

• Ulva's Guided Walks

  Guide
  What better introduction to Rakiura (Stewart Island) could you wish for than a guided walk with a direct descendant of the first peoples of this beautiful Island?

• Waikanae Estuary Bird Tours

  Tour Operator
  With a lifetime interest in Birdlife, Mik Peryer has an extensive knowledge of the local birdlife in the Waikane Area. Now retired, Mik offers the opportunity for you to get up close and personal with the wild birdlife of the Waikane Estuary…

• White Heron Tours

  Tour Operator
  The Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve is a sanctuary to most of the bird life that you will see in the South West Heritage Area. The pristine rainforest, predominantly Kahikatea, stands tall, and shos off it`s untouched beauty. During the summer months, the majestic Kotuku (White Heron) can be viewed, in all it`s pluming glory as it nests in the swamp forests on the banks of the Waitangi Roto Stream. The Kotuku Ngutu Papa (Royal Spoonbill) and the Kawapaka (Little Black Shag) also take advantage of this prime spot to rear their young

• Wrybill Birding Tours

  Tour Operator
  Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ started out as a couple of birding mates, deciding that there was a gaping hole in the bird-guiding market in New Zealand. What was need was a group that was really keen, knew their New Zealand birds and birding sites inside out, and was based in New Zealand, with access to up to date information on the New Zealand birding scene.

• 2015 [11 November] - Erik Forsyth

  PDF Report
  New Zealand holds a number of rare and endangered bird species as well as many seabirds for which it is world famous. Our tour started out in the far north with a short visit to the Kerikeri area.

• 2016 [01 January] - David & Amanda Mason - Australia & New Zealand

  Report
  We loved Australia 4 years ago & New Zealand in 1998 and with so much to see, decided to combine two trips into one and visit some new areas; after all it is a long way to go for just a couple of weeks!

• 2016 [11 November] - Dan Lane & Mark Ayer

  Report
  ...Those with tenacity then continued up to do a lovely pelagic in the Hauraki Gulf, complete with rain showers and chop (heh). And we did have some memorable experiences during this long journey: First and foremost was the very memorable skipping Okarito Kiwi. Then, there were the endearingly naïve Westland Petrels at the colony. The nesting South Island (Rock) Wrens comprised a third most popular memory, followed by the odd Wrybill, the friendly Robin, and the boldly-patterned Cape Petrels. Other things that we enjoyed were the pelagic, particularly the albatrosses (Wandering and Salvin’s were especially favorites) off Stewart Island, the different Stitchbird on Tiritiri Matangi Island, the loud and bold Wekas, as well as bold Kakas on Stewart Island, the dopey, yet comedic Yellow-eyed Penguins as they hopped down to the water, the awesome view of Ruapehu Volcano....

• 2016 [11 November] - Erik Forsyth

  PDF Report
  ...We continued on the trail and soon founda group of New Zealand Bellbirds and two male Stitchbirds feeding at a supplementary feeder. Here weenjoyed fabulous looks at several male and one female Stitchbird; occasionally the males would erecttheir ornamental ear-tufts while displaying to a passing female....

• 2017 [02 February] - Erik Forsyth

  Report PDF
  New Zealand is a must for the serious seabird enthusiast. Not only will you see a variety of albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, there are also multiple chances of getting out on the high seas and finding something unusual. Seabirds dominate this tour, and views of most birds are alongside the boat.

• 2017 [11 November] - Erik Forsyth

  PDF Report
  On this tour we had so many highlights, including close encounters with North Island, Southern Brown and Little Spotted Kiwis, walk-away views of a pair of North Island Kokako, both North and South Island Saddlebacks and a pair of the impressive South Island Takahe.

• 2017 [12 December] - Erik Forsyth

  PDF Report
  With many boat trips,the pelagic list was long,with Wandering,Northern and Southern Royal, Salvin’s,Black-browed, CampbellandWhite-capped Albatrosses,Westland,Cook’s and White-chinned Petrels, Buller’s, Flesh-footedand Hutton’s Shearwaters, and Common Diving Petrelbeing a few of the highlights.

• 2018 [01 January] - Erik Forsyth

  PDF Report
  Seabirds dominate this tour,and views of most birds are right alongside the boat. There are also several land birds which are unique to these islands: the kiwis –terrestrial nocturnal inhabitants;the huge swamp-hen like Takahe –prehistoric in its looks and movements; and then the wattlebirds –the saddlebacks and Kokako, poor flyers with short wings, which bound along the branches and on the ground.

• 2019 [01 January] - Karen Worcester

  PDF Report
  As always, the first morning of the first day is a rush of new species. In the mud flats we saw Paradise Shelducks, Pied Stilt, New Zealand Dotterel, White-faced Heron, South Island Oystercatcher, numerous Red-billed Gulls, the very occasional Black-billed Gull, and Red Knot (or Not Red, as some prefer to call them). There were huge flocks of Bar-tailed Godwit all facing into the wind, and Wrybill, with their bill bent to the right for probing beneath stones.

