Finding birds in NZ

The table provides a complete list of the birds recorded in NZ, with locations where they may be found (for non-vagrants). The population column is a guide where I have been able to find an estimate of the current population (in some cases this is the worldwide population, in other cases the number is the NZ resident or visiting population). This is a complete checklist of species (but not sub-species). Thanks to Kerry for information and updates.

Common name	Population	Status	Where found
Northern brown kiwi	35,000	Uncommon	Northland, Tawharanui, Marsden Cross Kerikeri
Okarito brown kiwi	350	Rare	Okarito
Southern brown kiwi	35,000	Uncommon	Fiordland
Little spotted kiwi	1,500	Rare	Karori Sanctuary, Kapiti Island
Great spotted kiwi	17,000	Uncommon	NW Nelson, Arthurs Pass
Australian Crested Grebe	350	Uncommon	Lake Pearson, Lake Forsyth, Lake Alexandrina, Lake Heron, Lake Ellesmere at times.
Dabchick (New Zealand Grebe)		Uncommon	Otaki oxidations ponds, Mangere sewerage ponds, NI lakes
Hoary headed grebe		Vagrant
Australasian little grebe	150	Rare	Lakes Ototoa, Kerata, Rotokawau, Ngatu. Ormiston Rd near Waipu.
Snowy (Wandering) albatross		Uncommon
Gibsons (Wandering) albatross	26,000	Locally common	Kaikoura
Southern Royal Albatross	17,500	Locally common	Kaikoura
Northern Royal Albatross	17,000	Locally common	Tairoa head, Chatham Islands
Laysan Albatross		Vagrant
Black browed Albatross	150,000	Common	Kaikoura
Campbell Albatross		Common	Campbell Island
Bullers Albatross	64,000	Common	Kaikoura
White-capped Albatross	150,000	Common	Kaikoura
Salvins Albatross	26,000	Common	Kaikoura
Chatham Island Albatross		Rare	Chatham Islands
Atlantic yellow-nosed Albatross		Vagrant
Indian yellow-nosed Albatross		Uncommon
Grey-headed Albatross		Locally common
Sooty Albatross		Vagrant
Light mantled Sooty Albatross		Uncommon	NI west coast
Corys shearwater		Vagrant
Streaked shearwater		Vagrant	(One NZ record 2006)
Pink-footed shearwater		Vagrant
Flesh-footed shearwater	150,000	Common	Hauraki gulf
Wedge-tailed shearwater		Locally common	Northland
Bullers shearwater	2,500,000	Common	Widespread at sea
Sooty shearwater	3,000,000	Common	Widespread at sea
Short-tailed shearwater	23,000,000	Common	Widespread at sea
Great shearwater		Vagrant	(3 NZ records)
Christmas Island shearwater		Vagrant
Manx shearwater		Vagrant
Fluttering shearwater	100,000	Common	Cook strait, Hauraki gulf, coastal waters around NZ
Huttons shearwater	180,000	Locally common	Kaikoura, Cook strait
Little shearwater		Common	Out at sea, sedentary
Subantarctic Little shearwater		Locally common	Chathams and South Atlantic
Newells shearwater		Vagrant
Common diving petrel		Common	Cook strait
South Georgian diving petrel		Rare
Grey petrel		Uncommon
Black (Parkinsons) petrel		Uncommon	Little/Great Barrier
Westland petrel	4,000	Uncommon	Cook Strait
White-chinned petrel	7,000,000	Uncommon	South of Foveaux strait
Bulwers petrel		Vagrant
Tahiti petrel		Vagrant
Kerguelen petrel		Uncommon
Snow petrel		Locally common
Cape petrel (pigeon)	2,000,000	Common	Kaikoura, Cook Strait
Antarctic petrel		Locally common	Antarctic
Antarctic fulmar		Locally common
Southern giant petrel	97,000	Common
Northern giant petrel	20,000	Common	Kaikoura
