Johnny spent almost three weeks in New Zealand this November, with our son Steve and family. At my request, Johnny took photos of birds they saw. Grandson Cedrus, 7, identified most of them by looking at a brochure of common birds of New Zealand that I had given to him and his brother. They did not take the brochure with them on their hikes, but Cedrus was able to remember what they had seen and find them in the brochure each evening. Amazing kid. The ones he couldn't find in the brochure, I searched for on a great website: New Zealand Birds Online. http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/
We welcome corrections and confirmations! *Update: several birders knowledgeable about New Zealand birds have written to confirm all our identifications. Good work, Cedrus!
From left to right: Pukeko, Rock Dove, Black Swan, Eurasian Blackbird
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| Pukeko or Purple Swamphen |
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| Rock Dove |
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| Black Swan |
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| Eurasian Blackbird, female |
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| Eurasian Blackbird, male |
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| Eurasian Blackbird |
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| Eurasian Coot |
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| European Greenfinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Mallard |
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| Red-billed Gull |
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| Red-billed Gull...flap under bill is apparently the bird's tongue protruding through a wound, probably from a fish hook according to rangers at the New Zealand Department of Conservation who responded to my query |
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| Southern Black-backed Gull |
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| Pied Shag (cormorant) |
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| New Zealand Fantail |
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| Variable Oystercatcher |
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| White-faced Heron |
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| California Quail |
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| Eastern Rosella |
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| Ring-necked Pheasant |
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| New Zealand Pigeon |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Tui |
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| Tui |
I don't buy that explanation for the hook under the red beaked gull's beak. We saw many, many of them with that little hook. Not all of them, though.
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