"self-sustaining populations of some Australian species. Apart from the occasional bird blown in from Australia, all the parrot species naturally occurring in New Zealand are found nowhere else (endemic). There are eight surviving parrot species endemic to New Zealand. The mainland species are the kea (""Nestor notabilis""), the New Zealand kaka (""Nestor meridionalis""), the kākāpō (""Strigops habroptila""), and three species of kākāriki: the yellow-crowned parakeet (""Cyanoramphus auriceps""), the red-crowned parakeet (""Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae"") and the orange-fronted parakeet (""Cyanoramphus malherbi""). The other New Zealand parrot species are the Chatham kaka (""N."" sp.) and Chatham parakeet (""Cyanoramphus forbesi""), from the Chatham Islands, and"
"on video, proving that at least some kea will attack and feed on healthy sheep. The video confirmed what many scientists had long suspected: that the kea uses its powerful, curved beak and claws to rip through the layer of wool and eat the fat from the back of the animal. Though the bird does not directly kill the sheep, death can result from infections or accidents suffered by animals when trying to escape. There are also anecdotal reports of kea attacking rabbits, dogs, and even horses. Together with local councils and runholders, the New Zealand government paid a bounty"
"plant species, beetle larvae, other birds (including shearwater chicks), and mammals (including sheep and rabbits). It has been observed breaking open shearwater nests to feed on the chicks after hearing the chicks in their nests. The kea has also taken advantage of human garbage and ""gifts"" of food. The controversy about whether the kea preys on sheep is long-running. Sheep suffering from unusual wounds on their sides or loins were noticed by the mid-1860s, within a decade of sheep farmers moving into the high country. Although some supposed the cause was a new disease, suspicion soon fell on the kea."
"James MacDonald, head shepherd at Wanaka Station, witnessed a kea attacking a sheep in 1868, and similar accounts were widespread. Prominent members of the scientific community accepted that kea attacked sheep, with Alfred Wallace citing this as an example of behavioural change in his 1889 book ""Darwinism"". Despite substantial anecdotal evidence of these attacks, others remained unconvinced, especially in later years. For instance, in 1962, animal specialist J.R. Jackson concluded, while the bird may attack sick or injured sheep, especially if it mistook them for dead, it was not a significant predator. In 1993, however, its nocturnal assaults were captured"
"are banded, it is possible to match up observations with individual named birds, enabling the monitoring of the habits and behaviour of individual kea. The kea featured on the reverse side of the New Zealand $10 note between 1967 and 1992, when it was replaced with the whio. Kea are the protagonists in New Zealand author Philip Temple's novels ""Beak of the Moon"" (1981) and ""Dark of the Moon"" (1993), recounting respectively the first encounters of a group of kea with humans at the time of the colonization of the South Island by Māori, and their life in present-day, human-dominated"
"crops or livestock, without any need for a permit from the Department of Conversation. This group formerly included the kea, which has been blamed for attacking sheep, but is now considered endangered. These may be culled on application to the Department of Conservation, subject to whatever restrictions are imposed. This group includes the Australasian harrier, grey teal, grey-faced petrel, mute swan, black shag, little shag, pied shag and sooty shearwater. This group formerly consisted of wild horses, which had some degree of protection in the Kaimanawa range, but is now obsolete. This is a large group that includes many common"
"are primarily nectar and pollen consumers, and have tongues with brush tips to collect this source of food, as well as some specialised gut adaptations to accommodate this diet. Many other species also consume nectar when it becomes available. In addition to feeding on seeds and flowers, some parrot species prey on animals, especially invertebrate larvae. Golden-winged parakeets prey on water snails, the kea of New Zealand hunts adult sheep (though uncommon), and the Antipodes parakeet, another New Zealand parrot, enters the burrows of nesting grey-backed storm petrels and kills the incubating adults. Some cockatoos and the New Zealand kaka"
"New Zealand. They are the largest snails in the world, growing up to 90 mm across. They are carnivorous and prey upon earthworms. The western weka is the most common of the weka sub-species however it is still classed as vulnerable. It is a large flightless bird and had been introduced to offshore islands, which was unsuccessful because of predatory impacts on other native fauna The kea is a vulnerable bird species found all along the west coast of the New Zealand South Island and is the world’s only alpine parrot. Because they nest on the ground, predators attack a"
