Gallery

Hoiho / Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)

One of the rarest penguins on the planet, the Yellow-eyed penguin is the largest penguin breeding on the New Zealand mainland. Their Māori name, Hoiho, translates as "noise shouter", which is appropriate given their impressive, loud calls.

Hoiho live only in New Zealand and are about 65cm tall. They are one of three species found on the South Island, the other two are Tawaki, or Fiordland penguin about 55cm tall, and the Kororā, or Little penguin, about 25cm tall. Yellow-eyed penguins are easily identified by the band of yellow feathers that extend from one eye to the other, wrapping around the back of the head. Their eyes have a yellow iris, hence their name Yellow-eyed penguin.

Males and females Yellow-eyed penguins look the same but the males are slightly larger and heavier than females. About half the females start breeding when they are two years old, the rest follow suit at three years old. Males are usually at least three years old before they find a mate and start breeding. The females usually lay two eggs from mid-September and the chicks become independent from late February.

Yellow-eyed penguins can forage up to 40km offshore, but it is variable depending on the time of year and whether they are breeding. During the breeding season (September to March) they return to the colony every day, and most days in the rest of the year. Off Otago the diving record is 123m, but they typically dive between 20m and 60m hunting midwater and bottom dwelling fish as well as squid and octopus.

Yellow-eyed penguins are an endangered species and the population on South Island has declined by 80% since 2000. While predation by introduced predators such as stoats, ferrets and feral cats can happen it is mitigated by extensive trapping in most colonies. Diseases can kill adults and chicks and these can be exacerbated by stress. Food shortage at sea in some years also cause starvation events that are mitigated through rehabilitation of affected penguins. It is unknown how climate change will affect Yellow-eyed penguins.

New Zealand sea lion / Rāpoka (Phocarctos hookeri)

NZ sea lions are found only in the New Zealand region including subantarctic islands. Breeding occurs as far north as Otago Peninsula. Their distribution was much larger in pre-historic times, from North Cape to Stewart Island and Chatham Islands. They were rapidly exterminated within 100 – 200 years following Polynesian colonisation.

The founder female “Mum” immigrated to Otago from Auckland Islands in 1991 and was resident at Papanui Beach at Cape Saunders until she had her first pup (“Katya”) in 1993/94. There are now 34 breeding-age females in Otago, some direct descendants of “Mum”, others immigrants from the subantarctic.

Males grow much larger than females and adult males have a heavy mane, their fur is dark brown and they weigh 320-450kg and are 2.5m long. Females are creamy-grey and weigh 85-160kg and 1.8m long. Sea lions have external ears, a rounded face and young animals have long whiskers. Older individuals have shorter whiskers. They are surprisingly fast on land and can outrun humans on soft sand.

Sea lions tend to hunt within a few kilometers of the coast (including within inlets and harbours) in water up to 100m deep. They dive continuously day and night, and can have short bouts of half to one day at sea and then half to one day ashore. 

Sea lions take schooling and bottom-dwelling prey such as octopus and skates, but squid is not important. Males can prey on fur seals (sized from pups up to adult females), and female sometimes eat seabirds, including little penguins and yellow-eyed penguins.

The breeding season is mid-December to mid-January with pups suckled for one year. Pups weigh about 10kg at birth. Otago females have their first pup at age 4 to 6 years, typically 1-2 years younger than subantarctic females.

New Zealand fur seals / Kekeno (Arctocephalus forsteri)

NZ fur seals live in southern Australia and around New Zealand including our subantarctic islands. Before the arrival of humans in New Zealand they bred around all New Zealand mainland and subantarctic islands and after the arrival of humans in New Zealand hunting reduced the population to near extinction. Breeding on Otago Peninsula recommenced around 1980 following an absence of at least 200 years. Numbers are increasing instead of a decrease typical for most of NZ wildlife. More recently there are now also newly established breeding colonies on the North Island.

Males can be up to 160kg but typically around 130kg and up to 1.7m long. Females are around 40kg and 1.5m long. Pups are around 3.5kg when they are born and about 50cm long. Their apparent clumsy locomotion allows for efficient movement on uneven surfaces.

Fur seals prey on squid, octopus and schooling fish, and can take Little penguins, but there is no evidence that they prey on Yellow-eyed penguins. The diet of males and females is similar. They hunt over the outer continental shelf and continental slope in water over 100m deep and can take small deep-sea fishes. The maximum dive durations and depths recorded for adults females is 9 min and 310m, and for males 15 min and 380m. They only dive at night because they tend to target prey species that rise towards the surface at night. On foraging trips they travel further than sea lions to feed and so have longer bouts at sea: typically 1-2 weeks, and then two days ashore.

