Bird Watching in Arthur's Pass National Park Brochure
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the shore as they are easily frightened from their nests. Weka South Island käkä Again, somewhat rare around There have been occasional Arthur’s Pass village. They Bird watching sightings at the forest edge can be seen almost anywhere beside the Waimakariri River in the forests on the western in Arthur’s Pass National Park above Turkey Flat. They also side of Arthur’s Pass National inhabit forests in the Taramakau Park or, occasionally, up Edwards valley by the hut or valley above Locke Stream Hut, Weka through to Harpers Pass, and in in some of the larger river CanTERBURY anD WEST COAST/TAI POUTINI the Hawdon and Poulter valleys. valleys in the east; such as the Not to be confused with the Waimakariri headwaters. kea—käkä are brown with Käkä Tüï a pale head and red underwings These birds can only be seen and generally more aloof than on the far western perimeter kea. of the park—try Kellys Creek. Yellowhead/möhua They are more common on the coastal fringes throughout Tüï This endangered bird, often Westland. called the ‘bush canary’ because of its canary-like song, Paradise shelduck/pütakitaki is now only seen in the Hawdon Commonly found in pairs valley. Try the forks between around high-country rivers the main Hawdon and the East and pastureland. Branch Hawdon junction. Be Kingfisher/kötare careful not to confuse these Möhua Occasional visitor to Arthur’s birds with the common introduced yellowhammer found in Paradise shelduck/pütakitaki Pass village open country rather than the forest and bush inhabited by yellowheads. Cuckoos Yellow-crowned parakeets/käkäriki Shining cuckoos/pïpïwharauroa Tiakina nga This species with its distinctive ‘kikikiki’ call, is generally and long-tailed cuckoos/ manu ka o te found within the forest canopy feeding on seeds, buds, koekoeä move in to our forests ngahere shoots and insects. They are plentiful throughout the between November and Look after Hawdon and Poulter valleys. February. These birds can be the birds and J Van Hal difficult to see but have very the forest Orange-fronted Kingfisher/kötare R Morris distinct calls. Shining cuckoo flourishes parakeets/käkäriki karaka calls are a series of soft, rising This critically endangered, whistles followed by longer Ka ora te canopy-feeding parakeet can descending whistles. Long-tailed ngahere, be seen in the Hawdon and cuckoos have a loud ‘zweeeeet, ka ora nga Poulter valleys. It is generally zweeeeeet’ screech, often calling manu quieter than the yellow-crowned from the top of the canopy. If the forest parakeet and is greatly flourishes, the outnumbered by them in these Shining cuckoo J L Kendrick birds flourish forests. The narrow frontal band, just above the bill, is orange in Orange-fronted parakeet/ Published by the orange-fronted parakeets käkäriki karaka Department of Conservation Canterbury Conservancy and dark red/crimson in the yellow-crowned parakeets. Private Bag 4715, Christchurch Flocks of parakeets in these valleys can contain both 2009 species. Banded dotterel/turiwhatu, What to see and where to look a bird do not pursue or interfere with it, and do not take flash canada geese, photographs. black-backed gull/karoro, Kea oystercatcher/torea, Rock wren/pïwauwau Kea are regularly seen within black-fronted tern/tara Rock wrens are usually in pairs. Arthur’s Pass village, often at These birds can be Temple Basin Track—where it dusk. Do not feed them as seen feeding or nesting turns from a 4WD track into a human food can make them amongst the braids of the Black-fronted tern/tara D Murray walking trail, the head of the unwell and encourage pest Waimakariri River, both Bealey valley, around the tree- behaviour. upstream and downstream line on Scotts Track, or near the Rock wren/pïwauwau J Van Hal Scotts Track to Avalanche of Bealey Bridge on SH73. footbridge in the Otira valley, are Peak is a prime site for Occasionally they are all good places to spot these finding kea in their natural seen on the braids of the birds. environment, especially lower Bealey River, near its around the tree-line. Young Kea S Phillipson Brown creeper/pïpipi, junction with Waimakariri kea, identified by a yellow ring around eyes and nostrils, tomtit/miromiro, River. often gather at the viaduct lookout (Deaths Corner). South Island robin/kakaruai, Morepork/ruru koukou Blue duck/whio rifleman/tïtitipounamu, bellbird/korimako, Several of these small owls Smaller than paradise fantail/pïwakawaka, live around the village. Try shelducks and blue/grey the area of the forest around silvereye/tauhou Morepork/ruru koukou D Veitch in colour with a reddish- Rough Creek Road, Cleland These birds can be found around Rifleman/ tïtitipounamu M F Soper brown chest—there are few Place, or Brake Hill Road. the village along the forest edge, locations close to the village Morepork are nocturnal and or on any of the valley walks, in to view these rare ducks. generally only seen after particular the Bridal Veil, Scotts You could try Otira Gorge dark. They are more likely and Bealey Valley tracks. just below Windy Point, to be heard than seen with or the Otira Valley Track NZ falcon/kärearea their distinctive muffled just above the footbridge. Falcons are found throughout the ‘more-pork’ call Locations further afield park—try School Terrace, near NZ wood pigeon/kererü include the Edwards River the police station (Rough Creek), Blue duck/whio A Reith These are not usually found near the East Edwards junction, or the chapel. Alternatively, they in the village unless they are or in the Mingha valley just above Mingha Biv. are often seen on Cons Track migrating through. The place Please report any sightings to the Department of Route to Mt Cassidy or on the you’re most likely to see Conservation. Avalanche Peak-Mt Lyall ridge. these birds is in the forest Great spotted kiwi/roroa Wrybill/ngutuparore beside the Taramakau River, Often heard around Arthur’s These are the only birds in or at Kellys Creek. NZ wood pigeon/kererü J Kendrick Pass Village, but rarely seen, the world with a bent beak Australasian crested NZ falcon/kärearea K Lange there may be up to 20 birds specifically evolved for hunting grebe/kämana living in the Bealey valley. insects under braided-river rocks. Look around the perimeters The male birds call year- Wrybills nest only on braided of Lake Pearson/Moana round with a very loud high- rivers between October and early Rua or Lake Grassmere. pitched whistle. The females January. They can be found on One or two birds are often call in spring and summer the Waimakariri River flats below seen feeding in the waters with a loud warbling whistle. Bealey Bridge on SH 73. Please next to the picnic/camping The best time to listen is the do not approach, or disturb them area on the foreshore. Do first two hours after dark. If as they may abandon their nests. not approach these birds, you are lucky enough to see Roroa R Morris G Chance especially if they are near Wrybill/ngutuparore M F Soper Australasian crested grebe/kämana.