Birds

Stewart Island offers some of the best land and sea birding in New Zealand. Bird watchers come from all over the world to enjoy our birds. Largely unmodified, the Island provides excellent habitat and food for native birds. Unlike other areas of New Zealand, it has not suffered the introduction of mustelids. The sea surrounding the Island is rich in food and attractive to a large number of seabirds.

Ulva Island is a jewel in the crown offering a predator-free environment for rare and endangered birds including South Island saddleback, mohua, rifleman, Stewart Island robin.

Birds, which are often seen on Stewart Island and Ulva Island, include bellbird, tui, kaka, tomtit, grey warbler, kakariki and the New Zealand wood pigeon. Some of our birds are unique to the region and include the weka, robin and fernbird.

The Stewart Island Brown Kiwi or the Southern Tokoeka, Apteryx australis lawyri - is one of six identified species of kiwi. Kiwi are flightless and largely nocturnal. However, the Stewart Island Brown Kiwi is active during the day and night. Kiwi outnumber humans and it is estimated there are 20,000 on Stewart Island. They are not always easy to see, shying away from humans and rarely coming close to inhabited areas.

Seabirds abound in our coastal waters due to the rich supply of food. Albatross, mollymawk, prion, petrel, cormorants and blue penguin are regularly seen. Sooty shearwater are seen in large numbers during their breeding season.

Please respect our wildlife and especially Kiwi - do not approach them within 5 metres or disturb them in anyway.

The following list of birds to be found on and about Stewart Island was originally compiled by the late Ron Tindall and was revised and updated by Matt Jones in 2018.