• 2019 [11 November] - Andy Walker

  PDF Report
  A total of 122 bird species were seen (plus one species heard only), including many New Zealand endemics, as well as a wide range of seabirds and introduced and naturalized species.

• 2019 [11 November] - Birding Ecotours - Andy Walker

  PDF Report
  This custom birdwatching tour in New Zealand commenced in Dunedin, South Island, on the 19th of October 2019. We birded around the city and the excellent Otago Peninsula (which included nesting albatross and penguin site visits) before commencing our journey south to the bird-rich Stewart and Ulva Islands where we took part in a pelagic trip and a kiwi safari. After our time on these smaller, wonderful islands we gradually worked our way north through South Island (taking in Milford Sound (spectacular), Omarama, Christchurch, and the world-famous Kaikoura for an incredible pelagic trip), before reaching the northern tip of the South Island and the town of Picton. After a boat ride across to Wellington in the south of North Island we flew to Auckland for a short circuit of that island where we took part in a Hauraki Gulf pelagic, visited the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre as well as Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings movies! The tour ended back in Auckland on the 4th of November 2019.

• 2020 [03 March] - Kari Haataja

  PDF Report
  ...New species to many were also White-faced Heron (25+), Royal Spoonbill (10+), 50+ Pied Cormorants, 5+ Masked Lapwings on nearby fields, 20+ Black-billed Gulls, 20+ Kelp (or Black-backed) Gulls, 50+ Paradise Shelducks and two fully black Varied Oystercatchers among Pied Oystercatchers. At least three Swamp Harriers were hunting in the area. Familiar to us was 40+ Caspian Terns...

• 2022 [10 October] - Andrew Walker

  PDF Report
  During the tour we recorded numerous New Zealand endemic birds (almost 50 species), highlights included Little Spotted Kiwi, North Island Brown Kiwi, Southern Brown Kiwi, Brown Teal, New Zealand Falcon, Wrybill, Black Stilt, Blue Duck, Malherbe’s Parakeet, New Zealand Kaka, Kea, North Island Saddleback, South Island Saddleback, Stitchbird, Tomtit, Yellowhead, Pipipi, North Island Robin, South Island Robin, New Zealand Rockwren, and Rifleman. Several breeding-endemics were also found, like the stunning Double-banded Plover.

• 2022 [10 October] - Carlos Sanchez

  Annotated Species List
  New Zealand is a splendid country featuring excellent stunning landscapes, friendly people, and unique birds. In fact, over a third of the birds that we saw on this tour are endemic to New Zealand (we recorded 43 endemic species and all 6 of New Zealand’s endemic bird families). Although one does not usually think of mammals as part of New Zealand’s native fauna, we had nice views of the Endangered and endemic Hector’s Dolphin on the Kaikoura pelagic. Our group really loved the pelagic outings on this tour, and the Kaikoura pelagic came out on top as the group favorite activity. Both the Southern and Northern Brown Kiwi were the group favorites, and it is easy to see why – these fantastical creatures look like nothing else!

• 2022 [12 December] - Bill Simpson

  PDF Report
  The main aim was to finally do the Birding Down Under trip after waiting 2 years due to Covid and also to slip in my remaining New Zealand targets while there. I booked a Pelagic from Marsden Cove with Sav Saville from Wrybill Tours for Pycroft’s Petrel, and planned for Otago Shag, Southern Brown Kiwi and Southern New Zealand Dotterel prior to the BDU. The Dotterel is still only an IOC ssp but has a good possibility of being elevated in the future.

• 2023 [03 March] - Julien Wright-Ueada

  PDF Report
  Below, I describe our early 2023 trip throughout the fantastic island nation of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Currently, both my partner Liza and I are recent college graduates and rangers in Yosemite National Park. I am an avian biological technician while Liza is an interpretive ranger.

• 2023 [11 Nopvember] - Pat Lueders

  PDF Report
  We were expertly led on this comprehensive tour of New Zealand by Mark Ayre with Nature Quest. We started in Auckland on the North Island and finished in Dunedin on the South Island. Over 19 days, we viewed 42 New Zealand endemics as well as numerous seabirds, fur seals and dolphins on six cruises. We stayed at lovely and comfortable lodges, enjoyed delicious meals and absorbed all of the interesting information Mark shared with us as we traveled throughout his beloved country.

