Facts about bellbird/korimako

Where are they found?

Bellbird/korimako

Bellbirds are unique to New Zealand, occurring on the three main islands, many offshore islands and also the Auckland Islands. When Europeans arrived in New Zealand, bellbirds were common throughout the North and South Islands. Their numbers declined sharply during the 1860s in the North Island and 1880s in the South Island, about the time that ship rats and stoats arrived. For a time it was thought they might vanish from the mainland. Their numbers recovered somewhat from about 1940 onwards, but they are almost completely absent on the mainland north of Hamilton, and are still rare in parts of Wellington, Wairarapa and much of inland Canterbury and Otago.

Bellbirds live in native forest (including mixed podocarp-hardwood and beech forest) and regenerating forest, especially where there is diverse or dense vegetation. They can be found close to the coast or in vegetation up to about 1200 metres. In the South Island they have been found inhabiting plantations of eucalypts, pines or willows. They can be spotted in urban areas, especially if there is bush nearby.

Typically they require forest and scrub habitats, reasonable cover and good local food sources during the breeding season, since they do not travel far from the nest. However, outside the breeding season they may travel many kilometres to feed, especially males.

Did you know?

Just as people from different parts of New Zealand can have noticeable regional accents (think of the Southlander’s rolling ‘r’), bellbirds also sing with regional ‘dialects’. Bellbird songs vary enormously from one place to another, even over short distances. For example, a study in Christchurch found that birds in three patches of bush on the Port Hills all had different songs. There is also anecdotal evidence that male and female bellbirds sing different songs, at least during some parts of the year. The song of juveniles is not fully developed straight away so an expert can distinguish their songs from adult songs.

Bellbird/korimako feeding on flowers 

Bellbird facts

• Bellbirds are generalist feeders; they eat nectar, fruit and insects, with insects being particularly important to females and chicks during the breeding season. They often feed in tree canopies but do come down to feed on flax and native fuchsia nectar.
• As nectar-feeders (or ‘honeyeaters’ as scientists call them), bellbirds are important pollinators of many native plant species, such as mistletoe, fuchsia and kowhai.
• The breeding season is approximately September through to February. Bellbirds tend to nest in trees, and prefer trees with dense foliage for cover. Bellbirds are strongly territorial during the breeding season.
• Bellbirds are known to mate with the same partner year after year, and the pair maintains the same breeding territory each year. The female makes the nest, lays 3 to 5 eggs, and incubates the clutch. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 14 days. A pair can raise two broods in a season.
• Bellbird song comprises three distinct sounds resembling the chiming of bells. They sing throughout the day, but more so in the early morning and late evening. The alarm call is a series of loud, rapidly repeated, harsh staccato notes.

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