Weka

Tui

KIWIS
Species	Latin name	Māori name	Notes
Stewart Island Brown Kiwi	Apteryx australis lawryi	Tokoeka	Fairly common & occasionally diurnal
PENGUINS
Fiordland Crested Penguin	Eudyptes pachyrhynchus	Tawaki	Fairly common summer breeding migrant
Snares Crested Penguin	Eudyptes robustus		Rare autumn visitor
Yellow-eyed Penguin	Megadyptes antipodes	Hoiho	Present all year
King Penguin	Aptenodytes patagonicus		Very rare visitor from the south
Blue Penguin	Eudyptula minor	Korora	Present all year
ALBATROSSES
Wandering Albatross	Diomedea exulans		Not a common visitor
Northern Royal Albatross	Diomedea sanfordi		Less common than the Southern Royal
Southern Royal Albatross	Diomedea epomophora	Toroa	Fairly common
Black-browed Albatross	Thalassarche melanophris		More of a spring visitor
Campbell Island Albatross	Thalassarche impavida		More of a spring visitor
Buller's Albatross (Southern & Pacific)	Thalassarche bulleri		Common / tricky to see during Dec/Jan
Grey-headed Albatross	Thalassarche chrysostama		Very rare visitor from the south
NZ White Capped Albatross	Thassarche cauta steadi		Very common
Salvin's Albatross	Thalassarche cauta salvini		More common during summer months
Chatham Island Albatross	Thalassarche eremita		Very rare visitor / seen early spring
Light-mantled Albatross	Phoebetria palpebrata	Toroa pango	Very rare visitor / winter more likely
PETRELS, SHEARWATERS, FULMARS and PRIONS
Northern Giant Petrel	Macronectes halli	Nelly	Common
Southern Giant Petrel	Macronectes giganteus	Nelly	Not very common / winter more likely
Southern Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialoides		Very rare visitor from the south
Cape Petrel	Daption capense		Fairly common
Mottled Petrel	Pterodroma inexpectata	Korure	Summer breeder / can be tricky to see
White-naped Petrel	Pterodroma cervicalis		Very very rare / one recorded on Stewart Island which was the most southern record ever...
White-headed Petrel	Pterodroma lessonii		Not a common visitor / spring & autumn more likely
Grey-faced Petrel	Pterodroma macroptera	Oi	Not common
Soft-plumaged Petrel	Pterodroma mollis		Not a common visitor / spring & autumn more likely
Cook's Petrel	Pterodroma cookii	Tītī	Fairly common
Gould's Petrel	Pterodroma leucoptera		Very very rare / one recorded on Stewart Island
Broad-billed Prion	Pachyptila vittata	Parara	Not common / Stewart Island is one of the best places to see this bird
Fairy Prion	Pachyptila turtur	Tītī wainui	Fairly common
Antarctic Prion	Pachyptila desolata		Not very common
Blue Petrel	Halobaena caerulea		Very very rare visitor from the south
White-chinned Petrel	Procellaria aequinoctialis	Shoemaker	Fairly common
Westland Petrel	Procellaria westlandica	Taiko	Not very common
Great Shearwater	Puffinus gravis		Very very rare / one recorded on Stewart Island
Buller's Shearwater	Puffinus bulleri		Visitor from the north / not common
Sooty Shearwater	Puffinus griseus	Tītī	Very common breeder / less likely to be seen during winter
Short-tailed Shearwater	Puffinus tenuirostris		Common during spring / seen amongst the Sooties
Fluttering Shearwater	Puffinus gavia		Not very common
Hutton's Shearwater	Puffinus huttoni		Becoming more common / seen amongst the Sooties
Subantarctic Little Shearwater	Puffinus assimilis		Very rare visitor from the south
STORM PETRELS
Wilson's Storm Petrel	Oceanites oceanicus		Not very common
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel	Garrodia nereis		Probably the most common Stormie around Stewart Island
White-faced Storm-Petrel	Pelagodroma marina	Takahikare-Moana	Unusual visitor
Black-bellied Storm-Petrel	Fregetta tropica		Not very common
DIVING PETRELS
Common Diving Petrel	Pelecanoides urinatrix	Kuaka	Fairly common
GANNETS
Australasian Gannet	Morus serrator	Takapu	Unusual visitor
SHAGS or CORMORANTS
Black Shag	Phalacrocorax carbo	Kawau	Not very common
Pied Shag	Phalacrocorax varius	Karuhiruhi	Very common
Little Black Shag	Phalacrocorax sulcirostris		Rare visitor this far south
Little Pied Shag	Phalacrocorax melanoleucos	Kawaupaka	Very common
Spotted Shag	Phalacrocorax punctatus	Parekareka	Very common
Foveaux Shag	Leucocarbo stewarti		Formerly Stewart Island Shag, now split from mainland Otago Shag. Fairly common.
HERONS, EGRETS and BITTERNS
Great White Egret	Egretta alba	Kotuku	Unusual visitor / a few Stewart Island records each year
White-faced Heron	Egretta novaehollandiae		Very common
Pacific Reef Heron	Egretta sacra	Matuka Moana	Not very common / more likely during winter
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis		More common during winter particularly at Ringa Ringa golf course
Australasian Bittern	Botaurus poiciloptilus	Matuku	Breed on Stewart Island in the wetlands towards Mason Bay
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis facinellus		A freshly dead bird found at Horseshoe Bay beach June 2017 / first record for Stewart Island
Royal Spoonbill	Platalea regia		Becoming more common particularly in Paterson Inlet
GEESE, SWANS and DUCKS
Black Swan	Cygnus atratus		Common in Paterson Inlet
Paradise Shelduck	Tadorna variegata	Putangitangi	Very common
Chestnut-breasted Shelduck	Tadorna tadornoides		Very rare Australian vagrant
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos		Very common
Pacific Black Duck	Anas supercilliosa	Parera	Not unusual / check for Mallard hybridisation
HARRIER
Swamp Harrier	Circus approximans	Kahu	Common
FALCONS
New Zealand Falcon	Falco novaeseelandiae	Karearea	Not very common / more likely during winter
RAILS and WEKA
Stewart Island Weka	Gallirallus australis		More common on Ulva Island than Stewart Island
Baillon's Crake / Marsh Crake	Porzana pusilla affinis	Kotoreke	Breed on Stewart Island in the wetlands towards Mason Bay
Australasian Coot	Fulica atra		Very rare visitor from the mainland / one confirmed Stewart Island record
