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In this list of New Zealand birds, Māori names (where known) are given first, followed by English alternatives. In some cases (tui, kākā, weka, pūkeko, moa, kiwi, kea, kōkako, takahē) the Māori name is the common name. In other cases (fantail, albatross, black-backed gull, bellbird, morepork, dotterel, wax-eye, oystercatcher) the English name is most commonly used.
Contents
- Kiwis
- Moas
- Penguins
- Fulmars petrels and shearwaters
- Storm petrels
- Albatrosses or toroa
- Tropicbirds
- Frigatebirds
- Boobies and gannets
- Cormorants
- Darters
- Pelicans
- Bitterns herons and egrets
- Ibises and spoonbills
- Ducks geese and swans
- Adzebills
- Rails crakes and coots
- Cranes
- Pheasants
- New World quail
- Oystercatchers
- Avocets and stilts
- Plovers and lapwings
- Waders or shorebirds
- Pratincoles and coursers
- Painted snipe
- Gulls and terns
- Skuas
- Pigeons and doves
- Grebes
- Hawks kites and eagles
- Falcons
- Barn owls
- True owls
- Owlet nightjars
- Swifts
- Cuckoos
- Cockatoos
- Old world parrots
- New Zealand parrots
- Rollers
- Kingfishers
- New Zealand wrens
- Crows and ravens
- Cuckooshrikes and trillers
- Old World orioles
- Wagtails and pipits
- Grassbirds
- Reed warblers
- Australasian robins
- Mohouids
- Monarch flycatchers
- Australasian warblers
- Honeyeaters
- Stitchbird
- New Zealand wattlebirds
- Pardalotes
- Fantails
- White eyes
- Woodswallows and allies
- Starlings
- Buntings seedeaters and allies
- Finches and allies
- Old World sparrows
- Accentors
- Thrushes and allies
- Swallows
- Larks
- References
This list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature (common and scientific names) mainly follows the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2016 edition. Some supplemental referencing is that of the Avibase Bird Checklists of the World as of January 2017.
The species and subspecies marked extinct became extinct subsequent to humans' arrival in New Zealand. About two thirds of the extinctions occurred after the arrival of Māori but before the arrival of Pākehā and the rest since Pākehā arrived.
The Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, published in 2010 by Te Papa Press, in association with the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, is an authoritative list of New Zealand birds.
Kiwis
Order: Struthioniformes Family: Apterygidae
Moas
Order: Struthioniformes Family: Dinornithidae
Penguins
Order: Sphenisciformes Family: Spheniscidae
The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid, and other forms of sealife caught while swimming underwater.
Fulmars, petrels and shearwaters
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium nasal septum, and a long outer functional primary flight feather.
Storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
The storm petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. Their flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
Albatrosses (or toroa)
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are a family of large seabird found across the Southern and North Pacific Oceans. The largest are among the largest flying birds in the world.
Tropicbirds
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head.
Frigatebirds
Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae
Boobies and gannets
Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Cormorants
Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
The Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating sea-birds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black and white, and a few being colourful. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked.
Darters
Order: Suliformes Family: Anhingidae
Darters are frequently referred to as "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.
Pelicans
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large water birds with distinctive pouches under their bills. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes.
Bitterns, herons and egrets
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted.
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are adapted for an aquatic existence, with webbed feet, bills that are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Adzebills
Order: Gruiformes Family: Aptornithidae
Rails, crakes and coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Pheasants
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
New World quail
Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prying open molluscs.
Avocets and stilts
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Waders or shorebirds
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
Pratincoles and coursers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
Painted-snipe
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Rostratulidae
Gulls and terns
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
Skuas
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae or hakoakoa
Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Grebes
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Hawks, kites and eagles
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
Falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae
True owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
Owlet-nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Aegothelidae
The owlet-nightjars are a distinctive group of small nocturnal birds related to swifts found from the Maluku Islands and New Guinea to Australia and New Caledonia.
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
Cockatoos
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Cacatuidae
Old world parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
New Zealand parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Strigopidae
Rollers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae
Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
New Zealand wrens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acanthisittidae
Crows and ravens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
Cuckooshrikes and trillers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Campephagidae
Old World orioles
Order: Passeriformes Family: Oriolidae
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
Grassbirds
Order: Passeriformes Family: Locustellidae
Reed warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
Australasian robins
Order: Passeriformes Family: Petroicidae
Mohouids
Order: Passeriformes Family: Mohouidae
Monarch flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Monarchidae
Australasian warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acanthizidae
Honeyeaters
Order: Passeriformes Family: Meliphagidae
Stitchbird
Order: Passeriformes Family: Notiomystidae
New Zealand wattlebirds
Order: Passeriformes Family: Callaeidae
Pardalotes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pardalotidae
Fantails
Order: Passeriformes Family: Rhipiduridae
White-eyes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Zosteropidae
Woodswallows and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Artamidae
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
Buntings, seedeaters and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
Finches and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Old World sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
Accentors
Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
Thrushes and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
Swallows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
Larks
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae