List of birds of New Zealand
Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below occur regularly in New Zealand as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants.
The list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature (common and scientific names) mainly follows the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.
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.
The Cape Barren goose is also recorded as an escape from captivity in New Zealand which has bred, as well as being a vagrant from Australia as set out in the table below.
Order: Galliformes Family: Megapodiidae The megapodes are stocky, medium-large, chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet.
Their name literally means "large foot" and is a reference to the heavy legs and feet typical of these terrestrial birds.
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.
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prying open molluscs.
They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings.
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Rostratulidae Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae They are in general medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings.
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers.
Order: Sphenisciformes Family: Spheniscidae The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae The southern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering.
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae Northern storm-petrels are small birds which spend most of their lives at sea, coming ashore only to breed.
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.
Order: Suliformes Family: Anhingidae Anhingas or 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.
Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted.
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey.
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters.
Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
They are understood to form a distinct lineage within the passerines, but authorities differ on their assignment to the oscines or suboscines (the two suborders that between them make up the Passeriformes).
Order: Passeriformes Family: Rhipiduridae The fantails are small insectivorous birds with longish, frequently fanned, tails.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights.
Some are colourful with yellow, red, or orange vents, cheeks, throats, or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small birds of rather drab appearance, the plumage above being typically greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast, or lower parts, and several have buff flanks.
