To be sure of seeing and photographing some of the endemic wildlife, we first visited a wildlife sanctuary in Queenstown.
Parrots:
New Zealand Kaka (Brown or bush parrot), Nestor meridionalis, endemic
Kea (mountain parrot), Nestor notabilis, world's only truly alpine parrot, endemic to South Island
Parakeets:
Yellow-crowned parakeet (Kakariki), Cyanoramphus auriceps, endemic
Red-crowned parakeet (Kakariki, Porete, Red-fronted parakeet), Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae, endemic
Owl:
Morepork (Ruru, Boobook, Southern Boobook), Ninox novaeseelandiae, endemic
Ducks:
Australasian Shoveler (New Zealand Shoveler, Spoonbill, Spoonie), Spatula rhynchotis, left female, right nonbreeding male
Grey teal (Tete, Slender, Wood, Oceanic, or MountainTeal), Anas gracilis, male left, female right
New Zealand Scaup (Papango, Black Teal), Aythya novaeseelandiae
Blue duck (Whio), Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, nonbreeding male
Rail:
Weka (Kelp hen, Woodhen, Woodrail), Gallirallus australis, endemic
Pigeon:
New Zealand Pigeon (Kereru, Kukupa, Parea, Wood pigeon), Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae, endemic
Falcon:
New Zealand Falcon (Karearea, Bush Hawk, Quail Hawk), Falco novaeseelandiae, endemic
Kiwi:
(taxidermied specimen) Southern Brown (South Island) Kiwi (Tokoeka), Apteryx australis
Blackbird:
Eurasian blackbird, Turdus merula, female, introduced
Sparrows:
House sparrow, Passer domesticus, breeding male left, female right, introduced
Chaffinch:
Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, introduced
Bellbird:
New Zealand Bellbird (Korimako, Makomako, Mocker), Anthornis melanura, immature, endemic
©2025 Mermaid Underwater Photographic. All Rights Reserved.
Contact us at mermaid@underwater.org.
Last modified 27 January 2025