"Weka The weka (also known as Maori hen or woodhen) (""Gallirallus australis"") is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where four subspecies are recognized. Weka are sturdy brown birds, about the size of a chicken. As omnivores, they feed mainly on invertebrates and fruit. Weka usually lay eggs between August and January; both sexes help to incubate. Weka are large rails. They are predominantly rich brown mottled with black and grey; the brown shade varies from pale to dark depending on subspecies. The male is the larger sex at in length and"
"it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea nests in burrows or crevices among the roots of trees. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. The kea was described by ornithologist John Gould in 1856. Its specific epithet, the Latin term ""notabilis"", means ""noteworthy"". The common name kea is from Māori,"
"sugar are part of New Zealand folklore. Weka The weka (also known as Maori hen or woodhen) (""Gallirallus australis"") is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where four subspecies are recognized. Weka are sturdy brown birds, about the size of a chicken. As omnivores, they feed mainly on invertebrates and fruit. Weka usually lay eggs between August and January; both sexes help to incubate. Weka are large rails. They are predominantly rich brown mottled with black and grey; the brown shade varies from pale to dark depending on subspecies. The male is"
"bird that displays great violence when defending its territory, the New Zealand falcon has been reported to attack dogs, as well as people. The New Zealand falcon nests in a scrape in grassy soil or humus in various locations: under a rock on a steep slope or on a rock ledge, among epiphytic plants on a tree branch, or under a log or branch on the ground, making the two or three eggs that they lay vulnerable to predators such as stray cats, stoats, weasels, possums, and wild dogs. Although protected since 1970, the kārearea is a threatened species, with"
"for kea bills because the bird preyed upon livestock, mainly sheep. It was intended that hunters would kill kea only on the farms and council areas that paid the bounty, but some hunted them in national parks and in Westland, where they were officially protected. More than 150,000 were killed in the hundred years before 1970, when the bounty was lifted. In the 1970s, the kea received partial protection after a census counted only 5,000 birds. The government agreed to investigate any reports of problem birds and have them removed from the land. In 1986 it was given full protection"
"are important habitat for two birds; the great spotted kiwi ""(Apteryx haastii)"" and the South Island kaka ""(Nestor meridionalis meridionalis)"". The Kea can be found in the forested foothills as well as higher, colder elevations. It is the world's only alpine parrot, and was once hunted as a pest. The mountains are inaccessible and retain their natural vegetation. A large proportion of the range is well protected as part of various national parks, notably the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park, and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park or protected areas such as Lake Sumner Forest Park. Indigenous plant"
"significantly. In the past this bird was called the New Zealand crow: it is not a crow at all, but it looks like one from a distance. The spelling ""kokako"" (without a macron) is common in New Zealand English. The kōkako appears to be a remnant of an early expansion of passerines in New Zealand and is one of five species of New Zealand wattlebirds of the family Callaeidae, the others being 2 species of endangered tieke, or saddleback, and the extinct huia. New Zealand wattlebirds have no close relatives apart from the stitchbird, and their taxonomic relationships to other"
"to kill the birds. Canada geese are often seen in pastures and in the braided river valleys of the South Island and damage to pastures was reported as early as 1925. They affect pastures by competing for food with the farmed animals and by leaving droppings. The birds may also be responsible for some damage to crops. Canada geese in New Zealand Canada geese (""Branta canadensis"") were introduced as a game bird into New Zealand in 1905. They became problematic because of the damage caused to pastures and crops. Canada geese were introduced as a game bird into New Zealand"
"Birds of New Zealand The birds of New Zealand evolved into an avifauna that included a large number of endemic species (that is, species found in no other country). As an island archipelago New Zealand accumulated bird diversity and when Captain James Cook arrived in the 1770s he noted that the bird song was deafening. The mix includes species with unusual biology such as the kakapo which is the world's only flightless, nocturnal, lek (competitive display) breeding parrot, but also many species that are similar to neighboring land areas. A process of colonization, speciation and extinction has been at play"
"groups of birds that feed on wood-boring beetle larvae, albeit in rotting wood. The woodpecker-like role was taken on by two species in two different families in the New Zealand mixed-podocarp and ""Nothofagus"" forests; one was the huia and the other was the kaka. The huia foraged mainly on decaying wood. Although it was considered a specialist predator of the larvae of the nocturnal huhu beetle (""Prionoplus reticularis""), it also ate other insects—including weta—insect larvae, spiders, and fruit. Insects and spiders were taken from decaying wood, from under bark, mosses and lichens, and from the ground. Huia foraged either alone,"
"black coral), several sharks, and two species of grouper. Wildlife Act 1953 Wildlife Act 1953 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. Under the act, the majority of native New Zealand vertebrate species are protected by law, and may not be hunted, killed, eaten or possessed. Violations may be punished with fines of up to $100,000. Wildlife are classified under a number of schedules; all vertebrate species not included in these lists are protected by default. The schedules are periodically amended; for example the kea was granted full protection in 1984, whereas the spur-winged plover (masked lapwing), an Australian"
"Black-winged kite The black-winged kite (""Elanus caeruleus""), also known as the black-shouldered kite (not to be confused with the closely related Australian species with the same name), is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much smaller kestrels. This Eurasian and African species was sometimes combined with the Australian black-shouldered kite (""Elanus axillaris"") and the white-tailed kite (""Elanus leucurus"") of North and South America which together form a superspecies. This kite is distinctive, with long wings; white, grey and black plumage; and"
"New Zealand Air Force's aerobatic team is called the Black Falcons. The proverb ""Me te kopae kārearea"" or ""like the nest of kārearea"" means 'rarely seen.' New Zealand falcon The New Zealand falcon or kārearea in Māori (""Falco novaeseelandiae"") is New Zealand's only falcon. Other common names for the bird are bush hawk and sparrow hawk. It is frequently mistaken for the larger and more common swamp harrier. It is the country’s most threatened bird of prey, with only around 3000–5000 breeding pairs remaining. A member of the bird family Falconidae, the New Zealand falcon is mainly found in heavy"
"New Zealand kaka The New Zealand kaka (Maori: kākā) (""Nestor meridionalis"") is a large species of parrot of the family Nestoridae found in native forests of New Zealand. Two subspecies are recognised. It is endangered and has disappeared from much of its former range. The New Zealand kaka was described by German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788. There are two subspecies, the North Island kaka, ""Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis"", and the South Island kaka, ""N. m. meridionalis,"" although more recent research has ruled out allopatric subspeciation. The Māori language name kākā means ""parrot"", possibly related to ""kā"", 'to screech'. The"
"those birds whose sustenance comes from flesh and their methods of hunting. In New Zealand, Attenborough observes keas, parrots that do not eat meat exclusively, raiding a shearwater's burrow for a chick. However, it is the dedicated birds of prey, such as owls, buzzards, eagles, falcons and vultures, to which much of the programme is devoted. In order to spot and pursue their victims, senses of sight and hearing are very acute. Vultures are the exception, in that they eat what others have left, and once a carcass is found, so many birds descend on it that the carrion seems"
"can lead to adherence with some grass seeds which may be dispersed by the species. However such seeds can pose the risk of entangling their wings. Black-winged kite The black-winged kite (""Elanus caeruleus""), also known as the black-shouldered kite (not to be confused with the closely related Australian species with the same name), is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much smaller kestrels. This Eurasian and African species was sometimes combined with the Australian black-shouldered kite (""Elanus axillaris"") and the white-tailed"
"New Zealand falcon The New Zealand falcon or kārearea in Māori (""Falco novaeseelandiae"") is New Zealand's only falcon. Other common names for the bird are bush hawk and sparrow hawk. It is frequently mistaken for the larger and more common swamp harrier. It is the country’s most threatened bird of prey, with only around 3000–5000 breeding pairs remaining. A member of the bird family Falconidae, the New Zealand falcon is mainly found in heavy bush and the steep high country in the South Island, and is rarely seen north of a line through the central area of the North Island."
