Bellbird
QUICK SEARCH Search Tips Home > Research > Biodiversity > Bellbirds > Bellbird information/identification Bellbirds home Introduction Identification Breeding habitat Colour-banding Song recording Record your bird observations Observation calendar Bellbird information/identification Anthornis melanura APPEARANCE Because of the bellbird’s greenish colouring and preference for feeding and perching up high, this bird can be difficult to see! People often locate the bellbird by its distinctive song first, and only then by sight. A strong pair of binoculars is often useful if you want to get a good view. Female bellbird Females are dull olive-brown, with a slight blue sheen on head, and pale yellow cheek stripe. Male bellbird. Photograph: Peter Reese Males are olive green, with a purplish head, and black outer wing and tail feathers. SONG Many New Zealanders know the bellbird mainly by its distinctive song. This song can be difficult to distinguish from that of a tui; however, in Canterbury, where our studies are currently centred, tui are very rare. If you hear a chime-like song in Canterbury, it is almost certainly a bellbird. In fact, bellbird song varies enormously from one place to another, as shown by our study of bellbirds in the Port Hills (Bellbird Song Research Project) and it also varies according to season/behaviour and the sex of the bird. Click here (109kb .wav file) to listen to a bellbird song from Victoria Park, Port Hills. DISTRIBUTION Bellbirds (Anthornis melanura, in the family of Meliphagidae or Honeyeaters) are found only in New Zealand. At one time they were found throughout New Zealand, but, in the 1860s, they became virtually extinct in the Auckland and Northland regions, where their populations have not recovered. Bellbirds are found in most areas of mature native bush in Canterbury, and also in many smaller patches of trees (Canterbury Website Observation Maps) and some exotic plantations. Typically they require tal
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Location: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Australia
Photo credit: © MASAMI IIDA / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: australia, australia., bird, botanic, gardens, lake, life, melbourne, native, nature, royal, sea, water, wild, wings