Fairy prion	5,000,000	Common	Cook strait
Fulmar prion		Locally common	Southern islands
Thin-billed prion		Common
Antarctic prion		Locally common
Salvin's prion		Locally common
Broad-billed prion		Common	Foveaux Strait
Blue petrel		Uncommon
Stejneger's petrel		Vagrant
Pycroft's petrel		Rare	Little/Great Barrier
New Caledonian (Gould's) petrel		Uncommon
Cook's petrel		Uncommon	Little/Great Barrier, Hauraki gulf
Black-winged petrel		Common
Chatham Island petrel		Rare	Chatham Islands
Mottled petrel		Common	South Island
White-naped petrel		Uncommon	Kermadecs
Juan Fernandez petrel		Vagrant
Phoenix petrel		Vagrant
Kermadec petrel		Locally common	Kermadecs
Providence petrel		Vagrant
Grey-faced (Great-winged) petrel		Common	Kaikoura
Chatham Island Taiko (Magenta petrel)	150	Rare	Chathams
White-headed petrel		Locally common	Out at sea
Soft-plumaged petrel		Uncommon	Southern oceans
Leach's storm petrel		Vagrant
Wilson's storm petrel		Locally common	Antarctic
Kermadec storm petrel		Uncommon	Kermadec Islands
NZ storm petrel		Rare	Hauraki gulf
Grey-backed storm petrel		Locally common	Southern oceans
NZ White-faced storm petrel		Common	Hauraki gulf
Black-bellied storm petrel		Locally common	Southern islands
White-bellied storm petrel		Rare	Kermadecs
Emperor penguin	400,000	Uncommon	Antarctic
King penguin	500,000	Uncommon	Antarctic
Yellow-eyed penguin	4,000	Uncommon	Katiki Point, Sandfly bay, Pohatu bay, Curio bay, Roaring bay
Gentoo penguin	600,000	Vagrant
Adelie penguin		Locally common
Chinstrap penguin		Rare	Antarctic
Little penguin		Common	Cook Strait
White Flippered Penguin	7,500	Locally common	Akaroa peninsula
Western rockhopper penguin	2,000,000	Vagrant
Eastern rockhopper penguin		Locally common	Southern islands
Moseley's rockhopper penguin	1,000,000	Vagrant
Macaroni penguin	100,000	Vagrant
Royal penguin	1,700,000	Vagrant
Fiordland (NZ) crested penguin	5,000	Rare	Fiordland, Monro Beach, Stewart Island
Snares crested penuin		Locally common	Snares Is
Erect-crested penguin		Locally common	Bounty/Antipodes
Magellanic penguin		Vagrant
Red-tailed tropicbird		Rare	Kermadecs
White-tailed tropicbird		Vagrant
Australian pelican		Vagrant
Cape gannet	340,000	Rare	Northern offshore islands
Australasian gannet		Common	Widespread round coastline, colonies at Muriwai and Cape Kidnappers
Brown booby		Vagrant	Tropics north of NZ
Masked booby		Locally common	Kermadecs
Great cormorant (Black shag)		Common	Common
Pied cormorant		Locally common	Common
Little black cormorant		Locally common	Common
Little shag		Common	Common
Stewart Island shag		Locally common	Stewart Island, Dunedin
King shag	600	Rare	Marlborough Sounds
Chatham Island shag		Locally common	Chatham Island
Bounty Island shag		Locally common	Bounty Island
Auckland Island shag		Locally common	Auckland Island
Campbell Island shag		Locally common	Campbell Island
Macquarie Island shag		Locally common	Macquarie Island
Spotted shag		Locally common	Coromandel, Cook Strait, Matingarahi
Pitt Island shag		Locally common	Pitt Island
Darter (anhinga)		Vagrant	(1 NZ record)
Great frigatebird		Vagrant
Lesser frigatebird		Vagrant
White-faced Heron		Common	Common
Little egret		Uncommon	Haumoana near Napier
