Uncommon Birds in New Zealand
Our list for New Zealand has 18 uncommon birds recorded regularly there: 10 residents and 8 summer visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in New Zealand in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 18, most common first
Southern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophoraSummer visitorUncommon115–123 cmRecorded all year
CootFulica atraResidentUncommon36–42 cmRecorded all year
White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisSummer visitorUncommon50–58 cmRegularly Sep–May
Little PenguinEudyptula minorResidentUncommon30–40 cmRecorded all year
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentUncommon75–90 cmRecorded all year
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Oct–May
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year
Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulvaSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentUncommon86–230 cmRecorded all year
YellowheadMohoua ochrocephalaSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRecorded all year
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Little OwlAthene noctuaResidentUncommon21–23 cmRecorded all year
Sharp-tailed SandpiperCalidris acuminataSummer visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Yellowhead 15–16 cm
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 17–22 cm
- Little Owl 21–23 cm
- Ruddy Turnstone 21–24 cm
- Red Knot 23–26 cm
- Pacific Golden-Plover 23–26 cm
- Little Penguin 30–40 cm
- Coot 36–42 cm
- Arctic Jaeger 41–46 cm
- Great Crested Grebe 46–51 cm
- White-chinned Petrel 50–58 cm
- Muscovy Duck 66–84 cm
- Greylag Goose 75–90 cm
- Great White Egret 80–104 cm
- Wild Turkey 100–125 cm
- Southern Royal Albatross 115–123 cm
- Mute Swan 140–160 cm
- Indian Peafowl 86–230 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made