Tūī

Tūī is a widespread endemic honeyeater whose dark plumage shines blue, green and bronze in good light. Its paired white throat tufts, called poi, and mixture of whistles, coughs and wheezes make it readily recognisable. The head, wings and underparts are nearly black with iridescent blue-green gloss, while two curled white throat tufts and filament-like white neck feathers stand out at close range. Bellbirds lack the paired poi and are smaller and greener.

Tūī occur through much of mainland New Zealand, offshore islands and well-treed towns, although they are scarce across much of Canterbury. They move locally to flowering stands of kōwhai, pūriri, flax, pōhutukawa and rātā. Nectar and honeydew dominate when flowers are abundant; fruit becomes important in autumn, and breeding birds take large insects such as cicadas and stick insects. Tūī commute between rich nectar sources and defend flowering trees aggressively.

The mainland tūī subspecies is Not Threatened (NZ Threat Classification); the Chatham Island subspecies has a separate threatened classification. Habitat loss and introduced nest predators can still depress local populations. Flowering native trees in urban parks, gardens and forest reserves across the North Island and much of the South Island attract tūī. Spring flax and kōwhai and summer pōhutukawa are especially productive food sources.