Description: Small grey brown bird. Feeding habit of hovering and picking caterpillars and insects from leaves. White tips of tail displayed in feeding manoeuvre. Female builds enclosed pendulous nest and incubates eggs. Male defends territory repeatedly singing squeaky but musical trill more often heard than seen. Parasitised by and it is not unusual in summer to see two harassed warbler foster-parents feeding a cuckoo chick three times their size.

Habitat: Readily attracted by "squeaking". Widespread, found in established gardens, hedges, plantations or bush. Look for it moving quickly in the canopy of trees.

Size: 10 cm

Description: A small, friendly brown-black bird with pale orange breast and large black and white tail which it fans frequently in flight. Uses tail as a rudder in its almost constant pursuit of insects.

Habitat: "Saw-like" song frequently heard. Attracted by "squeaking". Rub a piece of polystyrene on a licked bottle in the bush and a will usually be the first bird to respond.

Size: 12 cm

Description: In the shade appears black, and the beautiful blue-green iridescence only shows in the sun. White feather tufts on the throat are characteristic and an old name for the Tui was the "parson bird". Noisy whirring flight. Song is a mix of melodious notes interspersed with coughs, wheezes, clicks, and grunts. Clever mimic and can imitate many sounds, such as other birds, telephones, and even a milkman's musical call signal. It is our dominant honeyeater and will drive , and other tuis away from a feeding patch.

Habitat: In winter, commonly feeds on eucalyptus. In spring, Kowhai is a favourite food-tree.

Size: 30 cm