The South Island Tomtit birdsong:
NZ Birds Online Website: https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/tomtit#subspecie-569
Facts
- The tomtit is a small bird, about 13 cm long, native to Aotearoa New Zealand.
- They have large heads and short bills.
- The North Island and South Island subspecies of tomtits weigh around 11 g.
- The North Island tomtit is distinctly black and white.
- The South Island tomtit have a distinctive yellow chest.
- Their diet consists of spiders, beetles, moths, flies, weta and some small fruits.
- South Island tomtits can be found mainly on the west coast in forested areas.
- The main threat to tomtits are rats, stoats and other predatory mammals.
- Although the tomtit is part of the Australasian robin family, it is not a robin.
Sound recordings
Chatham Island tomtit song (MP3, 1,549K)
01:43 – Adult male in Glory Bay, Pitt Island, Chatham Islands.
North Island tomtit song (MP3, 2,808K)
02:59 – In mixed forest near Mount Bruce.
South Island tomtit song (MP3, 1,440K)
01:31 – Adult male South Island tomtit on Rabbit Island, Nelson.
How to draw a tomtit, based on a robin (stop video at 8mins. Colour in yellow, black and white)
