New Zealand / Aotearoa. A collection of islands in the South Pacific. A haven for many native, endemic, and naturalised birds. Native birdlife developed without fear of predatory mammals. This lack of mammals in New Zealand led to many bird species filling the niche of small mammals in the environment. As such, many birds in New Zealand were flightless ground dwellers. Sadly, today, many of these early NZ birds are extinct, whether from the effects of man or man's introduced animals such as possums, cats, ferrets, etc.

Despite increased predation over the past several hundred years, birdlife in New Zealand is still plentiful.

Among the noisiest of the birds in my garden is the Tui. Also known as a parson bird (see his white collar?), this mainly nectar-feeder can be hard to see amongst the gums but is often recognized by his melodic call (song of the tui).

Captain Cook while at Dusky Sound in 1773 on his second voyage to New Zealand, wrote of the Tui:
"Under its throat hang two little tufts of snow-white feathers, called poies, which being the Otaheitean word for ear-rings, occasioned our giving that name to the bird; which is not more remarkable for the beauty of its plumage than the sweetness of its note. The flesh is also most delicious and was the greatest luxury the wood afforded us."

I don't think that anyone these days enjoys "the flesh of the tui" as Captain Cook did, as the tui is a prized bird in everyone's garden and has become as much a Kiwi icon as the kiwi itself.