What’s that bird?
A comprehensive digital encyclopedia of NZ birds is now available online. To quote Graeme Taylor, DOC Principal Science Advisor:
This new website has an excellent function that can be used to identify birds where the people concerned know very little about birds in general. It uses a system of habitat groups or broad plumage patterns or colours of bills etc, and other easy ID clues to narrow down a choice of photos of bird species to assist in their identification.
The data in the website species accounts are up to date, factual and produced by a large number of species experts so it’s a great source of information for community groups, student projects etc. Note there are also links to a range of bird reference books that can be downloaded as well (for example bird field guides and the NZ bird atlas).