Birds of New Zealand: March 2012

This is a companion to my Bird of the Day blog, which focuses on birds I have seen in Victoria, Canada.

When my husband and I started planning a trip to New Zealand, I was delighted to read about the large number of unique birds that reside there. Having exhausted the supply of new birds at home, this was a welcome opportunity to continue my birding education. This blog will cover the various birding sites on the North and South Islands and (hopefully) the multitude of birds we encounter there.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Otorohanga

After spending the day exploring the glowworm caves in Waitomo, we drove the short distance to Otorohanga. There we met up with a couple of volunteers from the Kiwi House who took us to see a breeding pair of North Island Brown Kiwis and a Great Spotted Kiwi. It was a remarkable experience to see these rare birds at so close a range and I can't think of a more fitting way of spending our last evening in New Zealand.

North Island Brown Kiwi (female)

Great Spotted Kiwi