Experience the Hihi / Stitchbird
(Notiomystis cincta)

Restoration Visitor Experience Facts

Male hihi with tail cocked Photo by Peter Reese

Hihi News

Hihi were introduced into Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in early and mid 2005, and began breeding in August. By halfway through the breeding season (December 2005), the Sanctuary’s hihi population had almost doubled.

Seeing Hihi

Hihi can be seen on the Te Mahanga, Swamp, Beech, and Round the Lake tracks – especially at or near the supplementary feeder cages along these tracks.

Juvenile hihi Photo by Tom Lynch

Look for the giveaway band of white feathers on their wings, and the distinctive way they hold their tail when they perch - it’s usually tilted upwards. Hihi are about the same size as the North Island robin (toutouwai), and a little bigger than a bellbird (korimako).

Also listen for their call – ‘tzit, tzit’ or ‘stitch, stitch’. It can tell you when hihi are close by.

Hihi are always on the move, looking for food. Try waiting a few minutes at one of the feeder cages – a hihi or two are bound to turn up, drink from the feeder’s artificial flowers, and quickly flit off again. When there’s two or more, you can also observe how the birds interact.

Or you may be lucky enough to arouse a hihi’s curiosity, so that it perches on some nearby foliage and closely inspects the strange humans in its environment.

More Information

• View the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary map.
• Hear the hihi’s call via the link at nzbirds.com.
• See the Hihi Facts page for more detail on what the birds look like.