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Description:
Our largest gull, black and white with yellow beak.
Juveniles have mottled brown plumage and only attain adult plumage by 3-4 years.
Numbers have increased enormously near urban centres which provide more sources of food.
Habitat:
Never far off-shore, but can be seen soaring over all parts of the country
including our mountain ranges.
An opportunistic feeder seen on wet pastures, cultivated land,
rubbish tips, sewer outlets.
Size:
Description:
Blue-grey body, beak and legs orange. Black cap.
Buoyant flight as it searches for insects to pick off the water surface.
The call is a repetitive "kit".
Habitat:
Often in small groups hawking for insects over water, especially inland on rivers.
Description:
Our commonest tern. Pearl grey and white with swallow tail and black cap
separated by white forehead from black beak.
This feature gives bird its name.
Habitat:
Rarely observed away from the coast.
Look for flocks just offshore diving for small fish.
In breeding season often seen flying back to chicks with small fish in beak.
Description:
Our commonest small gull and the one invariably seen on TV during Test Cricket matches.
Grey and white gull with red beak and legs.
Habitat:
Usually coastal but flocks may be seen feeding or roosting on cultivated paddocks or
sports fields within a few miles of the sea.
is the first species to appear when you toss out some food at a beach
picnic.
.
Description:
Blue grey pigeon with iridescent green purple sheen on neck.
Prominent black bars on wings.
Urban birds show alot of plumage variation due to interbreeding with dovecote escapees.
In towns roost and breed (almost all year round) on ledges of old tall buildings.
Rural flocks frequent large bridges and holes in cliffs.
Town birds are street scavengers.
Country birds flock to newly sown or harvested cereal or pea crops and are
disliked by farmers.
Habitat:
Most commonly seen in towns roosting on ledges of tall buildings,
in the country on newly-sown paddocks, and coastally in holes in cliffs.
Description:
Soaring singing small brown bird of open country and pastures.
May display small crest when seen perching in profile (a feature not seen in ).
Habitat:
Commonly seen as a small dot singing as it hovers high above the nesting territory.
Description:
Similar in appearance and size to but behaviour very different.
Tends to run away instead of flying off (as does ) when approached
and when it does fly usually only goes a short distance before alighting.
Has a longer tail than and frequently flicks it up and down.
Not a songster, but has a harsh "swee" call.
Habitat:
Usually in pairs on shingle river beds or gravel road margins.
Widely distributed from coast to alpine meadows.
But does not live in cultivated land or farm pastures like .
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Black-backed Gull (Larus dominicanus)
Black-fronted Tern
(Sterna albostriata)
White-Fronted Tern
(Sterna striata)
Red-billed Gull
(Larus scopulinus)
Rock Pigeon
(Colomba livia)
Skylark
(Alauda arvensis)
New Zealand Pipit
(Anthus novaeseelandiae)