Riroriro | Grey Warbler

Small bird on branches.

I had heard the Riroriro, Grey Warbler, hundreds of times before I ever managed to spot one. Then I got lucky.

This is one of our smallest birds, with a distinctive song.

Small bird on a branch, facing the camera.
Small bird on a branch, facing the camera.

Riroriro, Grey Warbler:

Length: 11 cm; Weight: 5.5 - 6.5 g
Similar species: Silvereye
A tiny slim songbird that is olive-grey above with a grey face and off-white underparts, with a darker grey tail getting darker towards the tip, contrasting with white tips to the tail feathers, and showing as a prominent white band in flight. The finely pointed bill and slender legs are black, the eye is bright red, and birds often glean insects from the outside of the canopy while hovering.

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