New Zealand: a unique birding destination

New Zealand’s 2,000-kilometer-long chain of islands set in the vastness of the Great Southern and Pacific Oceans is one of the world’s unique birding destinations.

From the elusive flightless bird, the Kiwi, which New Zealanders take as their own identity symbol, to some of the rarest endangered species and world-renowned bird recovery programs, a New Zealand birding vacation is played out against a 100% pure backdrop of breathtaking beauty.

To see most, if not all, of New Zealand’s endemics, you must travel through many of the main three islands (North, South, and Stewart Islands) and venture offshore to coastal islands
Your journey will take you through t a variety of landscapes: estuaries, beaches, rocky headlands, wetlands, rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, and offshore sanctuary islands close to the mainland. Key birding locations are sometimes a day’s journey apart.

A group of skilled operators in New Zealand offer bird-watching experiences – from day excursions to multi-day experiences.

Showusnz Private Road Journies

We design an itinerary to meet your specific requirements – planning the road journey, co-ordinating the private excursions, discussing and selecting accommodation – taking care of the elements to make it a seamless experience for you. Transportation is provided by private Luxury SUV or Sport Utility 4WD vehicle, depending on the number of guests.

More about what makes our bird species unique

Terrestrial Birds

New Zealand has special terrestrial birds including three endemic bird families, kiwi (five species), NZ wattlebirds (kokako and saddleback) aniclooud NZ wrens (rifleman and rock wren); alpine and forest parrots (kea, kaka and kakariki); large flightless rails (weka); honeyeaters (the iridescent tui, NZ bellbird); precious forest species such as yellowhead, whitehead, brown creeper, NZ robin, NZ tomtit, long-tailed cuckoo, shining cuckoo; the curious wrybill plover; and the extremely rare and endangered black stilt and shore plover.

Pelagic Birds

New Zealand also has the most diverse seabird community in the world, with no fewer than 85 species (95 different taxa) breeding in the region which includes NZ’s Subantarctic islands, the Chathams Group and the Kermadec Islands. This seabird fauna includes 35 endemic species and 49 endemic taxa. In addition to the breeders, many other seabirds visit New Zealand waters throughout the year, birds that breed close to Antarctica or on other islands of the Great Southern Ocean and the tropical Pacific. In short, New Zealand is an international seabird hotspot!