Eastern Reef Heron		Uncommon	Northern coastline, Wellington south coast
White-necked (Pacific) heron		Vagrant
White heron (Great Egret)	140	Uncommon	Okarito. Winter: Lake Ellesmere, Miranda, Foxton estuary
Plumed egret		Vagrant	(West coast South island)
Eastern Cattle egret		Locally common	Waikato, Whangaehu, Foxton estuary, Lake Horowhenua
Nankeen night heron	45	Rare	Whanganui River
Australasian bittern		Rare	Whangamarino swamp
Little bittern		Vagrant
Glossy ibis		Uncommon	Wairua oxidation ponds; Travis wetland, Foxton estuary
Straw Necked Ibis		Vagrant	(1 NZ record)
Australian white ibis		Rare
Royal spoonbill		Locally common	Wairau lagoon, Kapiti Island, Waikanae, Manukau walkay, Miranda, Unahi
Yellow-billed spoonbill		Rare
Plumed whistling-duck		Vagrant
Mute swan		Rare	Hawkes Bay, Lake Ellesmere
Black swan		Common	Common
Feral (greylag) goose		Common	Common
Swan (African) goose		Locally common	Domestic, Foxton pond
Canada goose		Common	Common
Cape Barren goose		Rare	St Annes lagoon near Cheviot
Chestnut Breasted shelduck		Rare	NE SI, Lake Ellesmere
Paradise shelduck		Common	Common
Australian wood (maned) duck		Vagrant
Blue duck	1,100	Uncommon	W SI, Central NI, Ruatiti Domain
Mallard		Common	Common
Grey Duck (Pacific Black Duck)		Uncommon	(Most are Mallard/Grey Duck hybrids)
Grey teal		Common	Otaki oxidation ponds, Mangere sewerage ponds, Lake Alexandrina
Chestnut teal		Vagrant
Brown teal	1,300	Rare	Waikanae, Karori sanctuary, Whangapoua estuary, Teal Bay and Mimiwhangata, Tiritiri Matangi, Miranda
Auckland Island teal		Rare	(Auckland Island)
Campbell Island teal		Rare	(Campbell Island)
Australasian shoveler		Common	Otaki oxidation ponds, Mangere sewerage ponds
Northern shoveler		Vagrant
Northern pintail		Vagrant
Muscovy Duck		Locally common	Domestic
Pekin Duck		Locally common	Domestic
Pink-eared Duck		Vagrant
White-eyed duck (Hardhead)		Vagrant
NZ Scaup		Uncommon	Waikanae lagoons, Western Springs, south end Lake Taupo, Lake Rotorua, Waikato hydro lakes
Black kite		Vagrant	Renwick, Blenheim
Swamp (Australasian) harrier		Common	Common
White bellied sea eagle		Vagrant	(? NZ records)
New Zealand falcon		Uncommon	Boundary Island (south of King Country-BoP in NI, all SI)
Black falcon		Vagrant	(1 NZ record)
Nakeen (Australaian) kestrel		Vagrant
Brolga		Vagrant
Chukor		Locally common	SI hill country, Hawkes Bay, Mt John (Lake Tekapo)
Red-legged partridge		Rare	SI hill country, Hawkes Bay, Pirongia
Grey partridge		Rare/extinct	Invercargill
Brown quail		Locally common	Northland including Tiritiri Matangi
Feral chicken (red junglefowl)		Locally common	Kerikeri
Common (ring-necked) pheasant		Common	Mainly NI
Golden pheasant		Rare/extinct	Aroha Island, Kerikeri
Indian peafowl (peacock)		Uncommon	Northland, Hawkes Bay, Whanganui river
Wild turkey		Locally common	NI
California quail		Common	Widespread
Northern bobwhite		Rare/Extinct	Hawkes Bay (may be extinct in NZ)
Helmeted (Tufted) guineafowl		Rare	Northland, Waikato, Wanganui
Weka		Locally common	Gisborne, NW SI, Kawau, Kawakawa Bay, Rotoroa Island
Buff-banded (banded) rail		Locally common	Northland, northern SI, Great Barrier Island, Aroha Island , Miranda, Bay of Plenty
Auckland Island rail		Locally common	Auckland Is
