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.