Tīeke
South Island saddleback
Philesturnus carunculatus
Their Story
The tīeke, or South Island saddleback, is a distinctive forest bird named for the chestnut “saddle” marking across its back. With a strong bill, short wings, and loud, chattering calls, tīeke are active and inquisitive birds that spend much of their time foraging on the forest floor and tree trunks. Once widespread, they are now one of Aotearoa’s great conservation success stories following intensive management and translocations.
Conservation Status
At risk – recovering
Tīeke are classified as At Risk – Recovering. Once reduced to fewer than 500 birds confined to a single island, their recovery has been driven by predator control, habitat protection, and carefully managed translocations. Continued conservation management remains essential to their long-term survival.
Population
Tīeke (saddleback) populations have recovered significantly from near extinction thanks to conservation, with the North Island subspecies estimated around 8,000 and South Island over 2,000 birds. In 2021, tīeke were translocated to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary as part of wider efforts to restore native bird communities to predator-free mainland sites. While tīeke are well established on offshore islands and other fenced sanctuaries, ongoing learning from translocation projects continues to inform future restoration opportunities at the Brook and elsewhere.
Voice
Vocalisations of the tieke can be described as cheeet ta-chet ta-chet ta-chet or cheee cheee cheee. Phrases of some vocalisations are often shared between neighbours, which is important in maintaining territories year-round.
Food
Tieke mainly forage on or low to the ground, and males tend to spend more time on the ground than females. Both sexes feed predominantly on invertebrates, using their long, sharp bill to pick through and toss aside leaf litter, pry apart and probe trees and rotting wood, and strip bark off of trees and tree-ferns. They also take fruit and nectar.
Tīeke are striking forest birds with glossy black plumage, a chestnut “saddle” across their back and vivid red wattles. Once widespread across the forests of Aotearoa / New Zealand, they came perilously close to extinction after the introduction of alien mammals. The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary supports efforts to return these taonga birds to a mainland valley environment, offering hope that this ancient species will once again perform its vital role in the forest ecosystem.
Tīeke measure around 25 cm in length, about the size of a Eurasian blackbird, but with bold features: a dark body, chestnut patch on the back, prominent red wattles at the base of the beak, and bright eyes. Juveniles are a dull red-brown all over and have smaller wattles. Their calls — including the signature “ti-e-ke-ke-ke-ke” — are often heard before the bird is seen. nzbirdsonline.org.nz+1
Tīeke are energetic ground-foragers. They hop and bound through leaf litter and low vegetation, probing bark and peeling dead wood in search of insects, wētā, spiders, fruit and nectar. Their strong legs dominate their movement through forest undergrowth. They are social and vocal, often cooperating in family groups. Tīeke are very effective dispersers of seeds of native trees with small fruits. Predator Free NZ Trust
Breeding occurs mainly from August to May, with pairs often staying together long-term. Nests are built in tree cavities, rock crevices or dense vegetation near the ground. Clutch sizes are typically 2–4 eggs, and established pairs may raise one to two broods each season. Predator-free habitat is essential for the survival of this species.
Endemic to New Zealand, tīeke are found in mature native forests and regenerating bush. Historically widespread, their populations plummeted after pest introduction. South Island tīeke now only survive on pest-free islands around Rakiura, Fiordland and the Marlborough sounds. Attempts have been made to establish them to Orokonui ecosanctuary, and Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
Tīeke are classified in the NZ Threat Classification System as At Risk / Recovering due to historic range loss, small population sizes and reliance on mammalian predator-free habitats. They are most vulnerable to ship rats, stoats and cats.
In April 2021, forty tīeke were translocated from Motuara Island to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. The reintroduction however was a failure as most of the birds dispersed into habitat outside the Sanctuary fenceline where the birds were certain to perish. This translocation illustrated the difficulty of establishing populations of birds into areas with high connectivity to suitable, but deadly habitat. It is hoped that one day we can attempt another translocation of this species but with a higher investment of birds to ensure the greatest chance of establishment.
🪶 The South Island Tīeke approached the knife’s edge of extinction when ship rats invaded their last remaining island refuge of Big South Cape Island in 1964. If not for the translocation of those birds to nearby islands, the species would surely have been lost forever.
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Win prizes for your best summer photo at the Sanctuary 📸🏆☀️
This season, we want to see the Sanctuary through your lens — the bright light through the canopy, the textures of the forest floor, and the tiny details that make summer feel alive.
Enter our Summer Photography Competition (part of our Sanctuary Seasons series) and you could win:
🏆 Instant camera (Junior Photography winner)
🌙 Family ticket to a guided night tour
📰 Feature in our newsletter + social media
🖼️ Printed display at the Visitor Centre
📅 Entries close 28 February - Submit your entries via our website: Link in bio
Photo credit: Helen Power - Entry from the spring photography competition
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #SanctuarySeasons #Ngahere #NaturePhotography #NZWildlife #NelsonTasman #VisitNelson #NZHikes #EcoTourismNZ #ConservationStorytelling
Feb 4
Looking for a unique and memorable date night? 🌙🌲
This February, we’re introducing Date Me Darling — private, curated date nights inside the Sanctuary at dusk.
Three styled locations. One couple at a time. You’ll have a styled spot along the main loop track, locally sourced food and drinks, a few games to share, and time to slow down together as the forest shifts into evening.
Beech Glade: for when you want the world to fall away — deeply hidden, totally private, just you and the hush of the forest.
River: crystal clear water, canopy above, flickering lights — the kind of setup you usually only see on Instagram.
Meadow: open sky, long grass, and the forest standing quietly at the edges like it knows not to interrupt.