Females give birth to one pup from late November. They mate only once a year, usually within one week of giving birth and they have delayed implantation of the fertilised egg. The egg is implanted in the uterus after about three months, and gestation is nine months.

During the breeding season, males establish territories from late October and defend them vigorously until mid-January. Adult females come ashore in November and in due course, some males acquire several females within their territories.

The NZ fur seal population is guessed at about 100,000 animals. Fur seals have no natural terrestrial predators in NZ but at sea they may be eaten by sharks, sea lions and leopard seals.

Thalassarche bulleri 

The Buller’s mollymawk is one of the smallest of the albatrosses. Buller’s mollymawks are one of the more abundant small albatrosses occurring around coastal areas of New Zealand. Their striking black-and-golden-yellow bill and smart black-and-white plumage make them readily identifiable as they scavenge close to fishing vessels. The southern subspecies is unusual among albatrosses in breeding under tall, dense woody vegetation which sometimes requires it to walk up to 100 m inland to reach its nest after landing in open tussock at the forest edge.

Thalassarche cauta

The white-capped mollymawk is a familiar albatross of coastal waters from Hawke Bay south, scavenging around commercial and recreational fishing vessels. It regularly occurs further north also, and across the Tasman Sea. The largest of the mollymawks, its main breeding grounds are in the Auckland Islands (especially Disappointment Island), with a second subspecies breeding on islands off Tasmania and ranging into the Tasman Sea and occasionally to New Zealand.

To see these amazing Albatross up close we highly recommend a tour at the Royal Albatross Centre on the Otago Peninsula.

Diomedea sanfordi

The northern royal albatross is a huge white albatross with black upper wings. It usually mates for life and breeds only in New Zealand. Biennial breeding takes place primarily on The Sisters and The Forty-Fours Islands in the Chatham Islands. There is also a colony at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula.

Northern royal albatross can be sighted throughout the Southern Ocean at any time of the year. Non-breeding and immature birds, including newly fledged birds, undertake a downwind circumnavigation in the Southern Ocean. The main wintering grounds are off the coasts of southern South America. They are generally solitary foragers and forage predominantly over continental shelves to shelf edges.

Diomedea epomophora

The southern royal albatross is one of the great albatross species, with a wing-span in excess of 3 m and weighing approximately 9 kg. Endemic to New Zealand, the majority of the southern royal breeding population is found on subantarctic Campbell Island, with smaller numbers on the Auckland Islands. Birds breed biennially as it takes nearly a year to rear the single chick. Non-breeding birds and juveniles cross the Southern Ocean to feed in South American waters before returning to the breeding areas by circumnavigating the globe. Young birds begin returning to the islands at 3-4 years of age to find mates, and generally start breeding at 6-12 years, and live into their 40s. Southern royals are closely related to the northern royal albatross, which breeds at Taiaroa Head and the Chatham Islands.

Karoro / Black backed gull (Larus dominicanus)

The largest of the native gull species in New Zealand, with a 1.5 - 1.7-meter wingspan. These birds are omnivorous but are most frequently seen eating shellfish or scavenging on the Otago Peninsula.

Karoro did not seem to be a particularly important bird for early European settlers, only being identified in New Zealand in 1843, well after Captain Cook’s voyages.

Karoro are a large species of gull with a wingspan of between 1m and 1.4m and weighing between 830g and 1kg, making them New Zealand’s largest species of gull. Male and female Karoro look very similar, however male Karoro are typically larger than the females. Karoro typically lay three eggs between October and January and the parents protect their offspring for 3 to 4 months. Interestingly some females lay their eggs in the nest of other female birds, a behavior called conspecific brood parasitism.

While Karoro are a native bird they also have a very wide distribution. Karoro are distributed throughout much of the Pacific, breeding in New Zealand, Australia, and South America. Karoro are extremely adaptable, having found to range from Peru to the Antarctic peninsula and living at sea level as well as being seen at over 6000 feet in Arthurs pass. Karoro have benefited greatly from human development and as a result they are one of the rare native birds whose population has grown since European settlement and as such face no conservation concerns.

Pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus)

Also known as a purple swamphen, these birds can be found throughout Oceania. Easily identifiable by their large, bare legs, orange crests and beaks, and dinosaur-like movements. Look for Pukeko all around New Zealand - you'll most likely see them in pastures, or along the sides of roads.

Pūkeko are a species of rail that are considered native to New Zealand. Easily identifiable by their black and purple plumage, adults have bright orange or red crests on their heads, while fledgelings will have duller gray/brown features on their heads.

Pūkeko have an interesting place in Māori history, often drawing ire due to their habit of disrupting farming. Kūmara and Taro were favourite crops for Pūkeko to eat and in response a significant amount of effort was used to keep Pūkeko out. Snares and fences would be set up around gardens to protect crops and while Pūkeko would at times be caught they weren’t considered very good food. Their purple/blue feathers, however, were admired and used for ornamentation.

The history of how Pūkeko reached New Zealand has been difficult to uncover. Unlike many of the other birds and mammals found on the Otago peninsula, Pūkeko are not endemic. Instead they have natural ranges including Australia, Polynesia, Asia, Africa, and even southern Europe. Pūkeko are generally accepted to have colonized New Zealand from an overseas population roughly 1000 years ago.

Historically it was thought that Pūkeko are all descended from Australian Swamphens that were blown across the Tasman Sea and settled in New Zealand. Māori oral history, however, tells a different story. According to oral history Pūkeko were brought to New Zealand on two canoes which were a part of the original great fleet that brought the Polynesians who would eventually become Māori to New Zealand. This timeline also fits the estimated arrival of Pūkeko in New Zealand as Polynesian colonists arrived around 700-800 years ago.

Genetic studies of Pūkeko populations may have cleared up the confusion: It’s been found that North Island Pūkeko are closely related to Australian populations and were likely founded by Australian birds being blown to New Zealand. Pūkeko from the South Island, however, are most closely related to Polynesian populations and so may have been brought across by Polynesian settlers. It’s no coincidence that Pūkeko introduction happened at a similar time to human colonization.

Pūkeko benefited significantly from human disruption of ecosystems such as farming and the decline of Takahe populations. One of the many reasons that Pūkeko have benefited from human colonization while Takahe have suffered severely is the greater reproductive output of Pūkeko. Pūkeko have one of the most complex and interesting breeding systems of native birds. Pūkeko can be monogamous, or have nests with multiple males, multiple females, and some groups will have multiple males.

Pūtangitangi / Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)

Pūtangitangi are New Zealand’s only endemic shelduck species and are also the largest duck species in New Zealand -  around 63cm in length and males weighing around 1.7kg. Male ducks have dark colouration while females are much lighter in colouration, with a white head and brown chest plumage. Pūtangitangi are typically seen in pairs and mate for life, with clutches that can vary in numbers from between 5-11 eggs.

Pūtangitangi were considered a very significant food source for Māori throughout New Zealand due to their large flocks and considerable fat content. The inability of Pūtangitangi to fly during their summer moult made them very easy to hunt. There are records of hunting parties gathering six or seven hundred birds from lake Waihola in one day.

Pūtangitangi were also valued by Māori for their striking mottled feathers which were used in necklaces. The plumage of the Pūtangitangi also caught the eye of European settlers. Prominent New Zealand ornithologist Walter Buller described Pūtangitangi as “undoubtedly the finest” New Zealand duck species and the Zoological Society of London also took a shine to the birds. Many Pūtangitangi were kept and bred in the society’s gardens.

Pūtangitangi play an important role in the dispersal of native plants in New Zealand with seeds attaching to their feathers and feet, being dropped into new habitats. Pūtangitangi have been found to spread seeds between native habitats and urban areas, for example carrying seeds from lake Ellesmere into central Christchurch, a distance of around 27km. This benefits the health of urban ecosystems.

Pūtangitangi have historically faced conservation concerns, becoming rare or locally extinct in northern areas of the North Island, and suffering a reduced population in the South Island. The mass shooting and poisoning of Pūtangitangi by Europeans was largely due to the damage they caused to crops. After the reintroduction of Pūtangitangi to the northern areas of the North Island and more strict hunting regulations the population across New Zealand has exploded.

Pūtangitangi have a large population of likely over 700,000 and have been capable of consistently rebounding after the loss of about 200,000 individuals annually during duck shooting season. Because of their population size Pūtangitangi have no conservation concerns, however they are prone to many diseases. Two diseases that are currently affecting the Pūtangitangi population are Chlamydia and toxoplasmosis. While this is not having a significant negative effect on the Pūtangitangi population size, the prevalence of disease in such a widespread and populous species may threaten other more vulnerable native bird species to whom these diseases may transmit.

