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South Island Saddleback

Tieke

Philesturnus carunculatus

Once seen and heard there is no doubt as to how the Saddleback got it's European and Maori names respectively. The bright chestnut saddle across its back being very distinctive, as is its signature call.

The South Island Saddleback is a forest bird , and nests in holes in trees or under cover of heavy vegetation. Foraging from the forest floor to the canopy it feeds on insects and grubs pried out from the rotten wood of dead branches and from under the bark of trees, as well as fruits and occasionally nectar.

The red wattles at the base of the beak identify it as a member of the Wattle Bird family, along with Kokako, Juveniles lack the saddle, being a uniform reddish brown over black, almost as if dusted with brick dust.

The juveniles develop the saddle at around 14 months, unlike their North Island cousins who are "saddled" from fledging, and who also have a lemon fringe at the front of the saddle.

This is a bird absolutely at risk from rats, and it's only in rat free environments such as Ulva Island that saddleback can be seen.

Size 200 mm


Classic Saddleback
A Pair "Talking" Saddlebacks can be very vocal , and a pair will display quite vigorously
Saddlebacks have a wide vocabulary. and this recording is of a bird trying out lots of different phrases.
Juvenile Feeding. Saddlebacks will feed from grond right up high into the canopy.
Eating fruit. In autumn Saddleback will gorge on coprosma berries
Nest. Saddleback will nest low to ground. One parent feeds the nesting bird on the nest.
Parent feeding fledgling. Parents will feed fledgling long after they are actively feeding themselves
On the Ground. Saddlebacks are vigorous feeders and will tear rotten logs apart and also excavate after bugs.