Amelia, I enjoyed that site you posted thank you.
Zita

A good site to see NZ Native Birds including endangered is www.piperpat.co.nz/nz/animals.html#p
Has lots of links that are well worth exploring.
Lovely winter Sabbath afternoon activity.
Zita

Thanks for the NZ bird sites. I especially enjoyed the link to the Aotearoa - Good morning site with all its recordings of NZ birds. Haven't heard these since I left NZ as a teen!

Yes, the bird calls are delightful.
Here on the Concert Programn (radio) every morning at 6am there is a bird call that changes every day.Delightful way to start the day.
I sent the site to a friend in America and when she played it her puppy went crazy trying to find the birds!

Glad you enjoyed them Mikk

Zita

My computer isn't very good, and I can't enjoy some sites. My son blew up the speakers (now, there's a story) so I can't hear the birdsongs until I can afford to replace them. I know New Zealand has some spectacular bird life - and sadly, some have died out from the introduction of foreign species. I have always been fascinated by the fact that so many NZ birds go on foot. Even the now-extinct (I think) ground dwelling (or was it just ground-nesting?) parrot. I don't think there are any other parrots which wander about, are there?
The kiwi is the cutest bird on earth! What a little battler, to be blind-ish, and stricken with eggs of their size!
I had a great time today feeding our magpies (who apparently think they're New Zealanders, as they go on foot mostly!). They flew up onto my back landing, and I fed them meat, which they took from my hand. This is the first time both have done this. They're very tame. The ravens (I still call them crows, but I know now that they're not) are copying the maggies, out of jealousy. But they won't come close if they can see your eyes. They sneak up only inches from me if I look away, but they are so smart that I wonder if I can ever get them eating out of my hand. They are a problem, upending my peg container regularly, but I don't really mind. The joy I experience from their antics is more than worth it.

Well that very aggressive Heron finally got what was coming to it! The magpies took to it and were definitely the winners! We are going to have a very early spring season here. Some of the birds are already beginning to nest - and of course that usually means the magpies get more aggressive. We had a very nasty pair when we moved here some time ago - and then my mum who lives next door began feeding them and they quietened down wonderfully. The only trouble was they knew the difference between her head and mine - and still dive-bombed me! Now we have at least 2 generations on and these ones now are much quieter. I don't try feeding the birds - wouldn't be fair! My cat would take it as an invitation to a feast! It sure will be wonderful in heaven when the aggressive nature of all the animals will be gone.

My magpies are nesting - and what a nest they have! They have built quite a large stick nest, weaving some sticks around the nearest thing to anchor it - to the top of a wooden power pole. The nearest thing is a thick wire. They have no protection from the elements, and the nest looks like the first breeze will knock it down. Although there are a lot of trees in my suburb (there is a whole mountain which is a reserve), the crows, butcher birds and kookaburras compete with the maggies, and even though the maggies can beat a crow in a fight, i think the crows are smarter, and steal nesting material. I've seen the magpie - iI assume it's the male - defending it's power pole, and my heart aches for this little nesting pair. Mankind has destroyed so much, and all creation is affected. These, by the way, are not attacking birds. They say only 14% of magpies are aggressive, but they definitely won't attack those who feed them, as mikk says.

I well remember the magpies in the pine trees when I was 5 years old. Must have been nesting time, as I was divebombed by one - so kept well away from that paddock after that.
I learned to love magpies when our neighbour a few years ago had a pet one across the road. He could mimmick anything.
Then there was one at the wildlife park that used to walk around the grounds showing off his repetoire. I have never forgotton his special 'tune'.

I was amazed when I went to Australia and say the size of their magpies, so much larger than here.The house we stayed at had 15 magpies that were fed every day, they even came in if the sliding door was open and sat up on the microwave waiting! Very tame, and made our holiday a delight.

I always enjoy the magpies talking as I hike in the hills each morning. They have a beautiful clear song that adds joyfulness to the start of any day.

Zita

I discovered a delightful site the other night that I would like to share with you.
It shows several shots of a Weka.

When you get into the site, scroll down to Cape Foulwind, and click on that.
http://www.photo.net/nz/moon/land

Enjoy!
Zita

Thanks, Zita, for the site with the bird pics.