Birds of South Island, New Zealand

[Ramon Quisumbing]

In May 2010, my kids and I did a 9-day roadtrip all the way around the spectacular South Island of New Zealand. Lots of beautiful birds. Unfortunately, I only had my amateur Pentax X90 camera and my son's Canon PowerShot G10 camera.

Silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis), a member of the White-eye family.




South Island Robin (Petroica australis australis) - endemic.
NZ goes to great lengths to protect its indigenous birds. They pick an island, set thousands of traps to catch all 4-legged creatures (introduced in NZ over the centuries), and then stock the island with indigenous birds, such as the South Island Robin. Quite admirable conservation efforts.


New Zealand Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) male - endemic.
We thought this aggressive bird was dive-bombing us, but it probably was just going after the flying insects disturbed as we walked by.


Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)


Greedy Black-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus bulleri)


Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata) female - The local Maori name is funny: "Putangitangi".


Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) - endemic.


Kea (Nestor notabilis) - endemic.
These big parrots hang out in car parking lots in the Southern Alps, where they eat garbage and scraps. They can easily destroy the rubber moldings of cars with their long hooked powerful beaks.


New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) - endemic.

[Ariel Matias]

Great set! That shot of a seagull with a fish in its beak is awesome!

[Ely Teehankee]

From your pictures this would be a place that I would like to visit if given the chance. I wonder if they could do the same in Corregidor where there are so many cats. Another place is the La Mesa Eco Park. This would certainly make it safer for the birds to stay. Well done Ramon & Mabuhay.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Thanks, Ariel and Ely.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Oct 20, 2011 22:08:15 GMT Ely Teehankee said:

From your pictures this would be a place that I would like to visit if given the chance. I wonder if they could do the same in Corregidor where there are so many cats. Another place is the La Mesa Eco Park. This would certainly make it safer for the birds to stay. Well done Ramon & Mabuhay.

Ely, in NZ they eliminate 4-legged mammals with impunity because they are all introduced species (unlike the Phils. which has plenty of endemic 4-legged mammals). NZ was called the "Land of the Birds" because it had no 4-legged mammals. Humans introduced rats, mice, cats, ferrets/weasels, possums, deer, etc. that have devastated the local birds and their habitat. Forest rangers openly advise tourists and drivers that if they see any mammals on the road, feel free to run them over! We ran over a beautiful furry possum (introduced to start a fur industry) but it was by accident.

In BK Valley, the owner and I prohibit house cats, and we shoot stray cats with airguns in order to protect the bird population.

[Mark Jason Argallon]

NZ's conservation effort is really admirable. indeed a greed seagull! and interesting local name for a shelduck. it would have sounded like a curse here in the philippines.

[steve pryor]

Ramon,
The Gull is Chroicocephalus bulleri (Black-billed Gull), an adult.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Oct 21, 2011 15:42:47 GMT steve pryor said:

Ramon,
The Gull is Chroicocephalus bulleri (Black-billed Gull), an adult.

Steve, thanks for the ID. I will place the name of the gull.