Over the 8+ years I've been visiting or living at Waikawa Beach I've come to realise we have a lot of birds around here. We have several environments: rural, urban (village), coast, lake, wetland, exotic forest.
I'm no bird expert, but as I've noticed or taken photos of various birds I've researched what I've seen and drawn conclusions I hope are accurate. If you know your birds please do contribute your expertise.
This list aims to include all Waikawa Beach birds. I've seen all these birds myself, with a couple of exceptions: I've only heard the Pipiwhararoa (Shining Cuckoo) and the Bellbird. John Hewitson found and rescued a live Little Blue Penguin on the beach one day, while I've only seen dead penguins on our beach.
My list is only of live birds — I've seen others washed ashore dead. Note: I plan to link from this list to at least one post about each bird on this site.
How many birds from the list have you seen?
Update: folks on the Waikawa Beach Facebook Group added two birds: Morepork often heard about half way along Waikawa Beach Road, and a Black Shag (or perhaps Little Black Shag) seen hanging out with the Pied Shags near the footbridge. They’ve been added to the list below.
Big list of birds at Waikawa Beach
- Australasian Bittern: Matuku-hūrepo | Australasian Bittern and The Strathnaver Bittern
- Australian Coot: Australian coot with chicks
- Makipai | Australian Magpie: Makipai | Australian Magpie
- Kuruwhengi | Australian Shoveler: Kuruwhengi | Australasian Shoveler
- Pohowera | Banded Dotterel: Little dots: the Dotterels
- Kuaka | Bar-tailed Godwit: Kuaka | Godwit and Kuaka | Godwits.
- Barbary Dove: Barbary Dove
- Black-fronted Tern | Tarapirohe: Tarapirohe | Black-fronted tern
- Kakīānau | Black Swan: Kakīānau | Black Swan and Black Swans and their cygnets
- Kororo | Black-backed Gull: Kororo | Black-Backed Gull
- Tarāpuka | Black-billed gull: Tarāpuka | Black-billed gull
- Black-fronted Dotterel: A new bird joins the estuary crew: a Black-fronted Dotterel (first noticed in November 2023)
- Manu Pango | Blackbird: Manu Pango | Blackbird
- Tikaokao | California Quail: California Quail
- Kuihi | Canada Goose: Kuihi | Canada Goose
- Taranui | Caspian Tern: Taranui | Caspian terns
- Pahirini | Chaffinch: Pahirini | Chaffinch
- Kākā uhi whero | Eastern Rosella: Kākā uhi whero | Eastern Rosella
- Tītī wainui | Fairy prion: Tītī wainui | Fairy prion
- Glossy Ibis: Glossy Ibis: an unusual visitor (seen in November 2023)
- Kōurarini | Goldfinch: Kōurarini | Goldfinch
- Greenfinch: Greenfinch and Birds from the balcony
- Pārera | Grey Duck: Pārera | Grey duck
- Riroriro | Grey Warbler: Riroriro | Grey Warbler
- Kuihi | Greylag Goose: Kuihi | Greylag Goose
- Kererū: Kererū at the beach (spotted for the first time in August 2022)
- Kōtare | Kingfisher: Kōtare | Kingfisher
- Tūī | Kōkō: Tūī | Kōkō
- Kawau Tūī | Little Black Shag: Kawau Tūī | Little Black Shag and Little Black Shag and Pied Shag
- Kororā | Little Blue Penguin: Kororā | Little Blue Penguin
- Rakiraki | Mallard Duck: Rakiraki | Mallard
- Pīwakawaka | New Zealand fantail | Tīrairaka: Tīrairaka | New Zealand fantail
- Weweia | NZ Dabchick: Weweia | Dabchick and chick
- Tūturiwhatu | NZ Dotterel: Little dots: the Dotterels
- Pāpango | NZ Scaup: Pāpango | NZ Scaup
- Kawau | Pied Shag: Kawau | Pied Shag at the beach
- Poaka | Pied Stilt: Poaka | Pied Stilt
- Pukeko: Pukeko at Lake Puna-O-Te-Ora
- Rainbow Lorikeet: Rainbow Lorikeet
- Tarāpunga | Red-Billed Gull: Tarāpunga | Red-Billed Gull and Tarapunga | Red-billed gull — photos
- Peihana | Ring-Necked Pheasant: Peihana | Ring-Necked Pheasant
- Kererū aropari | Rock Pigeon: Kererū aropari | Rock Pigeon
- Kōtuku Ngutupapa | Royal Spoonbill: Kōtuku Ngutupapa | Royal Spoonbill and Flock of Spoonbills
- Ruddy Turnstone: Ruddy Turnstone (seen for the first time in December 2022)
- Pīpīwharauroa | Shining cuckoo: Pīpīwharauroa | Shining cuckoo heard at Waikawa Beach, November 2022 (heard but not seen by me for the first time in November 2022 — post includes a photo by a local)
- Kaireka | Skylark: Kaireka | Skylark
- Manu-kai-hua-rakau | Song Thrush: Manu-kai-hua-rakau | Song Thrush
- Tōrea | South Island Pied Oystercatcher: Tōrea | South Island Pied Oystercatcher
- Sparrow: Tiu | House Sparrow
- Spur-winged Plover: Spur-winged Plover
- Starling: Tāringi | Common starling
- Kāhu | Swamp Harrier Hawk: Kāhu | Swamp Harrier Hawk
- Tōrea Pango | Variable Oystercatcher: Tōrea Pango | Variable Oystercatcher
- Tauhou | Waxeye: Tauhou | Waxeye
- Warou | Welcome Swallow: Warou | Welcome Swallow and Warou | Welcome Swallow poses
- Kōtuku | White Heron: Kōtuku | White Heron
- Matuku Moana | White-Faced Heron: Matuku Moana | White-Faced Heron
- Tara | White-fronted Tern: Tara | White-fronted tern
- Ngutuparore | Wrybill: Ngutuparore | Wrybill and Ngutuparore | Wrybill spotted 06 March 2023
- Hurukōwhai | Yellowhammer: Hurukōwhai | Yellowhammer
- Bellbird (heard only)
- Ruru | Morepork (heard only — in Strathnaver Coastal Natural Character area and also half way along Waikawa Beach Road)