Baillon's (marsh) crake		Locally common	SI marshes, Coopers lagoon near Lake Ellesmere
Spotless crake		Locally common	NI marshes, Rotokura (Ohakune), Pukepuke lagoon (Manawatu), Tiritiri Matangi
Pukeko (purple swamphen)		Common
South Island Takahe	100	Rare	Tiritiri Matangi, Kapiti Island, Mt Bruce
Dusky moorhen		Vagrant
Black-tailed native-hen		Vagrant
Australian coot		Locally common	Chelsea Ponds, Western Springs, Lake Tutira
Latham's (Japanese) snipe		Vagrant
Chatham Island snip		Locally common	Chatham Is
Snares Island snipe		Locally common	Snares Is
Iredale's (Stewart Island) snipe		Extinct
Sub-antarctic snipe		Locally common	Auckland & Antipodes Islands
Black-tailed godwit		Vagrant
Hudsonian godwit		Vagrant	Miranda
Eastern Bar-tailed godwit		Common	Miranda, Foxton Estuary, Manukau and Kaipara harbours, Kawakawa Bay, Mangawhai
Little whimbrel		Vagrant
Whimbrel		Uncommon	Thames, Farewell Spit, Ohiwa harbour, Big Sand Island
Bristle-thighed curlew		Vagrant
Eastern curlew		Uncommon	Thames, Farewell Spit, Miranda, Kaipara harbour
Upland sandpiper		Vagrant
Marsh sandpiper		Uncommon	Lake Grassmere
Common greenshank		Uncommon
Lesser yellowlegs		Vagrant
Terek sandpiper		Uncommon
Common sandpiper		Vagrant
Grey-tailed (Siberian) tattler		Uncommon	Ahuriri Estuary, Ashley River mouth
Wandering tattler		Uncommon
Ruddy turnstone		Common	Miranda, Foxton Estuary, Kaikoura, Mangawhai
Asian dowitcher		Vagrant
Great knot		Vagrant	Big Sand Island, Kaipara
Red (lesser) knot		Common	Miranda, Foxton Estuary
Sanderling		Vagrant	Maketu, Big Sand Island
Western sandpiper		Vagrant
Little stint		Vagrant	(Lake Ellesmere)
Red-necked stint		Common	Miranda, Lake Ellesmere, Birdlings flat
Long-toed stint		Vagrant
White-rumped sandpiper		Vagrant
Baird's sandpiper		Vagrant
Pectoral sandpiper		Vagrant	Lake Ellesmere
Sharp-tailed sandpiper	50	Uncommon	Miranda, Lake Ellesmere
Dunlin		Vagrant
Curlew sandpiper	50	Uncommon	Miranda, Foxton Estuary
Least sandpiper		Vagrant	(Possible NZ record)
Semi-palmated sandpiper		Vagrant	(1 NZ record Big Sand island)
Stilt sandpiper		Vagrant
Broad-billed sandpiper		Vagrant
Ruff		Vagrant
Wilson's phalarope		Vagrant
Red-necked phalarope		Vagrant
Grey (red) phalarope		Vagrant
Painted snipe		Vagrant
South Island oystercatcher		Common	Widespread, Foxton estuary, Miranda, Farewell Spit
Variable oystercatcher		Uncommon	Widespread, Petone beach
Chatham Island oystercatcher	350	Rare	Chatham Island
Pied stilt		Common	Common
Black stilt	80	Rare	MacKenzie basin, Ashley river mouth
Red-necked avocet		Vagrant
Pacific golden plover		Common	Miranda, Foxton estuary
American golden plover		Vagrant
Grey plover		Vagrant	(Mangere, Big Sand Island)
New Zealand plover (dotterel)	1,500	Uncommon	Northland (both coasts), Bay of Plenty beaches
Ringed plover		Vagrant
Semi-palmated plover		Vagrant	(One at Mangere)
Red-capped dotterel		Vagrant
Banded dotterel		Common	Waikanae, Lake Wairarapa
Auckland Island banded dotterel		Locally common	Auckland Is
Lesser sand (Mongolian) plover		Vagrant	Big Sand Island on Kaipara
Greater sand plover		Vagrant	Big Sand Island on Kaipara
Oriental plover		Vagrant
Black-fronted dotterel		Locally common	Lower NI, SI east coast, Mangere-Puketutu causeway, Otaki oxidation ponds, north end Lake Wairarapa
