Hihi / stitchbird
Native birds
The hihi or stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta) is one of New Zealand’s rarest birds. Once widespread throughout the
North and surrounding islands, hihi are now limited to a handful of island refuges.
Hihi have large bright eyes and small cat-like whiskers around the beak. They have a distinctive upward tilted tail
and an explosive alarm call, which pioneer ornithologist Buller likened to the word ‘stitch’. Others have compared
the high-pitched staccato ‘tzit’ to the sound of stones being struck together. Hihi also have a range of warbling
calls and whistles.
Female hihi
Rob. Suisted–www.
naturespic.com
Warkworth Area Office
Published by
Department of Conservation
Christchurch
2006
NS0083
The brightly coloured male has a black head and neck, snow-white ear tufts and a bright yellow band from across
the breast to the upper wings. The rest of his upper body is dark greenish-brown with light yellowish-brown
underneath. The female is a subdued olive-grey/brown with white wing bars and a touch of white on each side of
the head.
Did you know?
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Recent DNA analysis shows that hihi are not, as
scientists thought, part of the honeyeater family
with tüï and bellbird: They are the only member of
a bird family whose closest relatives may be the
iconic wattlebirds huia (extinct), kökako and tïeke
(saddleback).
Hihi are the only birds known to copulate face to
face. Researchers think this occasional behaviour
is made possible by the male’s unusually generous
cloaca.
Mäori used the bright yellow shoulder feathers of
the male to provide colour highlights for cloaks
(käkahu).
Hihi mating behaviour is variable: If nest sites are
close together a single male may pair with several
females; if sites are far apart they breed in pairs.
Even paired males try constantly to mate with
females from other pairs, making it hard to work
out parentage.
Hihi nest in tree-holes.
Hihi play third fiddle to tui and korimako (bellbird)
when competing for nectar, insects and berries.
Hihi recovery plan
The Department of Conservation (DOC) aims to
establish five self-sustaining hihi populations. Some
steps toward this are to:
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Protect the original Huaturu population, especially
by keeping it predator-free.
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Establish self-sustaining populations at predatorfree sites.
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Monitor and where necessary support each
population.
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Improve knowledge of hihi through research.
DOC has moved a series of hihi colonies from their
original population on Hauturu / Little Barrier Island
to predator-free Kapiti and Tiritiri Matangi Islands and
to the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellington. Hihi at
these sites are supported with nectar feeders and
artificial nesting boxes. DOC staff also control mites in
the nesting boxes and remove infertile egg clutches to
encourage successful re-nesting.
Research
Fight for survival
The last sighting of hihi on the mainland was in 1883
in the Tararua Range. Their decline coincided with the
introduction to New Zealand of predators such as cats
and ship rats. Huaturu / Little Barrier Island, host to the
last natural population, was declared a bird sanctuary
in 1894.
Male hihi D. Veitch
Maintain a small captive population at the Pukaha
Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre in eastern
Wairarapa.
Recent hihi research led by Massey University has led
to the management of mites in nests, to the sexing
and cross-fostering of chicks and to an improved
understanding of habitat needs. Observation of
captive populations at Pukaha Mount Bruce National
Wildlife Centre has helped DOC to understand the
vulnerability of hihi to diseases and parasites which
came to New Zealand with domestic birds.
How can you help?
The survival of the hihi depends upon their fragile
island sanctuaries remaining fire and predator-free.
Please:
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If you are anchoring near an island sanctuary,
keep rodent bait stations on board and check your
boat for rodent stowaways. If a pregnant rat swam
ashore from your boat onto a predator-free island,
it could undo years of pest eradication work.
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Please don’t let dogs or cats anywhere near island
sanctuaries.
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Do not let off flares near island sanctuaries except
in emergencies. They can cause fires.
Businesses can sponsor hihi recovery through the
Threatened Species Trust, a partnership between
corporate sponsors, the Department of Conservation,
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and the New
Zealand Conservation Authority.
For more information on hihi visit the DOC website at
www.doc.govt.nz.