Fiordland National Park Birds

A small, olive-green nectarivorous songbird with a pure bell-like song. In Fiordland bellbirds forage widely on native flowering trees and shrubs and are especially vocal during the breeding season.

Small olive-green bird with a slender bill, clear bell-like piping notes and a steady hovering or gleaning at flowers; often sings from exposed perches.

Common Confusions

• Tūī Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae Tūī is larger with a white throat tuft and more varied metallic calls, while bellbird is smaller with a clear bell-like whistle and no tuft.
• Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Silvereye has a white eye-ring and is visibly smaller with different foraging behaviour; bellbird has a bulkier body and clearer bell notes.
• Waxeye (alternate name for Silvereye) Zosterops lateralis Same as above—look for the eye-ring and gregarious flocks to separate from solitary bellbirds.
• Yellowhead Mohoua ochrocephala Yellowhead has a pale yellow head and different foraging habits; bellbird lacks the yellow facial colouring and is more uniformly olive-green.