Spur-winged plover (Vanellus miles)

Interestingly, despite being called plovers Spur-winged plovers are not a plover at all but are instead part of the lapwing family.

Spur-winged plovers are a species of terrestrial wading bird which typically weigh between 230g and 400g. This is quite large for a member of the bird family Charadriidae which includes plovers and lapwings; typically fairly small terrestrial wading birds.

Adult Spur-winged plovers can be identified by their white underside, brown back, and a strip of black feathers around their neck and continuing to the bird's crown. Their most identifiable features are, however, the wing spurs near the chest from which the species gets its name, the bright yellow wattle that covers much of the bird's face, and their very noisy calls. Spur-winged plovers are gregarious, typically gathering in large flocks of up to 600.

 Spur-winged plovers can make use of a wide range of habitats, being found in short-grassed damp areas with birds often being found in highly modified habitats such as damp farmland. These birds can also be found in coastal areas, particularly on sheltered areas such as sandy beaches, though individuals have still been seen in more exposed coastal areas such as rocky outcrops and are commonly seen on the Otago Peninsula and at Cape Saunders Farm.

Spur-winged plovers are a species that are common in Australia and New Guinea and have recently colonized New Zealand. They were first recorded in New Zealand in 1886, however they weren’t recorded breeding here until 1932. Spur-winged plovers were first recorded breeding near Invercargill though they rapidly spread north and their spread throughout the North Island after the 1970’s was particularly rapid. Spur-winged plovers are now common in almost every area of New Zealand, and are even found on the Chatham Islands and some subantarctic islands. The only areas where Spur-winged plovers aren’t often found is in Fiordland, Kahurangi National Park near Nelson, and along the Southern Alps.

Because Spur-winged plovers self introduced into New Zealand they are considered a native species, however they are unique in the fact that they gained a fully protected status, as all native birds do, but lost their protections in 2010. This is because in 2010 it was found that Spur-winged plovers caused 37% of all bird strikes on aircraft in New Zealand, and 50% of bird strikes at 10 of New Zealand’s airports. Spur-winged plovers are also known to cause agricultural damage and have been seen destroying native New Zealand dotterel eggs, the southern population of which are nationally critical.

A common sight around the peninsula, these birds are usually seen digging into the soft sand or mud along the banks of our waterways. 

Tōrea pango / Variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor)

Named so because of their variation on colour across New Zealand. Birds located further north show more white on their front, while birds in Dunedin are almost always solid black.

Tōrea pango were likely first sighted by European explorers in 1769, however they weren’t described to science until 1844. The description we have of Tōrea pango now did not occur until 1973 as there was confusion leading to the species wrongly being split into two separate species.

Tōrea pango are a species of large wading birds. Both males and females are visually very similar, with females being slightly larger than males. Individuals typically weigh around 720g, making them one of the larger New Zealand wading birds. There are two morphs, a completely black morph, and a black morph with a white belly (the pied morph) which can be easily confused for the South Island pied oystercatcher. Over 90% of individuals in the southern South Island are the black morph.

Clutch sizes are typically around 2-3 eggs, with laying occurring between September and February. Both parents raise the chicks, though the mother has a greater role, and chicks fledge at about 6-7 weeks old. Mating pairs typically pair for life and return to the same territory each year to nest.

Bivalves, or shellfish, such as cockles are an important food source for Tōrea pango. The distinctive long orange bill is an important tool for eating bivalves, either levering open the shells or hammering through them. Many other small shore dwelling animals are also prey including chitins, worms, snails, crabs, and sometimes small fish. The prey species also lead to gut parasite infection of Tōrea pango, with other shorebirds such as shags and gulls also sharing some of the same parasite species. The infection of some Tōrea pango prey species by parasites makes them more likely to be eaten, and in the case of bivalves this benefits the ecosystem as their shells provide shelter for smaller animals as well as a foundation for other organisms to grow on.

The last population survey in the 1990’s estimated the Tōrea pango population to be around 4000 individuals, however the population has been increasing since they were protected in 1940 and is now predicted to be 5000-6000 with the majority in the North Island. Invasive mammalian pests are significant conservation concerns for Tōrea pango, causing mortality for eggs, nestlings, and at times adults.

