Our fauna
Australasian Bittern
Bittern are rarely seen due to their secretive behaviour, inconspicuous plumage and the inaccessibility of their habitat. Their presence is most commonly discerned through hearing the distinctive ‘booming’ call of the males during the breeding season. Bittern occasionally show themselves in the open along wetland edges, drains, flooded paddocks or roadsides, often adopting their infamous ‘freeze’ stance, with the bill pointing skyward.
Caspian Tern
The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), known in Māori as Taranui, is the largest tern species globally and a striking presence along New Zealand’s coastlines. With a wingspan of up to 1.3 meters and a bright red bill, it resembles a gull in size but maintains the sleek elegance of a tern. Adults sport silver-grey or white underparts, with a black cap during the breeding season that becomes speckled in winter.
Dotterel
The New Zealand Dotterel, also known as the tūturiwhatu, is a small shorebird endemic to New Zealand. It is characterised by its distinctive red-breasted plumage during the breeding season, which fades to a more subdued brown and white in the non-breeding months.
Godwit
The Godwit flies between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Arctic every year to feed and breed. They are a similar size to the more delicate Pied Stilt. The Godwits arrive visibly exhausted, their wings drooping and bodies depleted from the marathon flight. Yet, they are greeted with reverence and joy.
Light Mantled
Sooty Albatross
The Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, is one of the most graceful seabirds found in the Southern Ocean. With its sleek, chocolate-brown plumage and distinctive pale grey mantle, this Albatross is often considered one of the most beautiful of its kind. Its long, narrow wings and wedge-shaped tail are perfectly adapted for dynamic soaring, allowing it to glide effortlessly over vast ocean expanses with barely a wingbeat.
Oyster Catcher
The Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor), known in Māori as Tōrea pango, is a striking and endemic shorebird found along the coastlines of New Zealand. These birds are easily recognised by their long, bright orange bills and stout coral-pink legs. They exhibit a fascinating range of breast coloration—from entirely black to intermediate “smudgy” morphs, and even pied individuals with white underparts.
Pied Stilt
The Pied Stilt, also known as the Poaka (Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus), is a wading bird native to New Zealand, easily recognised by its long pink legs, slender black bill, and contrasting black-and-white plumage. Although not endemic to New Zealand, the Poaka has established a strong presence across the country, particularly in wetland habitats
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