Red-kneed dotterel		Vagrant
Shore plover	250	Rare	Mana Island
Wrybill	7,500	Locally common	Foxton Beach, Miranda, Manukau harbour
Masked lapwing (spur-winged plover)		Common	Common
Oriental pratinole		Vagrant
Brown skua		Locally common	Southern oceans, Stewart Island
South Polar skua		Locally common	Antarctica
Pomarine jaeger		Vagrant	Manawatu estuary
Parasitic jaeger (Arctic skua)		Common	Cook Strait, between mainland and Mana Island (summer)
Long-tailed jaeger		Vagrant
Southern Black-backed gull		Common	Common
Pacific Gull		Vagrant	(Possible NZ record)
Red-billed gull		Common	Common
Black-billed gull		Common	Henley lake, Ahuriri, Lake Ellesmere, McKenzie Basin, Aspiring national park, Miranda, Rotorua
Franklin's gull		Vagrant
Gull-billed tern		Vagrant
Caspian tern		Uncommon	Common
Crested tern		Vagrant
White-fronted tern		Common	Common
Eastern Common tern		Vagrant	Foxton estuary
Arctic tern		Vagrant	Stewart Island
Antarctic tern		Locally common	Antarctic islands
Eastern Little tern		Uncommon	Miranda, Foxton, Otaki beach
NZ Fairy tern	42	Rare	Mangawhai, Waipu, Kaipara harbour
Sooty tern		Locally common	Kermadecs
Grey backed tern		Vagrant	(2 NZ records)
Bridled tern		Vagrant
Black-fronted tern		Uncommon	Ashley river, Wairau river, Cook Strait
Whiskered tern		Vagrant
White-winged black tern		Uncommon
Common (brown) noddy		Rare	Kermadecs
Black noddy (white capped noddy)		Locally common	Kermadecs
Grey ternlet (grey noddy)		Locally common	Kermadecs; Mokohinau rocks
White tern		Rare	Kermadecs
NZ pigeon		Common	Otari-Wilton bush
Chatham Island pigeon		Locally common	Chatham Island
Rock (feral) pigeon		Common	Common
African (Barbary) collared-dove	200	Rare	South Auckland, Puketutu, Mangawhai
Spotted dove		Uncommon	Common Greater Auckland area including Whenuapai and expanding; Opotiki and Whakatane
Australian Crested pigeon		Rare	Christchurch city
Galah		Rare	Ponui Island, Mangatawhiri (winter only)
Sulphur-crested cockatoo	500	Uncommon	Waikato, Turakina, Kapiti coast, Waitakere's
Kakapo	125	Rare	Fiordland, Codfish Island
NZ kaka		Locally common	Karori sanctuary, Kapiti Island, Nelson Lakes, Greater Auckland area
Kea	5,000	Locally common	Arthurs Pass
Scaly breasted Lorikeet		Vagrant	(2 North Shore, Auckland)
Crimson rosella	0	Extinct	Once in Wellington botanic gardens, now extinct
Eastern rosella		Locally common	Karori cemetery, Takapua Road, greater Auckland area
Ring-neck parakeet		Rare	Small feral population near Okere Falls, Lake Rotorua
Red-crowned parakeet		Locally common	Somes Island, Kapiti Island, Tiritiri Matangi, Motuhie, Little Barrier
Hochstetter's/Reischek's parakeet		Locally common	Antipodes Island
Yellow-crowned parakeet		Locally common	Forests, Mana Island
Orange-fronted parakeet	200	Rare	Hurunui, Hawdon, Poulter valleys; Maud Island
Forbes parakeet	500	Locally common	Chatham Islands
Antipodes parakeet		Locally common	Subantarctic islands
Oriental cuckoo		Vagrant
Pallid cuckoo		Vagrant
Fan-tailed cuckoo		Vagrant
Shining bronze-cuckoo		Common	Karori sanctuary
Common koel		Vagrant
Long-tailed cuckoo		Locally common	Boundary Stream, Pureora, Great Barrier, Little Barrier, Ureweras
