Sanctuary in the Cove – Bird List

NATIVE
Kereru	Wood Pigeon	51cm	Loves Puriri berries and Guava
Piwakawaka	Fantail	16cm	Eats insects and grubs
Kotare	Kingfisher	24cm	Eats small fish, lizards and grubs
Tauhou	Wax-eye	12cm	Called also White-eye or Blightbird. Found in the Bay of Islands in 1867
Tui	Parson Bird	31cm	Eats nectar from Kowhai, Grevillea, Flax
Pukeko	Swamp Hen	51cm	Pukaki or Pook
Kahu	Bush Hawk	60cm	Harrier Hawk
Karerarea	Sparrow Hawk	45cm	NZ Falcon
Ruru	Morepork	29cm	Brown with scattered white flecks
Pipiwharauroa	Shining Cuckoo	16cm	Lays eggs in Grey Warblers nest. Migrates to Solomon Is. and Norfolk Is. for winter
Riroriro	Grey Warbler	11cm	Grey with white abdomen. Suspended nest is pear-shaped. Seen in Buller in 1873
Eastern Rosella		33cm	Very colourful. Like fruit and seeds. Were released from a ship off Otago Heads in 1910.
EXOTIC
Song Thrush		23cm	Brown spotted breast. Lives on snails and slugs, first seen in New Zealand in 1849.
Blackbird		25cm	Male all black, female dark brown, first seen in NZ in 1849
Starling		21cm	Blackish purple gloss, eats grass grubs
Myna		24cm	Head and neck black with white patches, attacks small birds. First seen in NZ in 1890.
Swallow		15cm	Called Welcome Swallow. Black-blue, nest in a mud cup. First seen in NZ in 1920
Sparrow		14.5cm	Called House Sparrow. Dull brown, male has dark brown front. First seen in NZ in 1860
Hedge Sparrow		14.5cm	Streaked black underside
Chaffinch		15cm	Various colours, pink-brown with white breast
Yellow Hammer		16cm	Yellow head, black underside
Skylark		18cm	Speckled brown. Nest in a hollow on ground
California Quail		25cm	Male has black top-knot plume. Brown
Gold Finch		12.5cm	Red, white, black. Loves lavender flowers and thistle heads
Barberry Dove		28cm	Creamy buff back of the head. Black ring. First found in NZ in 1970
Pheasant		80cm	Males – glossy dark green and white. Female – mottled brown.
SHORE BIRDS
Gannet		91cm	Mainly white, black tail feathers. Lives on fish. Large colonies at Cape Kidnappers
Pied Shag		81cm	Black with white breast. Dives for small fish
Blue Heron		66cm	White-faced Heron. Pale grey
Paradise Duck		63cm	Brown with white head
Mallard Duck		58cm	Brown
Oyster Catcher		48cm	Black and white underside
Black-Backed Gull		60cm	White with black back and wings
Red-billed Gull		37cm	Herring Gull
Black-billed Gull		37cm	Herring Gull
Caspien Tern		51cm	Upper parts grey, underparts white
Pied Stilt		38cm	Black and white wader

Reference Book: Collins Guide to the Birds of New Zealand.
R.A. Falla, R.B. Sibson & E.G. Turbott

This identification work undertaken by
Ian Shoosmith
Horticulturalist
4 Mary Hassett St
Mangonui