Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae

Coordinator: Kara Goddard, Hamilton Zoo

Habitat and Distribution: Inhabit forests and forest remnants, orchards and gardens throughout New Zealand.

Characteristics: Conspicuous white throat feathers. Strong, rapid noisy flight. Males larger than females and immature birds.

Voice: Song varies considerably with district. Bell like notes, low whistles, chuckles and guttural 'squarks' are all part of repertoire.

Food: Nectar, fruits and insects. Often takes large insects such as stick insects. Fly considerable distances to feed on seasonal flowering plants, e.g. kowhai and pohutukawa.

Breeding: A bulky nest of sticks, dry leaves and grasses is built in tree fork, shrub or manuka canopy. Clutch of 2 or 3 pinkish eggs with light brown spots is laid from September to January and incubated by female for 14 days. Both parents feed chicks.

Captive Program: currently held in 7 institutions

Associated Documents: