ROBIN/Tououwai     Petroica australis     FAMILY:  Muscicapidae

Endemic to NZ with 3 closely related sub-species.   North and South Island illustrated.   Fully protected.   Robins are found throughout NZ, in native bush and exotic forest, but are localised in some areas.   They feed on worms, and insects in the lower levels of the forest and on the ground.   Robins are very inquisitive and will come to investigate noises made by trampers.   Breeding is from August to February.   The nest is a bulky structure of moss, roots and bark bound together with spiders' web and lined with tree fern scales and soft grasses, found in tree hollows, tree forks and rock crevises relatively low down.   The eggs, 2-4, are cream with purplish-brown spots, denser at the larger end.   The female only incubates.

RIFLEMAN/Titipounamu        Acanthisitta chloris

FAMILY:  Xenicidae

Smallest of the NZ birds, the Rifleman has 2 closely related sub-species, one in the North Island and one in southern islands.   They are fully protected.   Found throughout NZ except north of Te Aroha, also found on Little and Great Barrier Islands, in native and exotic forest up to the bush line.   They feed maimly on insects, small larvae and moths high in trees, by searching among bark and foliage.   Breeding is from August to January with generally 2 broods.   The nest is closely woven with fine roots and leaves lined with feathers, in hollow limbs, bark crevises and clay banks.   The eggs, 2-4, are white.

NEW ZEALAND PIGEON/Keruru     Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae

FAMILY: Columbidae

Endemic to NZ with one closely related sub-species in the Chatham Islands.   Fully protected.   This large, distinctive coloured bird, with its heavy flight and swooshing of wings, can be found throughout NZ, although it is mainly restricted to native bush.   Rising and falling nuptual flights in Spring.   Food consists of fruit, leaves and flowers, and has adapted to eating such introduced plants as willow, lucerne, plums, clover etc.   Breeding occurs mainly from November to January and the nest is a flimsy structure of twigs in trees and shrubs.   The egg, 1, is pure white.

BROWN CREEPER/ Pipipi     Finschia novaeseelandiae   FAMILY: Muscicapidae

Endemic and fully protected.   Smaller than a sparrow, these little brown birds feed in noisy flocks.   Only found in the South Island, Stewart Island and their offlying islands in native bush, and also exotic  plantations and scrub up to sub-alpine.  They are not found in open country.    Food includes grubs, insects and moths.   Breeding is from November to January and the nest is a neat cup, woven with fibres,  grass and moss and lined with feathers, well hidden in the tops of shrubs.   The eggs, 3-4, are white, heavily blotched with purplish-brown, more dense at the larger end.   Only the female incubates.   Brown Creeper are often host to the Long-Tailed Cuckoo.