CHECKLIST to the BIRDS of TRAVIS WETLAND
CHECKLIST to the BIRDS
of the LAKE FORSYTH (WAIREWA) WETLAND COMPLEX
Including: the lake proper; the lower Okana River and delta area; lowland wet grassland at the northern end; freshwater wetlands adjacent to the eastern shoreline; short grassland/saltmeadow habitats/saltmarsh habitats at the southern end; and the lake mouth area at Birdlings Flat.
(1st update to October 2008)
Compiled by Andrew Crossland
Regional Parks Team
Greenspace Unit
City Environment Group
Christchurch City Council
Key
Origin:Maximum numbers (2000s):
o= oceanic species
w= wetland/coastal species *****over 2000 (abundant1)
t= terrestrial/non wetland species****over 500 (abundant2)
bold= native or endemic sp. or sub.sp.***over 200 (very common)
italics= Australian visitor**over 50 (common)
std font= human-introduced (exotic)*10 - 50 (less common)
underlined= northern hemisphere migrant # < 10 (uncommon)
Status:
R= resident all year round
Rb= resident and breeding
RS = resident with seasonal population influxes
V= vagrant or irregular visitor
S= seasonal or regular visitor
Ex= extinct
SPECIES RECORDED 1840 to 2008
Grebes
1.Australasian Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus australis)w RS***
2.Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocecphalus)w V#
3.Australasian Little Grebe (Tachybaptus n. novaehollandiae)w V#
Petrels and allies
4.Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus grieseus) o V #
Penguins
5.White-flippered Penguin (Eudyptula minor albosignata)w V #
Cormorants and Shags
6.Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo novaehollandiae )w S *
7.Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius varius)w RS *
8.Little Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos brevirostris)w S*
9.Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)w V #
10.Spotted Shag(Stictocarbo punctatus punctatus))w RS *
Herons and Allies
11.White-faced Heron (Ardea n. novahollandiae)w RbS *
12.White Heron (Egretta alba modesta)w S#
13.Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)w V#
14.Reef Heron (Egretta sacra sacra) w V#
15.Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)w V#
16.Australasian Bittern (Botarus poiciloptilus)w S/V? #
17.Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) w RS *
Waterfowl
18.Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)w S #
19.Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)w RbS *****
20.Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis maxima)w RbS *****
21.Greylag (Feral) Goose (Anser anser)w Rb #
22.Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)w V#
23.Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata)w RbS *****
24.Chestnut-breasted Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides)w V#
25.Mallard (Anas p. platyrhynchos)w RbS*****
26.Grey Duck (Anas s. superciliosa) w RbS*
27.Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)w RbS *****
28.Brown Teal (Anas aucklandica chlorotis)w Ex#
29.New Zealand Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)w RbS *****
30.New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaseelandiae)w RbS*****
Raptors (Birds of Prey)
31.Australasian Harrier (Circus approximans) w RbS *
32.New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae)t V#
Gamebirds
33.California Quail (Callipepla californica brunnescens)t Rb**
34.New Zealand Quail Cortunix novaezelandiae novaezelandiaet Ex
35.Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)t Rb *
Rails/Gallinules
36.Buff Weka (Gallirallus australis hectori)w Ex
37.Marsh Crake (Porzana pusilla affinis)w Rb? *
38.Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotusw RbS *
39.Australasian Coot (Fulica atra australis)w S #
Waders
40.South Island Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi)w S#
41.Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor)w RS#
42.Pied Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) w RbS****
43.Black Stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae)w V #
44.Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus miles)w RbS ***
45.Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus)w RbS **
46.Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis)w V #
47.Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica baueri)w S **
Skuas, Gulls and Terns
48.Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)w S#
49.Black-backed Gull (Larus dominicanus)w RS ***
50.Red-billed Gull (Larus novahollandiae)w RS***
51.Black-billed Gull (Larus bulleri)w S ****
52.White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)w V#
53.Black-fronted Tern (Sterna albostriata)w S*
54.Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)w S *
55.White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata)w RS ***
56.Eastern Little Tern (Sterna albifrons sinensis)w V #
Pigeons and Doves
57.Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)t R***
58.New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)t R *
Parrots and Cockatoos
59.Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)t V*
60.South Island Kaka (Nestor meridionalis meridionalis)Ex
Cuckoos
61.Shining Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)t Sb *
Owls
62.Morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae)t Rb#
63.Little Owl (Athene noctua)t Rb*
Kingfishers
64.New Zealand Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta)w RbS *
Swallows
65.Welcome Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)w RbS ****
Passerines
66.Skylark (Alaudu arvensis)t RbS
67.New Zealand Pipit (Anthus novaseelandiae)t RbS
68.Dunnock (Prunella modularis)t RbS
69.Blackbird (Turdus merula)t RbS
70.Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)t RbS
71.South Island Fernbird (Bowdleria punctata punctata)w Ex
72.Yellowhead (Mohoua cohrocephala)t Ex
73.Brown Creeper (Mohua novaeseelandiae)t Rb
74.Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata) t RbS
75.South Island Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa)t RbS
76.South Island Tomtit (Petroica m. macrocephala)t Rb
77.South Island Robin (Petroica australis australis) t Ex
78.Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)t RbS
79.Bellbird (Anthornis melanura)t RbS
80.Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)t V
81.Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)t RbS
82.Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)t S
83.Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)t RbS
84.Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)t RbS
85.Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)t RbS
86.Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)t RbS
87.House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)t RbS
88.Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)t RbS
89.White-backed Magpie (Gymnorphina tibicen)t RbS
90.South Island Kokako (Callaeas cinerea cinerea) t Ex
91.South Island Saddleback (Philesturnus c. carunculatus ) t Ex
92.South Island Piopio (Turnagra capensis capensis)t Ex
93.Rook (Corvus frugilegus)t Ex
93 species recorded 1840 – 2008, including 51 resident species, 14 seasonal visitors, 17 vagrants and 11 species now locally extinct.