Our very comprehensive New Zealand birding tour is designed to seek almost every possible endemic bird and take full advantage of the region’s fantastic oceanic diversity. Beginning in Auckland we target North Island Brown Kiwi, amongst a multitude of other species that will no doubt be lifers. The first of our several pelagic excursions then takes place in the Hauraki Gulf in search of the recently rediscovered New Zealand Storm Petrel and a myriad of other species.
Continuing to the fabled Tiritiri Matangi Island, we will bird this predator-free reserve for the prehistoric Takahe, strange North Island Kokako and Stichbird, before combing the Miranda shoreline for the bizarre Wrybill and numerous migrant waders. We finish our time on North Island inside the fern tree forests, searching for the noisy New Zealand Kaka, migrant Long-tailed Cuckoo and tiny Rifleman.
Crossing onto South Island, our first stop is Motuara Island Bird Sanctuary, where the dazzling South Island Saddleback and New Zealand Robin will no doubt entertain us, before we embark on another pelagic adventure into the fantastic upwelling off Kaikoura, searching for an abundance of albatrosses, shearwaters and petrels. Travelling across South Island, we will seek the endemic flightless rail known as the Weka, as well as Great Spotted Kiwi, before hiking through pristine Red Beech forest surrounded by breathtaking glacier-lined mountains, where Pipipi (Brown Creeper) and the massive Kea can be found.
In Fiordland National Park our targets will include Blue Duck, the cute New Zealand Rockwren and New Zealand Falcon, before catching our ferry to the rugged Stewart Island in search of Southern Brown Kiwi and a variety of other specialities prior to another pelagic outing visiting several nearby islands.
Our final destination will be Dunedin, where a visit to a Northern Royal Albatross colony and a Yellow-eyed Penguin breeding site will certainly be amongst the many highlights of this rewarding tour.