Matuku moana / White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)

Matuku moana are a native bird that self-introduced from Australia. They were first recorded in Manukau in 1865², however White-faced herons didn’t fully establish themselves in New Zealand until the 1940’s. The first breeding population was identified in 1941 in Otago on the Shag River.

Since the population expanded in the 1950’s Matuku moana have become the most common species of heron in New Zealand. They are widespread throughout mainland New Zealand, though the population is less dense through Fiordland and the lower west coast. Matuku moana have also established a population on the Chatham Islands and have even been sighted on some subantarctic islands. Matuku moana also breed in Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia, and there is a separate subspecies which breeds in New Caledonia.

Matuku moana breed in pairs, which form a solitary nest in contrast to colonially breeding bird species such as gulls. Both parents participate in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks once they’ve hatched. 3-5 eggs will typically be laid, however typically only two chicks are raised by the parents. The young will stay near the nest until they can fly, a behaviour that is unusual among herons.

Matuku moana, despite their size, don’t undergo many long flights and instead typically only move around their local area. Matuku moana do exhibit some seasonal migration, moving from inland areas towards the coast and also with a tendency to move northwards.

Open country is preferred by Matuku moana, with individuals feeding in wetlands, lake shores, mudflats, damp pasture, and urban parks. Matuku moana can also be found on sandy beaches, and while they typically feed individually, flock sizes can grow up to 20 birds which may move 10-20km in one day.

The diets of Matuku moana are highly diverse. Crustaceans including crabs and even shrimp are often the most common prey item, however fish, insects, earthworms, and even frogs also make up the diet of these birds.  Unfortunately, Matuku moana have been found to predate native reptiles as well. Unsurprisingly with such a broad diet Matuku moana can have a high exposure to parasites, leading some individuals to become quite heavily infected with multiple species of gut parasite.

Poaka / Pied stilt (Himantopus Himantopus)

Not to be confused with the much larger Pied Oystercatcher, pied stilts have "spindly, dainty" features. The chicks can be easily identified by the black feathers around their eyes, while adults have white faces and black back of neck feathers.

Poaka are an ecologically important species, being able to survive in a range of environments. They require damp habitats, favouring wetlands but also being present on flooded farmland and occasionally on intertidal sandflats and beaches. Poaka are predators of various species of mollusc as well as many species of insect larvae and some adult insects.

Poaka are a native species in New Zealand and have the ability to tower over other wading birds due to their long thin legs.

The first record of a Poaka is from 1854 in the Waikato region, and they are thought to have arrived in New Zealand in the early 19^th century from Australia. The arrival of Poaka is thought to have been driven by habitat changes caused by human colonization of New Zealand. For much of the 1800s Poaka were fairly rare, however in the 1870’s the population began to expand.

The population seems to have levelled out in the 1960’s, and the last national population survey was carried out in the mid 1980’s finding an estimated 30,000 birds. Poaka aren’t considered to have any significant conservation threats, however it has been noted that in the 1990’s the population of Poaka in Central Otago declined, likely due to the spread of invasive plants disrupting Poaka habitat.

The large population size of Poaka is, however, causing issues for a native endemic species of stilt.  Black stilts, or Kakī, are closely related to Poaka, and have greatly reduced. Kakī used to be common throughout the South Island, with the exception of Fiordland. Their population has now been reduced to only around 140 wild individuals and breeding is restricted to the Makenzie basin. Because the Kakī population is so low and the Poaka population is so high there are issues with Kakī breeding with Poaka instead of other Kakī. This means that the reproductive rate of the already small Kakī population is reduced by producing Kakī/Poaka hybrid offspring instead of increasing the Kakī population. It should be noted that while interbreeding between Poaka and Kakī is an issue for Kakī populations, Kakī are also suffering greatly from other factors such as mammalian predators and habitat loss.

Black Swan | Kakīānau (Cygnus atratus)

Introduced from Australia in the 1860's black swans can now be found all around New Zealand. Due to the saltwater, Black swans on the Otago Peninsula are likely to be non-breeding individuals, but instead are here to eat the calorie-dense eelgrass that grows in the area.

Black swans were deliberately introduced, initially from Melbourne, in the 1860s. Their distribution and abundance within a few years of those small introductions suggests that, coincidentally, natural colonization likely occurred. Periodic immigration from Australia may still occur but has yet to be confirmed.

