New Zealand is home to many unique birds. Albums here are grouped into related groups (orders) of different species.

Grebes

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes

Tube-nosed birds

Tube-nosed birds

These are the seabirds (order Procellariiformes) — the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters. These birds typically spend most of their lives at sea, returning to land only to breed. New Zealand is the seabird capital of the world.

Gannets & cormorants

Gannets & cormorants

Gannets, boobies, cormorants and shags belong the the order Suliformes (previously included in Pelecaniformes).

Herons & spoonbills

Herons & spoonbills

The pelicans, herons, bitterns, ibises and spoonbills (order Pelecaniformes) are mostly large birds with long legs and necks adapted for wading in water where they catch prey.

Ducks, geese & swans

Ducks, geese & swans

Ducks, geese and swans belong to the Anseriformes order of birds.

Gamebirds

Gamebirds

The gamebirds belong to the order Galliformes, and include ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, junglefowl and quail.

Birds of prey

Birds of prey

The diurnal birds of prey are predatory birds that are now split into two different orders. They include falcons and kestrels (order Falconiformes), and harriers, hawks, eagles and kites (order Accipitriformes).

Rails

Rails

Order Gruiformes

Waders, gulls & terns

Waders, gulls & terns

These birds belong to the order Charadriiformes. They are typically found around coastal areas and inland waterways, although some breed well inland. We have many species of migratory shorebirds that breed in the arctic then fly to New Zealand for our summer.

Pigeons & doves

Pigeons & doves

Order Columbiformes

Parrots

Parrots

Order Psittaciformes

Cuckoos

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes

Kingfishers

Kingfishers

Order Coraciiformes

Perching birds

Perching birds

Also known as passerines, this group (order Passeriformes) is hugely diverse and includes over half of all known birds.