Bookings are open now (limited spaces in February only so don’t miss out!): Link in bio
#DateMeDarling #NelsonNZ #NelsonTasman #ThingsToDoNelson #DateNightIdeas #NatureLovers #SupportLocalNZ #ConservationNZ #BrookWaimāramaSanctuary
Feb 3
Two cute to be true?
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary and @savethekiwinz teams have been busy over the past few days tracking and recapturing kiwi to remove their transmitters. Thanks to a huge team effort, all ten males were recaptured within just three days.
Some nest burrows held a surprise or two — in several cases a female was present, and a couple even contained chicks. One burrow amazed us all, with not one but two adorable chicks 😍
All chicks are fully independent at this stage of the season, and after quick health checks and transmitter removal, all adult kiwi were safely returned to their burrows.
This special footage was captured by kiwi handler Tamsin from Save the Kiwi, who led the transmitter removal mahi.
We estimate the 20 females and 21 males released in May last year have already produced around 10–15 kiwi pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) chicks in their very first breeding season — a strong sign the habitat is just right.
With transmitters now removed from all ten males, the kiwi are completely free, with no further handling needed. Annual kiwi call counts by staff and volunteers will help track the growing population across our 690 ha, ring-fenced, pest-free sanctuary.
Credit: Video courtesy of Tamsin Ward-Smith, Save the Kiwi
Thanks to our partnership with @terunangaotoa Ngati Toa and Save the Kiwi
#kiwipukupuku #littlespottedkiwi #brookwaimaramasanctuary #nelson #thetopofthesouth #conservation #biodiversity #nativebirds #natureloversnz #newzealandwildlife #pestfree #ringfencedsanctuary #conservationinaction
Jan 29
🎻 45 min string quartet concert at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
Come and hear a dynamic young string quartet perform a 45 min concert at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. We welcome everyone to come along, and bring anyone you think might be curious to hear some classical music in a relaxed environment.
The @antipodes.quartet is part of the Fellowship Ensemble Programme, a joint venture between the @adamchambermusicfestival, @newzealandstringquartet and @chambermusicnz, as a career-development experience offered to four of this country’s most promising young string players.
The Antipodes Quartet are Eden Annesley (violin), Mana Waiariki (violin), Tal Amoore (viola) and Lavinnia Rae (cello).
On this occasion, Brook Waimārama Sanctuary are welcoming everyone at local prices: Adult $15, Child $9; Family $35 (on the door)
Find out more: (Link in bio)
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #NelsonNZ #Whakatū #WhatsonNelson #NelsonTasman #LiveMusicNZ #ChamberMusicNZ #StringQuartet #ClassicalMusicNZ #AdamChamberMusicFestival #NewZealandStringQuartet #ChamberMusicNewZealand #FamilyFriendly #NatureAndCulture #SupportLocalArts
Jan 27
2026 Bug of the year is here!
The lesser known cousin to bird of the year has come around(wait till they hear about fish or fungus of the year). This showdown aims to highlight the critters that go underappreciated compared to celebrity species like kākāpō. We would like to highlight the strange and wonderful species that occur within the Sanctuary, with the hopes to earn your vote!
Kahuwai | Black Tunnelweb Spider
Porrhothele antipodiana
I have a mixed history with this incredible spider. One hairy individual decided that my jersey pocket was a great place to set up shop. It received a rude awakening upon the home invasion of my unaware hand. Its brilliant fangs pierced and invenomated my finger, and despite the swelling and the shock and the pain… I couldn’t help but feel bad for evicting the guy. Its hobbit-like hole dwelling nature led the spider to my soft, warm pocket. Ironically, but not surprisingly, this species was the inspiration for Peter Jackson’s ‘Shelob’ in the Lord of the Rings films.
Kahuwai, the black tunnelweb spider, forms dense sheets of silk surrounding their tunnels. These sheets are monitored by the spider, who detects vibrations of a passer by. Wētā, land hoppers and any other unlucky invertebrate. The kahuwai swiftly grabs its prey and drags it into the depths. This spider however is also the victim of the endemic golden hunter wasp, who paralyses the spider before dragging it into the wasp’s nest (talk about shoes on the other foot!) and laying an egg beside it. The spider then becomes baby formula.
Despite the bite, this amazing spider has my vote! Check out the New Zealand Bug Of the Year 2026 website! Voting closes on the 16th of February!
Photo: @henry._.hart (in the second image of Shelob`s lair you can see a giant pill millipede has fallen victim...)
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #BugOfTheYear
Jan 25
2026 Bug of the year is here!
The lesser known cousin to bird of the year has come around(wait till they hear about fish or fungus of the year). This showdown aims to highlight the critters that go underappreciated compared to celebrity species like kākāpō. We would like to highlight the strange and wonderful species that occur within the Sanctuary, with the hopes to earn your vote!
This candidate is the beautifully disguised Rō, the Two-Spined Stick Insect. Micrachus hystriculeus is endemic to central Aotearoa, most common from Nelson, through Marlborough and Wellington. Stick insects display a classic example of crypsis. That is, their behaviour and physiology work in tandem to remain completely undetected and unharmed. They feed on leaves high in the canopy of trees like kānuka. At night you can often spot them, usually with the small males riding on the backs of the much larger females.
All modern New Zealand stick insects are the relatives of two colonisation events from New Caledonia around 30 million years ago. They radiated into nine separate genera and dispersed into coastal, lowland and subalpine ecosystems throughout the motu. This species, alongside at least five other stick insect species, live out their slow and sticky lives within the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.
Will you vote for Micrachus hystriculeus? Check out the New Zealand Bug Of the Year 2026 website! Voting closes on the 16th of February!
Stay tuned for our last candidate…
Photo: Saryu Mae - @invertebratist
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #BugOfTheYear
Jan 24
