Silvereye

Commonly seen in gardens, orchards and at bush edges, often in flocks in winter.

Story

Silvereyes flew in from Australia on their own in the 1850s and became one of the country's most common birds. Their Māori name, tauhou, means 'stranger'.

Behaviour

Small, olive-green birds with a white eye-ring. They roam in chattering flocks, especially in winter, eating insects, fruit and nectar. They cross the sea between islands easily and raise up to three clutches a season.