Manu (birds)
Tūī are endemic to Aotearoa and are relatively abundant in areas with good predator control. They feed mainly on nectar from flowers and native plants and can be recognised by their distinctive blue/green feathers and white tuft at their throat. Remember to add the macron/potai on the ū and ī, otherwise it means ‘stitch’.
Click here to hear the tūī call (credit: DOC)
Kererū is a large wood pigeon with an iridescent blue/green plumage and a white breast. The kererū have a relatively long life span of 20 years (and only nest one chick per year subject to food availability) so populations can be badly affected by mammalian predators. Rats in particular target their food sources and their chicks.
Click here to hear the kererū call (credit: DOC)
Kākā belong to the parrot family and have claws and hooked beaks as well as olive-brown colouring. Kākā are at risk in Aotearoa and still mainly live on off-shore islands. Through predator free efforts though they are increasingly common in Wellington. They are boisterous birds which are often heard before they are seen.
Click here to hear the kākā call (credit: DOC)
Titipounamu (rifleman) belong to the wren family and are very small birds weighing only 6-7 grams. Recently a pair of titipounamu flew over the Zealandia ecosanctury fence in Wellington and began breeding in a nearby suburb – a big win for these little birds who are vulnerable to predation. They communicate with a high pitched buzzing sound ‘zipt zipt zipt’ and are often found looking for insects or flitting in the trees.
The Pīwakawaka (fantail) is one of the most common birds across Aotearoa. It has three subspecies – one from each of the South Island, North Island and Chatham Islands. Characterised by its fan-like tail feathers, this energetic bird makes a recognisable ‘cheet cheet’ and feeds mainly on insects.
Click here to hear the pīwakawaka call (credit: DOC)
Kākāriki (parakeet) means ‘small green parrot’ in te reo Māori. There are five species of kākārikiand all are characterised by slightly different plumage. They are forest birds which nest in the holes of trees and feed on berries, fruit, seeds and insects.
Click here to hear the Red-crowned parakeet call (credit: DOC)
Ruru (morepork) are a small brown owl known for their haunting melancholic call and are seen as the watchful guardian in Māori tradition. They are nocturnal birds of prey which are found in forests across Aotearoa. Although not considered threatened they still face the risk of predation.
Click here to hear the Morepork call (credit: DOC)
Kārearea (bush falcon) is our endemic falcon and with only 3000-5000 breeding pairs remaining is the country’s most threatened bird of prey. Kārearea can fly at speeds over 100 km/h and hunt live prey, often larger than itself, by watching from a vantage point and then making a fast attack.
Reptiles
Tuatara means ‘peaks on the back’ and is the name belonging to our largest reptile. Tuatara live for around 60 years and their species are the last survivors of an order of reptiles that lived in the dinosaur age! Rats are the most serious threat to the survival of the tuatara.
The Moko Kākāriki (Wellington Green Gecko) is found in the lower North Island. They are green with white/yellow spots, however, the inside of their mouths are bright blue! They are nocturnal so hunt during the night for flies and moths and their bright green colour helps them to camouflage in their preferred forest habitat - making them hard to spot. These beautiful lizards are at risk and declining due to predation and make a defensive barking call when they are threatened.
The Copper Skink is one of nearly 80 species of skink in New Zealand (although new ones are always being discovered). They are active in the daytime and can be found hiding under logs and rocks, so are commonly spotted in people’s gardens. They are the country’s smallest skink and their black/brown exterior is characterised by a narrow copper-coloured strip.
Invertebrates
The Tree Wētā is the most common of seven wētā species in New Zealand with the Wellington tree wētā native to our area. Once hatched from their eggs, tree wētā take 1-2 years to reach adulthood and shed their exoskeleton 10 times during that time. They are nocturnal, feeding on fruit and leaves at night and often found in groups. Similar to cicadas they can sometimes be heard communicating at night by scraping their hind legs over ridges on their body.
The Cook Straight giant wētā is one of New Zealand’s largest wētā. Like other species of wētā they shed around nine times before reaching maturity and feed on vegetation at night along the forest floor. The Cook Straight wētā is one of Wellington’s conservation success stories as they were reintroduced onto the New Zealand mainland at Zealandia ecosanctuary in 2007. They live for two years and female wētā lay around 200 eggs in their second year. However, this species is vulnerable because it is preyed on by rats and hedgehogs.