Native New Zealand Birds visit the feeders at Beechwood Lodge, Tui photo
above and below. Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae.

Silver-eyes also known as wax-eyes, flocks of 40 or more of these tiny
birds arrive in winter, just a few of them remain year round.

Bellbird: Anthoris melanura. Below, bellbird and silver-eyes.

Kea Nestor notabilis alpine parrot, on our doorstep, another
winter visitor, commonly seen on the drive to Milford Sound.

Kea: the only alpine parrot in the world, and lives in the forest and mountain regions of the South Island of
New Zealand. Kea are legendary for their intelligence, their curiousity leads them to peck and carry away
unguarded items of clothing, or to prise apart rubber parts of cars - to the entertainment and annoyance
of human observers. They are commonly seen on the drive to Milford Sound.

Takahe: a flightless bird, thought to be extinct since 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort
the bird was rediscovered by Doctor Geoffrey Orbell near Manapouri in the Murchison Mountains in 1948. Length is up to 25 inches / 63cm. You can view a group of takahe in the wild-bird park enclosure in
Te Anau. The takahe restoration program is located at Burwood Station, 15 minutes drive from Manapouri.

Bellbirds: form a significant component of the famed New Zealand dawn chorous that was much noted by
early European settlers. The melliflous bell-like notes of its song are mesmerising adn enchanting.

Tuis are considered to be very intelligent, much like parrots. The unusual possession of two voice-boxes
enable tui to perform a myriad of vocalisations. The powered flight of tui is quite loud, they have developed
short wide wings, giving excellent manoeuverablity in the dense forest.

New Zealand Robin: is a sparrow sized bird. It is their bright breast that gave the birds their name, in
comparison with the bright breast of the European Robin.

New Zealand Pigeon: the kereru is endemic to New Zealand. Commonly called wood pigeons, they are
frequently seen roosting in the Manapouri woodland.

Grey Fantail: is never still, it flits from perch to perch on the twigs of a tree and may alight on the ground
- as if challenging a hiker on a trail. The birds are not shy, and will often flit within a few feet of people,
in doing so, it is able to catch any small flying insects that may have been disturbed by human activity.
If you hold out a walking stick the fantail may alight momentarily. They often flit around the windows of
Beechwood Lodge, searching for insects.

Little Grey Warbler: is more commonly heard than seen. Its sweet, tremulous trill, so unlike the note of
other native birds - can be heard in the trees and hedges surrounding Beechwood Lodge. A small bird,
only four inches long and yet it is the shining cuckoo's favourite host!

Silver Eyes: also known as wax-eye, or white-eye, has a conspicuous white ring around the eye. They
were recorded in New Zealand as early as 1832. It is assumed that a storm caught a migrating flock
and diverted them here. The Maori name, Tauhou, means “stranger”. Because the silver–eye colonized
New Zealand naturally, it is classified as a native species and is therefore protected. They feed in flocks
over winter, eating fats, cooked meats, bread and sugar water. They have a specially adapted tongue
with bristles, allowing them to lap up nectar.