Kakīānau are seen in abundance in Papanui Inlet and Hoopers Inlet. When the wings are lifted, or when flying, pure white flight feathers are visible, which are black tipped in immature birds. The bill is a bright red with a terminal white band, the eyes are red, and the legs are dark grey. Both sexes are alike, but the female is noticeably smaller than the male. Cygnets are grey with a black bill, and newly fledged young are dull greyish brown with a brown eye. On land swans walk slowly and are ungainly. In flight, the birds labour and their conspicuous white flight feathers elicit a whistling sound.

The only other swan in New Zealand is the larger and all white mute swan, which is very rare.

Black swans are entirely herbivorous, preferring submerged freshwater plants.

Black swans are common, with a national population of about 50,000 (2011). Formerly much more numerous but the widespread loss of aquatic plants, their preferred foods, from most lowland lakes has greatly reduced their numbers and made those swans still present more reliant on lakeside land plants and grasses. 

Black swans are a legal gamebird in most parts of New Zealand with up to 7,000 shot annually (2011). They are unprotected on Chatham Island, where eggs are also gathered periodically to effect population control. Some lakeside farmers are intolerant to swans grazing their pastures, especially in winter, and require Fish & Game Councils to harass the swans or cull their numbers. 

Easily identifiable by their bright green-blue back, and large black bill. Sometimes seen on the peninsula flying in or out of their hillside nests or perched over brackish waterways hunting aquatic species.

First recorded breeding in New Zealand in 1949, this bird roosts at the base of Cape Saunders. Can be found foraging day or night thanks to their long, sensitive bills which allow them to hunt completely by touch.

Seen only during the summer months, these birds migrate from New Zealand to Alaska, and back again every year. During the summer months look for them towards the center of our tidal inlets.

Commonly seen in urban and rural forests, but only occasionally seen on the Otago Peninsula. This large bird is known for its swooping aerial displays, and loud "crash landings" when coming in to perch.

Found throughout Oceania, this bird is known to have "bewildering plumage variation" and is better identified by its size and distinct short bill and long tail. A diving bird, we frequently see these shags perched around the harbour, sunning themselves with their wings spread wide to raise their body temperature.

Matapo / Otago shag (Leucocarbo chalconotus)

Otago shags are a species endemic to New Zealand. They are large birds with pink feet, blue eyes, and a crest of feathers on the forehead found around the coasts of Otago. Otago shags are the most recently recognized bird species on the Otago Peninsula, only being described as a separate species in 2016 by researchers at the University of Otago.

Shags from Otago were first described by Europeans in 1845 and were often wrongly identified based on the plumage pattern. In the late 19^th century, the bronze and pied morphs (seen in pictures) were considered two different species of shag, however it’s since been discovered that individuals with different colour morphs interbreed and so are not separate species.

More recently, southern shags were only defined as being separate from the more northern King shag in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. These southern shags were originally considered Stuart Island shags, however this species has now been split into Otago and Foveaux shags.

The now defunct Stewart Island shag species was split into the Otago and Foveaux shag species due to notable, though difficult to recognize, physical and genetic differences. Otago and Foveaux shags have differences in the structure of their skulls, and through gene sequencing are known to have evolved independently, splitting off from each other around 360,000 years ago.

The diversification of shags in the southern hemisphere, including Otago shags, occurred at the end of the last glacial period that occurred around 380,000. Interestingly, Otago shags may actually be most closely related to Chatham Island shags than Foveaux shags, as there is evidence that Chatham Island shags branched off from a population of Otago shags. That said, the close relationship between Otago and Foveaux shags is made clear by their ability to interbreed in areas where the two species overlap.

While their range is now restricted to Otago and parts of Southland, before Polynesian settlement the range of Otago shags extended to the top of the South Island along the east coast. Otago shags have suffered a massive decline due to human colonization, with an estimated population of 500,000 before Polynesian settlement to an estimated 2500 soon after human arrival.

Unfortunately, the population size of Otago shags is unknown due to the species recent identification, however the combined population of Otago and Foveaux shags is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 breeding pairs. While the range of Otago shags has been recovering since human settlement, the population is still in decline. Otago shags are threatened by fishing activity, particularly set-nets, as well as being shot illegally by fishermen. Introduced mammalian pests are also likely a threat to Otago shag breeding colonies.

Found all throughout New Zealand, bellbirds are easily identifiable by both their beautiful call, and distinct green-yellow plumage.

A favorite for visitors and locals alike, fantails are known for their curious nature, stark tail feathers, and distinct cheap cheap vocalizations.