Channel-billed cuckoo		Vagrant
Morepork		Common	Common, Kiriwhakapapa, Owlcatraz Shannon
Little owl		Locally common	South Island
Barn owl	5	Vagrant	Kaitaia (resident pair)
White-throated needletail		Vagrant
Fork-tailed swift		Vagrant
Laughing kookaburra		Rare	Orewa, Whangarei
Sacred kingfisher		Common	Common; Wairarapa
Dollarbird		Vagrant
Rifleman		Locally common	Bell Rock, Boundary Island reserve
Stead's bush wren	0	Extinct	Extinct
Rock (South Island) wren	5,000	Uncommon	Homer Tunnel; Otira valley Arthurs Pass
Skylark		Common	Common
Welcome swallow		Common	Common
Tree martin		Vagrant
Fairy martin		Vagrant
Australian reed warbler		Vagrant
New Zealand Pipit		Uncommon	Open country; Wellington south coast, Auckland west coast beaches, Matukituki and SI high country valleys
Chatham Island Pipit		Locally common	Chatham Island
Sub-antarctic pipit		Locally common	Subantarctic Islands
Black-faced cuckoo-shrike		Vagrant	Sometimes seen on Stewart Island
White-winged triller		Vagrant
Red-vented bulbul		Rare/Extinct	Auckland gardens (almost certainly extinct)
Dunnock		Common	Common (not round Auckland region)
Common blackbird		Common	Common
Song Thrush		Common	Common
New Zealand Fernbird		Locally common	Central NI, Tokaanu wharf, Nukuhou marshland
Whitehead		Locally common	Tiritiri Matangi, Waitakere ranges, Kapiti Island, Mt Bruce
Yellowhead		Rare	Fiordland, Ulva Island, Arthurs Pass, Catlins River Walk, Double Barrel Track at the old Routeburn shelter
NZ Brown Creeper		Locally common	SI bush
Grey warbler		Common	Common
Chatham Island warbler		Locally common	Chatham Is, Pitt Island
Black-faced monarch		Vagrant
Satin flycatcher		Vagrant
Grey fantail		Common	Common. Black phase only in South Island.
Willie wagtail		Vagrant
Tomtit		Common	Mangaone, Akatarawa forest, Arthurs Pass, Kiriwhakapapa, Waitakere ranges, volcanic plateau
NI Robin		Uncommon	Karori Sanctuary, Pureora, Motuara Is, Ark in the Park, Wenderholm, Tiritiri Matangi
SI Robin		Uncommon	Okarito, Stewart Island, Ulva Island
Chatham Island Black Robin	250	Rare	Island off Pitt Island only
Silvereye (waxeye)		Common	Common
Stitchbird	3,000	Rare	Karori Sanctuary, Kapiti Island, Tiritiri Matangi
NZ Bellbird		Common	Karori sanctuary, Tiritiri Matangi, Kapiti Island, Nga Manu, Antae harbour banks peninsula
Tui		Common	Common
Yellowhammer		Common	Common
Cirl bunting		Uncommon	Kaikoura, Blenheim, Victoria Park Christchurch, Christchurch airport and Charlesworth wetland
Chaffinch		Common	Common
Greenfinch		Common	Common
Goldfinch		Common	Common
Redpoll		Common	Common (uncommon Auckland region)
House sparrow		Common	Common
Starling		Common	Common
Common Myna		Locally common	Common north of Wanganui
North Island kokako	1,750	Rare	Kapiti Island, Pureora, Mt Bruce, Tititiri Matangi, Ark in the Park
South Island kokako	0	Extinct	Extinct
NI Saddleback	3,600	Rare	Karori Sanctuary, Kapiti Island, Tiritiri Matangi, Motuhie
SI Saddleback	3,600	Rare	Ulva Island, Motuara Island
Masked woodswallow		Vagrant
White-browed woodswallow		Vagrant
Australian magpie		Common	Common
Rook	35,000	Locally common	Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa near Eketahuna, Miranda

Reference: Checklist of the Birds of NZ, OSNZ, 4th edition 2010