[Debbie P.]

In connection with the possoms topic, we were wondering if anyone had any insight into the amount of birdlife in NZ. My husband's a keen bird watcher (but NOT a twitcher, as he keeps telling me!). One thing that's holding us back from making a final decision about moving next year is the possible lack of birds compared to the UK, particularly small woodland birds. Could anyone who's interested let me know the situation over there? Admittedly, we've only visited NZ in the winter when there's less birds around, but it's something that concerns my OH.

By the way, no offence to any twitchers out there - I'm sure you're all lovely people (not like the destructive ones we get around Bournemouth who are so busy trying to spot rare species that they trample on other birds' eggs - grrrr!).

Debbie

[Moorf]

I've been amazed by the amount of birds here. :nice1

Not only the garden birds, of which there are many and, I'm embarrassed to say I can't yet identify them, but also the amount of birds of prey I see each time we drive out, the number of different types of sea-birds on the estuary and shore and then there's what we call the "suicide birds" which fly out from the side of the road in small gangs and nearly end up splatted on the windscreen!! :laugh

And then there's the kea... birds with attitude!! :nice1

[Debbie P.]

Excellent! Thanks Moorf - now I can convince him...

Debbie

[Moorf]

I think I'll nip into the warehouse and buy a bird feeder and a bird book so that I can tell a finch from a sparrow! :? :oops:

[Debbie P.]

Hey, I've been living with a manic birder for 5 years and you think I know the difference between 'em yet?!

[wayne]

you gotta love those Kea's they are truly the thug of the bird world

[Moorf]

Hey, I've been living with a manic birder for 5 years and you think I know the difference between 'em yet?!

:laugh :laugh :laugh

[Diny]

Wonderful bird life !!!

My 2 favourites are the Tui and the Pukeko :nice1

And I love the sound of the magpie in NZ too.

Diny

[Moorf]

Spooky, was about to mention the magpie's call here... reminds me of an old computer loading in parts :laugh :laugh

What are those birds with the little white balls? I don't think I've seen one yet... lots of pukeko's, black swans and black shags! :mrgreen:

[kiwidebs]

What are those birds with the little white balls?

I think you're talking about the Tui (also known as the Parson bird) - very pretty. I love cheeky little fantails - you'll generally see them if you're walking through the bush as you disturb little bugs and things for them to eat. And, although not very pretty to look at, the Bellbird has the most beautiful song.

Loads of wonderful native birds in NZ.

Debs

[eric_amanda]

Have you heard the 'Pukeko Stomp'??? - Childrens song - very catchy!!! - We do it at Mainly Music and it's amazing how all the adults really get into it with the actions and all!!! :laugh :laugh :laugh

On a more serious 'twitcher' note. Eric bought me a book for Christmas - 'Which NZ Bird' by Andrew Crowe. It's a great book, and helps you identify birds by different means and also give great description about them and where you will find them and Maori names etc. A really good read which my eldest (4) loves getting out when he sees birds in the garden. I think it cost about $25, well worth it.

Amanda

[Timbo]

Here you go Debbie.

http://www.nzbirds.com/Gallery.html

Click on each bird name to get pics and more info.
Happy twitching.

[veronica]

one of the things we did when we first got here was to buy a book on birds of the city, only to find that all those pretty birds I had been glimpsing that looked like bullfinches and chaffinches were what they looked like, theres sparrows, thrushes, blackbirds etc. loads of imported birds the early settlers brought out with them that have thrive here. But there are plenty of native ones too. we've seen the nz pigeon, wax eyes, wagtails and magpies (nz versions), and loads of others

[GeorgeM]

The estury in Chch has a particularly high count of different species, I read somewhere. At low tide there are lots of things like heron, ibis, spoonbills and many types of waders etc.

As you drive around there seem to be lots of birds of prey, but unfortunately they are generally all of the same species, the Australasian Harrier. The only other bird of prey in NZ is the NZ Falcon which is smaller and (I believe) much rarer. I suppose that the lack of such species is down to the fact that there are no native mammals for prey, but I'm surprised that there isn't a NZ Osprey. Perhaps someone knows why this should be.

In our garden we get lots of bellbirds (not much to look at but with a beautiful song - a bit like myself, I tell the wife) and also fantails - birds about the size of a robin but with a way of spreading their tail feathers that gives them the name.

As mentioned earlier there are lots of birds common to brits as they were introduced in the 19th century to make the pioneers feel at home. Hence we get (especially in the winter months) huge flocks of goldfinches - far larger than I had ever seen in England.

[selchie]

I love the bird life in NZ, but will miss my crows and ravens. I suppose I'll have to make do with magpies for my corbie fix.

The morepork is a fun and aptly named NZ owl. We heard them while on Mercury Bay, Coromandel Peninsula. They really do say "more pork".

I've got an idea, but would someone define "twitcher"?

