Has pigeon-like features but they are much larger and more majestic. The have a white belly and blue and green feathers on their head and back. The first time I saw one of these was on Rangitoto, but I've also seen these all throughout NZ.

These little guys are absolutely adorable. I haven't been able to take a good picture of one since they are pretty tiny and shy but they are just little puffballs and I love them. 

Even though these birds are about as common as robins in NZ, these are still my favorite because of their bird song. They produce a variety of calls that to me often sound like monkeys laughing. Also they have these very regal white feathers on their neck.

Here's a NZ artist that makes tūī and other native birds into renaissance style paintings: http://www.hindson.co.nz/avianrenaissance/ 

These little guys are adorable and have beautiful long tail feathers. The name is supposed to mimic the noise the birds make "Piwakawaka!"

Kauri trees are under threat. In colonial times they were cut down in large numbers because they have very straight trunks and are very strong, perfect for ship's masts. Kauri trees take several hundred years to reach full size and can live up to 2000 years.  Additionally, Kauri die-back is affecting many of the trees which causes the tree to rot from the inside out. Because of this, shoe spray stations are placed throughout the country to prevent hikers from moving contaminated soil between areas. Scientists are still trying to figure out the root cause of the issue. 

Beautiful yellow flowers. Signal the start of spring. Whenever you see these flowers, you will almost always see tūī drinking the flower's nectar. 

I usually see these birds wading through shallow water on beaches. They have long legs and a very long, orange beak for finding food. 

We saw so many black swans along the Otago Peninsula on our roadtrip. Apparently, these are not native to NZ and actually come from Australia. There used to be a native black swan species, but they were hunted to extinction by Maori. Here is an article about it: 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/95113865/ancient-black-swans-hunted-to-extinction-nzs-swans-from-australia-new-research-finds

Kiwi birds evolved to be nocturnal and live on the ground because their main predators used to be other birds. Unfortunately, this makes them easy prey for all the land mammals introduced to NZ by humans. Work is being done to breed kiwis in captivity and on reserves to revive the population. 

Pukeko love a good grassy pasture, but they love golf courses even more. One of the Motutapu volunteers said, "If you want to anger a Kiwi, tell them that the pukeko should be our national bird."

This bird is often confused with the more common pukeko. However, takahe have larger beaks, shorter legs, and are endangered while pukeko are not. This is primarily because, like the kiwi, takahe cannot fly. Takahe are being bred in captivity and being released onto reserves like Motutapu to maintain the population size. Without this important work, takahe would most likely have gone extinct already. 

The moa was a real bird that lived in NZ several hundred years ago. The average bird weighed around 550 pounds and stood at a height of 12 meters. These birds made easy prey for the first Maori, and were hunted to extinction by 1400. They are closely related to the NZ kiwi but I think they look more like that bird from Up. 

The primary source of food for Haast's eagles was moa, so when the moa went extinct, so did they. These birds were massive, and Maori legend says they could lift a person!

The only native New Zealand palm

One of the many tree species I got to plant on Motutapu. These seem like they came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book!

These are not in bloom yet, but hopefully I will get to see them before I leave! These trees have roots that grow down from the branches. Their beautiful spiky red flowers are what makes them the christmas trees of NZ.

Manuka is one of the first trees to flower in NZ, meaning this is the only source of food for bees. This means that manuka honey can be produced. This honey is world famous for its medicinal and healing qualities. Also it has a very unique floral taste.

Maori use this plant to create woven garments and totes and used to be one of New Zealand's largest exports. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/harakeke-flax/

I saw these leaves on Rangitoto and again in Tongariro! They curl up in dry weather and look dead but return to their vibrant green color very quickly when it rains.

I saw these deep red flowers on Tiritiri Matangi. Another plant that seems to bloom early in the season

New Zealand's largest native grass. It reminds me of the grasses that are planted around Mines. 

A cuter, smaller, more mild mannered version of American Seagulls.

Kea are extremely intelligent and curious birds. They have been known to strip rubber off of cars and have attacked sheep. For this reason, they were hunted up until the 1970s when the bird became a protected species. Now, the bird population is on the decline due to a number of factors, including predation by possums and lead poisoning from roofs of buildings.

Found these covering the rocks on west coast beaches. They are a symbol often found in Maori carvings and designs. 

Found these while exploring sea caves near Muriwai. They are a bright neon orange color and very gooey, yuck!

I was able to see a gannet colony at Muriwai beach! These birds dive into the water from very high up at extremely high speeds to catch fish. The colony at Muriwai is one of the only places where you can see the birds close up.

Spotted this guy on my run along Tamaki Drive. This one was holding out its wings to dry them in the sun when I first saw it.

These birds remind me of the blue herons from Bellingham! I see them very often on my sunset runs. They like to come out right at dusk.

We saw this little guy while hiking the Kepler Track in Te Anau. It hopped around me in a little circle for about ten minutes! Not shy at all. 

Paua shells are used to adorn Wharenui and are often made into jewelry.

Seals are one of my favorite New Zealand animals. I wish I could nap all day! But then again to get to my napping spot, I'd have to climb up a cliff with only my flippers so maybe not. These seals from Shag Point seemed to be laying in impossible places!

This tree reminded me of the cedar trees in Washington because their bark also peels off in long strips. 

Each fern "umbrella" is a little larger than your hand and are pretty fun :) Saw these on my hikes in Tongariro.

These ferns are very large and when their fronds fall, their leaves turn orange and their stalk turns dark black. They unfurl in the classic spiral, an important Maori symbol for new beginnings.