Description: Large brown hawk. Food is a mix of live prey - small birds, rabbits and a lot of road killed carrion (possums, hares, hedgehogs). Wary birds and avoid humans.

Habitat: Usually seen soaring singly over farmland, open country or swamps. Commonly patrols roads and a lot of young birds killed by cars.

Size: 55 cm

Description: Large bird with deep blue underparts, bright red beak and frontal shield, black upper parts with white under tail displayed by tail flicking as it walks. Harsh screaming call. Flies clumsily with legs trailing but tends more often to run away if disturbed. Grazes pasture and may hold some vegetable matter by one foot and eat "parrot fashion". Also takes frogs, insects and even small ducklings.

Habitat: Frequently seen in family groups foraging within the vicinity of water.

Size: 50 cm

Description: Distinctive black and white wader with long pink spindly legs which trail prominently when flying. Nests often singly on river beds or as small colonies on muddy paddocks with some shallow water (often where stock have eaten out choumollier winterfeed). Vigorously defends nest and chicks against humans and the . Rapid "yapping" cries as they harmlessly attack you.

Habitat: Seen on rivers, lakes and pond margins.

Size: 35 cm

Description: Black cap, brown back and wings, white underparts with bright yellow facial wattles (like a plastic mask). Strident rattling unmistakable calls. Slow deliberate wing beats in flight. Are early nesters from May onwards on open ground. Defends nest aggressively against the , and humans.

Habitat: Conspicuous birds of open country and farmland.

Size: 40 cm

Description: A starling-sized brown bird with white underparts on which are black throat and reddish-chestnut bands. Defends nesting territory vigorously against dotterels of same species.

Habitat: Inhabits sandy beaches and stony riverbeds.

Size: 20 cm

Description: Arrived in the Wairarapa in the 1960s via the Hawkes Bay where they first colonized from Australia. Today, our region has about 20% of the national population. Smaller than . Brown upper parts with white throat and belly. Black forehead, eye stripe, and V on breast. Red beak with black tip. Slow jerky flight shows white on the wings. Sharp "pit-pit-pit" call in flight. When the Ruamahanga floods, birds are forced off the riverbed and into Henley. Here they can be seen feeding around the lap strip of the Lake and in the muddy margins of wetland ponds.

Habitat: Feeds on muddy margins of rivers and streams. Hard to see until they move.

Size: 17 cm

Description: Small, pale shorebird with a beak which is longer than the head and slightly downcurved. Prior to migration north in late summer, some birds attain the reddish breeding plumage.

Habitat: Usually encountered in small flocks, sometimes with which looks similar but is brown.

Description: Moderately small Arctic wader with brown upperparts which has a scalloped appearance because of pale feather edges. Pale slightly mottled breast fading to dull white on belly and under tail. As breeding plumage develops in autumn, upper parts show more rufous colouration with brown arrow shaped markings on paler underparts. Dark brown beak slightly down-curved at tip.

Habitat: Forages in shallow muddy areas of Lake Wairarapa, often in mixed flocks with other sandpipers.

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: 60 cm

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: Brightly coloured blue-green bird with light orange breast and sharp powerful beak. More often seen away from water and perhaps eats more insects, worms, lizards than fish. Known to kill small birds such as . Uses the beak to excavate a nest hole in rotten trees or banks. Harsh repeated "kek-kek-kek" call heard more often when breeding.

Habitat: Commonly seen sitting motionless on roadside powerlines, watching for prey. In winter many of our kingfishers migrate to the coast and may be seen feeding on fish and small crabs from rock pools.