"used, all 20 birds survived that season. Of the nine birds tagged in the untreated area, five were killed by predators that same season. Research has shown that honeydew is very important for breeding birds, especially those breeding in southern beech forests. The difficult nature of controlling the wasps makes the New Zealand kaka's future very uncertain. New Zealand kaka The New Zealand kaka (Maori: kākā) (""Nestor meridionalis"") is a large species of parrot of the family Nestoridae found in native forests of New Zealand. Two subspecies are recognised. It is endangered and has disappeared from much of its former"
"The bird is protected under the Wildlife Act and there have been prosecutions for shooting it. New Zealand pigeon The New Zealand pigeon or kereru (Māori: kererū; ""Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae"") is a bird endemic to New Zealand. Māori call it ""kererū"" in most of the country but kūkupa and kūkū in some parts of the North Island, particularly in Northland. Commonly called wood pigeon, they are distinct from the wood pigeon (""Columba palumbus"") of the Northern Hemisphere, which is a member of a different genus. The New Zealand pigeon belongs to the family Columbidae, and the subfamily Treroninae, which is found"
"Kōkako The kōkako make up two species of endangered forest birds which are endemic to New Zealand, the North Island kōkako (""Callaeas wilsoni"") and the presumably extinct (recently data deficient) South Island kōkako (""Callaeas cinereus""). They are both slate-grey with wattles and have black masks. They belong to a genus containing five known species of New Zealand wattlebird, the other three being two species of tieke (saddleback) and the extinct huia. Previously widespread, kōkako populations throughout New Zealand have been decimated by the predations of mammalian invasive species such as possums, stoats, cats and rats, and their range has contracted"
"robins, bellbirds and blue ducks are all at risk of being predated on by stoats post seed fall irruptions Significantly increasing the risk to New Zealand birds is the fact that the majority are hole nesting birds and don’t possess the predator avoidance mechanisms that other introduced species possess and so they are more vulnerable for the following reasons: The introduction to New Zealand of the German wasp (""Vespula germanica"") and the common wasp (""Vespula vulgaris"") has severely impacted on native New Zealand species. Beech forests of New Zealand, like those of Victoria Forest Park, are infested with scale insects"
"Australian magpies in New Zealand The Australian magpie is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Members of two subspecies groups, black-backed and white-backed magpies, were introduced into New Zealand to control pests in pastures but have themselves become an invasive species. The birds can be aggressive and commonly attack humans and occasionally native birds. Cyclists can also be attacked, especially during nesting season of the bird. Birds taken mainly from Tasmania and Victoria in Australia were introduced into New Zealand by local Acclimatisation Societies of Otago and Canterbury in the 1860s, with"
"Australian magpies in New Zealand The Australian magpie is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Members of two subspecies groups, black-backed and white-backed magpies, were introduced into New Zealand to control pests in pastures but have themselves become an invasive species. The birds can be aggressive and commonly attack humans and occasionally native birds. Cyclists can also be attacked, especially during nesting season of the bird. Birds taken mainly from Tasmania and Victoria in Australia were introduced into New Zealand by local Acclimatisation Societies of Otago and Canterbury in the 1860s, with"
"varied diet made up of invertebrates. It is generally sedentary and territorial throughout its range. Common and widespread, it has adapted well to human habitation and is a familiar bird of parks, gardens and farmland in Australia and New Guinea. This species is commonly fed by households around the country, but in spring a small minority of breeding magpies (almost always males) become aggressive and swoop and attack those who approach their nests. Over 1000 Australian magpies were introduced into New Zealand from 1864 to 1874 but have subsequently been accused of displacing native birds and are now treated as"
"between 1,500 and 3,000 birds. Recent surveys estimated winter populations fluctuating around 1,500 birds and a summer population fluctuating around 2,000 birds. Hawaiian coot The Hawaiian coot (""Fulica alai""), also known as the alae kea in Hawaiian, is a bird in the rail family, Rallidae, that is endemic to Hawaii. In Hawaiian, alae is a noun and means ""mud hen"". Kea or its synonym keo is an adjective for ""white"". It is similar to the American coot at in length and weighing around . It has black plumage and a prominent white frontal shield. Its natural habitats are freshwater lakes,"