TUI

The Tui is an iconic New Zealand native that you’ll be able to spot almost anywhere in New Zealand except perhaps the Canterbury region. Tui’s are predominantly black and dark blue and have an iridescent shine when the light catches the feathers at the right angle. One of the most obvious features of the bird is the white tuft on its neck.

To spot a Tui you’ll first be listening out for its long and loud vocal range. The bird has quite a unique call variation that includes whistling and chirping followed by cackles and clicks and everything in between. Once you hear the loud call you may hear it flying through the trees as it also makes quite a bit of noise when in flight.