Backyard Birding in your Bubble: Kiwi Edition
Chances are right now you are in a bubble, my friend. A bubble blown from this pandemic, Covid-19. Even as I write that sentence I found this time to be unreal. Like a bad dream. Like an alternate timeline. But it doesn’t matter how many times I pinch myself to wake up I always find myself here in this time of bubbles and face masks.
Tramping and hiking through far-flung places to marvel at wildlife and nature are out right now, but that does not mean you have to stay cloistered indoors experiencing acute nature withdrawals. The backyard is a hive of activity when it comes to nature with many local birds calling your backyard home.
So arm yourself with a camera, your phone or your binoculars and let’s go meet these backyard feathered friends.
New Zealand Fantail or Pīwakawaka
The cheekiest bird in all the land, the New Zealand fantail is a familiar bird for many kiwis. Sporting a good set of white eyebrows which kind of make him look like a grumpy old man, and a tail that resembles a openable fan, the fantail is a cute guy to have a catch up with in the garden. They are native to New Zealand and are quite widespread, being found throughout the North and South Island in many diverse habitats including farmland and urban dwellings.
Listen out for: If you hear some high pitched chirps that kind of sound like squeaks coming from your trees, you may have a pīwakawaka hanging out there.
How to take a photo of: I would recommend a fast shutter speed for this guy as he has a habit of bouncing from branch to branch quickly. They are curious birds so they do often come down to investigate who or what you are.
The Tuī
Are mysterious croaks and coughs coming from your shrubs but grandpa is inside, then you may have a Tui or two making residence in your backyard. Tui are distinguishable by their white tuff or poi on their necks and their dark feathers. These may seem black from afar but are a combination of dazzling blues, greens and bronzes iridescent colours. Really, their whole getup resembles a fancy black tie getup. Their vocal range is very unique, having dual voice-boxes. They sing out with a beautiful song interspersed with bouts of grunts, coughs, and wheezes. They can mimic other bird calls as well as sounds and some have even been taught to talk.
Listen out for: The croaks and wheezes in the tree or a dark coloured bird whizzing high above. Their flight pattern is quite distinctive as well; they look almost as if they are swimming in the air. Spreading their wings out wide then quickly tucking them close to their body, propelling themselves forward.
How to take a photo of: Tuis will often hang at the top of the trees, the perfect place to sing out to all the neighbourhood. A telephoto lens will be able to snap a pic of these guys at that range. Or patience as you wait until they fly down to the lower branches.
The Blackbird
Introduced by the early European settlers in the 19th century , the blackbird will be a familiar sight in many people’s backyards. The male is black with a yellow beak while the female and juveniles are a lighter brown colour. They do not flock together, but rather are seen as a single bird or monogamous mating pairs. They are also quite territorial birds and will chase away interlopers. They are apt fliers, and have reached New Zealand’s far flung islands, making them one of the most widespread bird species in the country.
Listen out for: They will often sing out into the dawn or evening air from a high tree, or power line.
How to take a photo of: They are quite cautious birds so they may be quite wary of you when you approach. To gain trust of your blackbird friend, come sit with him or her for 10 minutes a day for a bit. They will get used to your presence after a while.
The House Sparrow
The cutest bird in all the kingdom, the small house sparrow may be found hopping along in your garden. First introduced by early settlers in the 1860s to act as pest control for insects hurting crops, the tables quickly turned when they became regarded as pests as they munched on the crops. But do not hold that against them, as they are quite a charming backyard bird and a birds gotta eat. In appearance, they are light grey on their underbelly and brown on their wings, with males having a dark bib like marking on their chest. They are also a flocking bird, so you are more than likely to see a flock of sparrows rather than a loner sparrow.
Listen out for: A chirp chirp chirp sound. You will see them hopping in a flock along your grass looking for food or in the trees.
How to take a photo of: Stay still and take a seat on your lawn. On their natural hunt for food they may explore the area close around you.
House Sparrow playing in the puddles
A Rock Pigeon
The Rock Pigeon
The doves street smart cousin, the Rock Pigeon is our urban compatriot here in New Zealand. We will be familiar with this strutting sassy bird foraging for food on the streets, in the local park or perhaps in your backyard. In appearance, they are often different shades of grey with iridescent rainbow coloured feathers on their necks and chest. The adult’s eyes are red while the jurnvilles have brown eyes. They form monogamous pairs like doves, and will travel either inn pairs of flocks on the constant lookout for food.
Listen out for: Their soft coo coos.
How to take a photo of: Urban pigeons are often quite bold, so you may be able to get quite close to these feathered fellas. Wait for them to do their mating dance, which is when they puff out their feathers, fan out their tail feathers close to the ground and charge around the female. This would make for an interesting photo.
Silver Eye or Tauhou
So called for the silver-white coloured eyeliner surrounding their eyes, the Silver Eye arrived in New Zealand from Australia in the mid 1800s. They have olive-green coloured feathers on their head and lower back while grey feathers on the upper back and chest. Their wings are mostly a darker olive green color. They are tiny in size at around 12cm in length and only weighing around 13g. They form monogamous pairs and are known as quite a social bird, traveling in chattery flocks. They enjoy feeding off nectar, and in winter are frequent visitors to people’s backyard feeders (sugar/water feeders).
Listen out for: a creee sound. Their flight call is cli-cli. Their song is high-pitched in tone.
How to take a photo of: As mentioned above, they enjoy feasting on nectar. During winter when a-lot of flowers disappear, it could be a good idea to set up your own sugar-water feeder. You can find heaps online or make your own. This will bring all the silver-eyes to the yard and you can have fun taking their pictures. Or patience is needed. They are small and fast, so you will need a fast shutter speed to capture these guys.
Silvereye or Tauhou
The Spotted Dove
Nothing quite resembles peace more than the dove, a quiet reserved bird. This is the bird that would be voted nicest guy in the avian kingdom, if there was such a poll. In appearance, they have a grey - pink coloured head, a neck that is spotted with white dots, and mottled brown wings and back. Their eyes are red, while the beak is black and feet pink. They travel either in monogamous pairs or small flocks either foraging on the ground for seeds of grass, cereals and grains or perched in a tree or on a telephone wire. Mated dove pairs will preen each other, something known as allopreening.
Listen out for: their soft coo corrr cuk sound.
How to take a photo of: Doves are cautious beings and will often fly away when approached by humans. Either become a frequent visitor to your backyard dove, in order for him/her to become comfortable with your presence or deploy a zoom lens or binoculars.