About KCC | Fact Sheets | Links | Glossary | How Can I Help? | Educators | Colouring | Quiz



Maori Bird Names

Tui by Eden Sutton

New Zealand has three official languages; Maori, English and NZ Sign Language.

Below is a list of birds with both their Maori and English names.

All species also have a scientific name - they are not listed here.

Fantail by Eden Sutton

Banded dotterel by Ruby Newberry

Fantail/Piwakawaka by Annie McDougall

Rifleman in a tree by Ashleigh Young

Pukeko by David Trethewey

Kokako by Dashika Hira

Takahe by Debbie Stace

Kereru by Charlotte Johns

Australasian gannet - takapu
Australasian harrier (harrier hawk) - kahu

Banded dotterel - tuturiwhata
Banded rail - mohopereru
Bellbird -
korimako
Black-billed and red-billed gulls - tarapunga
Black-fronted and white-fronted tern - tara
Black petrel - taiko
Black shag - kawau
Black stilt -
kaki
Blue duck - whio
Brown teal - pateke
Bush wren - matuhi

Caspian tern - taranui

Dabchick - weweia
Diving petrel -
kuaka

Fairy prion - titi-wainui
Fantail -
piwakawaka
Fernbird - matata

Godwit - kuaka
Grey duck - parera
Grey teal - tete
Grey warbler -
riroriro

Kaka - no English name
Kakapo
(translation 'night parrot') - no English name
Kea -
no English name
Kereru / Kukupa - New Zealand pigeon
Kingfisher - kotare
Kiwi -
no English name
Kokako -
sometimes known as 'wattled crow'

Little blue penguin - korora
Little shag - kawaupaka
Long-tailed cuckoo - koekoea

Morepork - ruru

New Zealand falcon - karearea
New Zealand shoveler duck - kuruwhengi

Pied shag - karuhiruhi
Pied stilt - poaka
Pukeko - swamp hen

Red-crowned or yellow-crowned parakeet - kakariki (translation 'green')
Rifleman -
titipounamu
Robin -
toutouwai
Royal albatross - toroa

Saddleback - tieke
Silvereye -
tauhou
Shining cuckoo - pipiwharauroa
Sooty and Hutton's shearwaters - titi
South Island oystercatcher - torea
Stitchbird -
hihi

Takahe - no English name (moho is an older Maori name for takahe)
Tomtit - miromiro
Tui - sometimes known as 'parson's bird' because of the white tuft of feathers on its throat

Variable oystercatcher - torea-pango
Weka -
wood hen
Whithead -
popokatea
White heron - kotuku
Wrybill - ngutu-parore

Yellow-eyed penguin - hoiho (translation 'noisy shouter')
Yellowhead - mohua

Learn about New Zealand wildlife and wild places KCC Website Fact Sheets

This information was compiled in January 2001.

 

Forest and Bird

About KCC | Contact Us | Join KCC | Fact Sheets | Links | Glossary | How Can I Help? | Educators | Colouring | Quiz | Members | Contributions | Conservation Events | Site Map

The Kiwi Conservation Club is a Forest & Bird project for children.
İRoyal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc 2008. All rights reserved.