We're proudly #teamhihi for Forest and Bird’s 2020 Bird of the Year, as not only is it one of Aotearoa New Zealand's
rarest birds, but the male proudly sports the Wellington colours of black and yellow.
From 2-15 November, Bird of the Year Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau 2020 is back showcasing our native birds and the
importance of their preservation, encouraging Kiwis to vote for their favourites and support our feathered friends.
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster says the total population of the hihi (also known as the stitchbird) is unlikely to exceed
2000 birds. By the end of the nineteenth century introduced predators and habitat loss meant the hihi were confined only
to Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island. Our own Zealandia is thought now to have the largest mainland population
which makes the hihi an even better bird to support.
“Predator control and habitat protection and recreation are critical for native birds, especially the more vulnerable
like the hihi,” says Mayor Foster. “The significant increase of native birds like tūī, kākā and kākāriki in our city and
surrounds shows how land purchase and protection, conservation initiatives, public engagement and predator control has
benefitted these birds.
“In my time Wellington City Council has massively expanded our reserves network, and consistently led the country in
supporting local conservation programmes, ecological restoration, and predator control volunteer groups in the capital –
and this collective effort is seeing some world leading restoration results.
“Unfortunately, the hihi is still at risk, so we’re supporting this vulnerable bird this year to ensure its rejuvenation
is ongoing – and its high-pitched whistle becomes as familiar as the tūī’s call. This makes it all the more the time for
the hihi to have its place in the sun!”
The common name of this bird, the stitchbird, is believed to come from their high-pitched zit tzit whistle. They have a
curved bill and a long tongue that is used to reach deeply into flowers to brush nectar to eat.
There are many ways to support the hihi and other native birds, says Councillor Teri O’Neill, the City Council’s Natural
Environment portfolio lead.
“There are lots of local groups to join as a volunteer as a trapper, planting trees, pulling weeds, and all sorts of
skills required – the most important thing you can provide is your time.
“It’s also really important to remember that most native birds prefer nectar, not bread or grains, so setting up a
nectar feeder in your garden will see them literally eat like a bird in your own backyard!”
In Māori ‘hihi’ was a term used for the healing rays of sunlight, referring to the burst of yellow on the shoulders of
the male birds.
The Council’s Urban Ecology Team Leader, Daniela Biaggio, says Wellington is one of the few places in the country where
you can encounter the threatened hihi.
“This year we were thrilled to get reports of hihi sighted in some of our reserves outside of Zealandia, namely
Otari-Wilton’s Bush and Polhill. These birds are particularly vulnerable to predation and we hope that with the
continued work to reduce impacts of predators in our reserves we will see their numbers increase in coming years.”
The City Council will be celebrating the hihi with information, images and prizes on its social media channels – so keep
a birds eye view on them, and remember to vote hihi at https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/