• French Pass Beachfront Villas

  Accommodation
  Seaviews and Stylish Comfort in our Beachfront Villas

• Kakapo Cottage - Stewart Island

  Accommodation
  Fabulous views of Half Moon Bay and native forest reserve. 5 minutes walk to Oban town centre and main attractions. 5 minutes walk to Golden Bay and the water taxi to Ulva Island - the only place in the world you can view the rare Kakapo parrot and many other rare native flora and fauna. Many native birds coming right up to the house and close by in Native Forest. Wake up to the sea glistening in the bay and the birds singing. Views from master bedroom, lounge, bunk room and sunny deck. Stewart Island is home to our newest national park…

• Stewart Island Lodge

  Accommodation
  An unspoiled Island retreat nestled in the natural beauty of a bush setting in Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island Lodge has unsurpassed views of the bay and surrounding hills. The large garden is host to many native birds, including native parrots, and many birds can be viewed right from our terrace.

• Te Kauri Birding Lodge

  Accommodation
  Te Kauri Birding Lodge caters for up to 2 couples at the home of Karen Baird and Chris Gaskin, operators of Kiwi Wildlife Tours NZ. Te Kauri is located 45 minutes north of Auckland, and three kilometres along a quiet ridge top road off State Highway One. We are within easy travelling of all Auckland and northern New Zealand`s top birding locations, the ideal introduction to your New Zealand bird-watching holiday. The lodge is set into a large block of regenerating kauri forest

• Te Mata Lodge - Thames

  Accommodation
  Located in the beautiful Te Mata region just 20 minutes north of Thames, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

• Wilderness Lodge - Lake Moeraki & Arthur's Pass

  Accommodation
  Set in the tranquil South Pacific, away from the world's trouble spots, are New Zealand's only two Wilderness Lodges. They are located in the most wild and natural parts of the South Island; at Lake Moeraki in the rainforest and the Tasman sea coast, and at Arthur's Pass in the heart of the Southern Alps.

• Birders Totals

  Website
  A new site which lists birders totals for NZ…

• Birds of Christchurch and Canterbury

  Website
  This site is dedicated to the wildlife of Christchurch and Canterbury. The intention of the site is to raise public awareness and enjoyment by sharing knowledge. updates of the latest sightings for birds and other wildlife

• Brown Teal Recovery Programme

  Website
  Promoting the recovery of the endangered Brown Teal

• NZ Birding

  Website
  Details of the top birding sites in New Zealand and those I have personally visited overseas.

• New Zealand Birding Directory

  Website
  New Zealand was a land of birds. A remote Island, which became an experiment in bird evolution. Birds evolved to fill niches that on other lands were filled by mammals. Moa were the equivalent of giraffes and millions of takahe grazed like sheep. Lack of mammalian competition and predation resulted in birds becoming large and flightless. Although New Zealand has changed significantly since humans arrived through loss of habitat and introduction of mammals, there are still many opportunities to experience New Zealand`s unique wildlife.

• New Zealand Birds

  Website
  This is a good place to start looking for links to other NZ sites with an eye to the birds. It also has rather nice gallery of NZ bird illustrations.

• New Zealand Birds' Store & Gift Shop

  Website
  Everything birdy in the arts & crafts line…

• Penguins in New Zealand

  Website
  Blue penguins are found right around the coast of New Zealand and southern Australia, but none closer to human activity than in Oamaru, New Zealand. The birds nest right around the harbour area and the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony offers a unique opportunity for you to observe the world`s smallest penguin arriving home from their day at sea and returning to their nests.

• Brent Stephenson - B1RDER

  BLOG
  I'm based in New Zealand, but spend a lot of time travelling, birding, and taking photographs. I co-own and run Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ and also run Eco-Vista: Photography & Research…

• Gallery - Birds of New Zealand

  Gallery
  Images of NZ birds

• Gallery - Birds of New Zealand

  Gallery
  Show casing some of the birds in New Zealand. Locations have been: 1. Mt Bruce reserve, about 30km north of Masterton has bush walks, nature reserve, and is dedicated to the preservation of some of New Zealand

• Photographer - Brent Stephenson

  Gallery
  As well as having an intense enthusiasm for birding and birds, I have had a love for photography since taking my first bird pics at about the age of 8 with my Mum`s old point and shoot 35mm Kodak…

• Photographer - Neil Fitzgerald

  Gallery
  My photographs have been used in books, presentations, websites and magazines including New Zealand Geographic. I hope the images I capture are able to convey some of the beauty in nature, in even the least likely of subjects, and ultimately instill in the viewer a greater appreciation of the need to conserve what we can of our environment…

• Photographer - Paul Gibson

  Gallery
  Author of Birds New Zealnd (beauty like no other) - Unique Pictorials is the publishing name used by Paul Gibson to print and market his books and calendars. Although based in Wanganui, photographs are used from throughout New Zealand, including the subantarctic. All books are of the highest quality and uniquely different from anything else on the market.