Pukeko	Porphyrio porphyrio		Rare visitor from the mainland
OYSTERCATCHERS
South Island Pied Oystercatcher	Haematopus finschi	Torea	Fairly common
Variable Oystercatcher	Haematopus unicolor	Torea, Toreapango	Very common
STILTS
Pied Stilt	Himantopus himmantopus leucocephalus	Poaka	Very uncommon visitor
PLOVERS and DOTTERELS
Masked Lapwing	Vanellus miles		Common
New Zealand Dotterel (Southern)	Charadrius obscurus	Tuturiwhatu	One of New Zealand's rarest birds / best place to see them is Mason Bay
Double-Banded Plover	Charadrius bicinctus	Tuturiwhatu	Fairly common
GODWITS
Bar-Tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	Kuaka	Many spend summer on Stewart Island before heading back to Alaska to breed
Far-Eastern Curlew	Numenius madagascariensis		Very rare visitor / one confirmed Stewart Island record
SANDPIPERS
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres		A few spend summer on Stewart Island
Sanderling	Calidris alba		Very rare visitor
Wrybill	Anarhynchus frontalis	Ngutu pare / Ngutu parore	Rare visitor from the mainland
Common Sandpiper	Tringa hypoleuco		Mega rare vagrant
SKUAS
Arctic Skua	Stercorarius parasitcus		Unusual visitor
Pomarine Skua	Stercorarius pomarines		Very rare visitor
Brown Skua	Stercorarius antarcticus	Hakoakoa	Common breeding bird / tricky to see during winter
GULLS, TERNS and NODDIES
Kelp Gull	Larus dominicanus	Karoro	Very common
Red-billed Gull	Larus scopulinus	Tarapunga	Very common
Black-billed Gull	Larus bulleri		Unusual visitor from the mainland
Black-fronted Tern	Sterna albostriata	Tarapiroe	Autumn is the best time to see this bird
White-fronted Tern	Sterna striata	Tara	Very common
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo longpennis		Rare vagrant
Antarctic Tern	Sterna vittata		Becoming increasingly difficult to see
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea		Rare migrant from northern hemisphere / easily overlooked among WF Terns
PIGEONS and DOVES
Feral Pigeon	Columba livia		Very rare visitor from the mainland
New Zealand Pigeon	Hemiphaga novaseelandiae	Kereru, Kukupa, Parea	Very common endemic
PARROTS and PARAKEETS
South Island Kaka	Nestor meridionalis		Very common endemic
Kakapo	Strigops habroptila		No longer on Stewart Island
Red-crowned Parakeet	Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae	Kakariki	Common on Stewart and Ulva Islands
Yellow-crowned Parakeet	Cyanoramphus auriceps	Kakariki	More common on Ulva Island than Stewart Island
CUCKOOS
Shining Bronze Cuckoo	Chrysococcyx lucidus	Pipiwharauroa	Summer migrant with distinctive call
Long-tailed Cuckoo	Eudynamys taitensis	Koekoea	Summer migrant / normally heard rather than seen
OWLS
Morepork	Ninox novaeseelandiae	Ruru	Common breeder
KINGFISHERS
Sacred Kingfisher	Halcyon sanctus	Kotare	Easy to see at Mill Creek where they breed / not very common elsewhere
NEW ZEALAND WRENS
South Island Rifleman	Acanthisitta chloris	Tītipounamu	Easiest seen on Ulva Island / tricky to see on Stewart Island
LARKS
Eurasian Skylark	Alauda arvesis		European introduction / easy to see near Ringa Ringa golf course
SWALLOWS
Welcome Swallow	Hirundo neoxena		Occasionally seen flying around township / does not breed on Stewart Island
White-throated Needletail / Spine-tailed Swift	Hirundapus caudacutus		Rare vagrant / at least three Stewart Island records
Dusky Woodswallow	Artamus cyanopterus		Mega rare / New Zealand's only record at Traill Park on Stewart Island, 24th September 2014
PIPITS
New Zealand Pipit	Anthus novaeseelandiae	Pihoihoi	Breeds at Mason Bay / common around township during winter
FLYCATCHERS
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike	Coracina novaehollandiae		Very rare overshot from Australia / only two confirmed Stewart Island records
New Zealand Fantail	Rhipidura fuliginosa		Very common endemic
ACCENTORS
Dunnock	Prunella modularis		Very common European introduction
THRUSHES
Eurasian Blackbird	Turdus merula		Very common European introduction
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos		Very common European introduction
GRASSBIRDS and FERNBIRDS
Stewart Island Fernbird	Bowdleria punctata stewartiana	Matata	Easily seen on walk to Mason Bay
ROBINS and CHATS
South Island Tomtit	Petroica macrocephala	Ngiru-Ngiru	Fairly common endemic
Stewart Island Robin	Petroica australis	Toutouwai	Easily seen on Ulva Island and on walk to Mason Bay
NEW ZEALAND WARBLERS
Yellowhead	Mohoua ochrocephala	Mohoua	Much sought after endemic only found on Ulva Island
Brown Creeper / Pipipi	Mohua novaeseelandiae	Pipipi	Fairly common endemic found on Ulva Island and Stewart Island
GERYGONES
Grey Warbler	Gerygone igata	Riroriro	Very common
SILVEREYES
Silvereye	Zosterops lateralis	Tauhou	Very common
NEW ZEALAND HONEYEATERS
New Zealand Bellbird	Anthornis melanura	Korimako, Makomako	Common endemic
Tui	Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae		Common endemic
NEW ZEALAND WATTLEBIRDS
South Island Saddleback	Philesturnus carunculatus	Tieke	Rare endemic only found on Ulva Island
FINCHES
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelabs		Very common European introduction
European Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris		Common European introduction
Common Redpoll	Carduelis flammea		Fairly common European introduction
European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis		Least common of European introduced finches, but the most attractive
SPARROWS
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus		Very common European introduction
STARLINGS
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris		Very common European introduction
BUTCHERBIRD
Australasian Magpie	Gymnorhina tibicen		Uncommon visitor from the mainland
BUNTINGS
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella		Fairly common European introduced bunting (the poor man's Yellowhead!)

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