Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Endemic to New Zealand, the commonly named Tui,Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae (Passeriformes - Meliphagidae) is an important pollinator of native forest flowers. The flowers of the harakeke, or flax, are perfectly shaped to fit the tui’s beak. The yellow colouring on this tui’s forehead is a dusting of pollen from the harakeke flowers from which it has been feeding on nectar.
They are intelligent, aggressively territorial, and are said to be able to imitate the calls of nearly every other bird, as well as a vast array of other sounds.
Photo and text credit: ©Sid Mosdell | Locality: Waikawa, Marlborough, New Zealand (2011)



