Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua

Landcare-Research -Manaaki Whenua

Māori bird names

Māori bird names provide a unique New Zealand flavour to bird monitoring and reporting. They also help us appreciate the characteristics of birds and their history in the region.

To stimulate greater awareness and understanding of birds and their importance in New Zealand’s landscapes requires presenting biodiversity information in ways that are locally relevant and meaningful.

Here, we highlight why using locally-preferred Māori bird names is likely to be important.

Image - Morgan Coleman
Why do they matter?

Māori bird names provide a unique New Zealand flavour to bird monitoring and reporting. They also help us appreciate the characteristics of birds and their history in the region.

Kereru
Origins of Māori bird names

Research into indigenous methods for bird naming provides valuable insights.

Fantail
Which should we use?

More than 1200 Māori names for bird names have been recorded for around 200 species in New Zealand.

Section of a feather cloak. Image courtesy of Pei Jones Collection.
Māori bird names and iwi preferences

We are working with iwi and other institutions to develop protocols that ensure Māori bird names used in biodiversity reports are locally acceptable for the region and iwi involved.