[AliJax]

'Which NZ Bird' by Andrew Crowe. It's a great book, and helps you identify birds by different means

Can you have a look for those birds that are on the road & instead of flying out of the way they just hop ever so casually.

they have long legs dark brown in colour & have a little bit of white on their wings - funny lookings things about the size of aBritich Blackbird / Starling.

Linda & I did see a "Flock" of Parakeets at the edge of the road looked exactly like the Alexandrine Parakeet (Had one called Issac) or a Ringneck - and this was in Howick just at the traffic lights.

[Moorf]

Do we get parakeets and Tui on the S.Island? I don't recall seeing any to date.

[GeorgeM]

Do we get ... Tui on the S.Island?

Yeh, right!


Seriously - the bach we rented this summer on Kenepuru Sound had loads of Tui around. They were so noisy at times that when I was on the mobile to a colleague at work (social call BTW) he commented on the fact that there seemed to be a lot of Tuis where we were!

Up in the Sounds there are also a lot of Californian Quail, which are funny things about the size of a mistle thrush with a little quiff on the top of their heads. Didn't see any fly - they mainly just run around the place like manic roadrunners.

[Moorf]

I shall have to keep my eyes peeled :nice1

[eric_amanda]

Can you have a look for those birds that are on the road & instead of flying out of the way they just hop ever so casually.

they have long legs dark brown in colour & have a little bit of white on their wings - funny lookings things about the size of aBritich Blackbird / Starling.



I believe they are Myna's sometimes spelt Mynah. Common on the north island particularly the more northern parts. Introduced in 1870's. They are everywhere up here!!!

:cheers

Amanda

[Debbie P.]

Thanks everyone, loads more info for the hubby. Timbo, thanks for those links as well. They look really good. Martin saw a lot of the native species when we were over there, but it's a relief to hear that you local guys see and hear plenty of garden birds.

OK, here are my definitions of birdwatcher and twitcher:

A birdwatcher is simply that - someone who likes watching birds, whether they're rare or whether they're a common garden bird.

A twitcher is obsessed with ticking birds off his list (I'm afraid these guys are usually male). They're not bothered about watching 'ordinary' birds. They're a bit like train spotters (oops, sorry all you train spotters!) in that their goal is to see as many different species as possible. Example: we met one at a nearby beauty spot who had travelled down from Durham overnight to see a rare warbler. Once he'd seen it, he got back in his car and started heading home again! It was a beautiful sunny day by the coast and there were skylarks singing overhead but he wasn't even interested in going for a walk. Sorry but I just can't get my head around that.

To be fair, one of my new colleagues at work is a twitcher and he does enjoy watching ordinary birds, so they're not all the same.

I'm really getting excited now - seals, penguins, dolphins, whales - yay! Large spiders - eeek!!!!

Debbie

[GeorgeM]

We used to visit the Scilly Isles a lot and they were frequently invaded by twitchers.

One occasion was when a rare American Robin was blown across the Atlantic and pitched up. Already tired from its journey the twitchers chased it from island to island and it was eventually so knackered it was caught and eaten by one of the local cats. I wonder if the cat knew it had had a delicacy?

[sarahw]

On the subject of birds, I work between 2 offices (between a rather steep climb) in the botanic gardens in Welly - I was in between the 2 the other day when I thought that the climb up the hill had done something to my eyes - there in front of me on the path were 2 of the most fantastically coloured parrots - an inadvertent import from Australia but it made me gasp in awe at how beautiful and brightly coloured they were!

[Debbie P.]

Sarah, from this and other posts you sound like you have the sort of job my hubby would love. What is it that you do?

It's unfortunate that he'll have to work as a teacher, since we're relying on his job to get us in to the country, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of voluntary wildlife work available once we get there. N.B. He does actually like being a teacher(honest!), it's just that he loves being outdoors and working with wildlife as well.

Me - I'll do anything, I'm not fussy - I just want to be doing it in NZ... sigh! :mrgreen:

Debbie

[selchie]

Ooh, can I come play in the botanical gardens, too? I love gardening, and can toss compost with the best of them.

Thanks for the twitcher difinition. I do get excited when I get another bird for my life list, but love watching birds & other nature for their wonderfulness. Heck, I am happy to hear the jays scold cats in the garden - we have a nesting pair this year!

[debnjohn]

I love the bird life in NZ, but will miss my crows and ravens. I suppose I'll have to make do with magpies for my corbie fix.

The morepork is a fun and aptly named NZ owl. We heard them while on Mercury Bay, Coromandel Peninsula. They really do say "more pork".

I've got an idea, but would someone define "twitcher"?

"the word is supposed to describe the uncontrollable spasms of excitement when seeing a new bird for the first time"
:laugh :laugh :laugh
(not taking the mick - honest - I used to be a paid up memnber of YOC many years ago)
John

[Debbie P.]

No kidding! My hubby was in the Bristol YOC in the late 60s early 70s! Small world...

Debbie

[debnjohn]

No kidding! My hubby was in the Bristol YOC in the late 60s early 70s! Small world...

Debbie

:clap I joined around 1968-69 (living in Cornwall at the time).

John