#Prosthemadera

[herpsandbirds]

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), family Meliphagidae, order Passeriformes, New Zealand

photograph by Jimmy Lee

[drhoz]

New Zealand Tui , Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae . Well known for its remarkable vocal range , iridescent blue-black plumage and tuft of white throat feathers .

[semioptera]

Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) - Zealandia, Wellington, New Zealand

[fishsfailureson]

A little sketch of a tui.

Entry for my sideblog @artist-quests, specifically for this one.

[lowcountry-gothic]

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) on a flax flower in Victoria Esplanade, Palmerston North, Aotearoa. Photo by Geoff McKay.

[autistrix]

[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42813939] Tūī || Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae Observed in New Zealand Least Concern in location of observation

[ellerykr]

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), Wellington, New Zealand

[fubbick]

Wooo, here goes my first entry for the bird OC challenge of @far-side-skies.

Igot some courage (and time) to post her because even if every month there are so many pretty and interesting OCs in the challenge.

This is my character Hercinia, a little forgotten OC (some years ago). She’s a farm girl that moves to the city with no big expectations from it, just live the best life she can in Terra Atmosia.

This one is based on the colour palette of the Tūi (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae).

Btw sorry for any grammar mistakes (English is not my native language)

[dead-birds-yura15cbx]

Tūī | Tui

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

New Zealand endemic

39-35 John Downs Drive, Browns Bay, Auckland 0630

7PJJ+JHM Auckland

-36.7184190, 174.7314280

panoramic view in comments

[ask-doctor-alto-clef]

i know it sounds silly but i think with enough of a uproar we might make the ethics committee consider letting you see your daughter -

(@prosthemadera-angel)

I hope so. I miss that kid so damn much.

I know that this universe’s me was a dick, and I hope he wasn’t that way to her- but if he was, maybe I can help make up for some of it.

[mutant-distraction]

Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) in New Zealand by Martin Barwood. https://www.instagram.com/martinbarwood/

[herpsandbirds]

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), family Meliphagidae, order Passeriformes, New Zealand

photograph by Jonathan Harrod

[drhoz]

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) pollinating New Zealand Flax

[far-side-skies]

Storm Hawks Bird OC Challenge - November 2022

Hey Storm Hawks! Spook month is over, but I've got another bird for you. This month we're looking at the Tūī, aka the New Zealand Honeyeater (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)!

The tūī (the name is of Māori origin) is a large honeyeater, a passerine bird that reaches about 11-13 inches in length. Native to New Zealand, they prefer broadleaf forest habitats at low altitudes, but they've been known to reach heights of 1500 metres. Males are known to be very territorial and aggressive, prone to chasing other birds out of their territory by flapping their wings and making souns akin to human profanities.

Their usual diet is nectar, but they also eat fruits and insects. A popular flower in their diet is New Zealand flax, and they're the main pollinator of flax, kōwhai, kaka beak and some other plants. These birds are known for their range of vocalisations, akin to parrots, and can be found mimicking car alarms, advertising jingles and shattering glass among other things.

I look forward to this month's entries! The deadline this month is Saturday the 26th. As always, rules and a few extra images, including an optional guide colour palette are under the cut.

Minimum requirements for drawn entries to be put in the winner's vote are a name, occupation, the character's home/birth Terra and at least one paragraph (or about 100 words) of written backstory.

Minimum requirements for written (i.e. written dossiers without art, or mini-fics for the character) are 500 words including backstory and appearance. Feel free to make a mini-fic out of this challenge, I'll make sure to link it with the final collage as well.

Entrants who are part of the Storm Hawks discord server will have the chance of getting a custom role for the next month! If you’re not part of the discord server, please ask for an invite if you’re interested.

You're not expected to create a character from scratch for this challenge. If you've got an older character concept that's been collecting dust or that you'd like to take the opportunity to revamp, feel free! The goal of this challenge is to inspire people.

Make sure to tag me in your entries and also DM me with a link to your entry. Tumblr is not always reliable about notifications for this sort of thing, and I don't want to risk missing anyone's entries, so better safe than sorry.

The group collage of entries, and the winner's vote are opt-in. Participation of those parts of this challenge are not mandatory.

The winner of the vote will receive a free sketch piece of their character from me.

[everydayesterday]

tūī bird (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), from New Zealand, with its trademark cravat.

photo s. mosdell (creative commons)

[zoomology]

Click to zoom in

New Zealand’s Endemic Tūī

Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) are an endemic New Zealand bird found across almost all of New Zealand. They range from the subtropical Kermadec Islands to the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands. Tūī are noticeably absent from the Canterbury region although they were found there historically. With native planting, predator control, and reintroduction efforts, however, Tūī are slowly returning.

Tūī are one of the two bird species in New Zealand from the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae (the other being the bellbird). There are actually two subspecies of tūī: The larger Chatham Island tūī (P. n. chathamensis) which is classified as “Threatened/Nationally Endangered”, and P. n. novaeseelandiae which is found locally abundant everywhere else.

Tūī are very charismatic birds known for their blue, green and bronze iridescent sheen when in the right light, and distinctive white throat tufts (poi). They are also known for their magical and elaborate song made up of tuneful notes, coughs, grunts and wheezes. They show vocal mimicry and appear boisterous at times utilising a noisy, flapping flight. You can hear the call of a tūī and learn some about them more from this Radio NZ segment.

Click to zoom in

Capturing Tūī on Camera

I have been taking average photographs at best of tūī for sometime since arriving in New Zealand in 2014. This year I found that the flax plants that have been growing slowly on the windswept bank below the deck close to our room had this year developed flowers for the first time. When flax plants are in full bloom, tūī are a common sight feeding on the nectar, so I was feeling hopeful.

A week before the flowers opened, a tūī would come and check their progress. Eventually, the flowers were ready and our cautious tūī would snatch a quick feed before loudly flapping away. Over a few weeks I kept attempting to get closer. With each attempt the bird seemed less and less skittish.

Click to zoom in

Eventually the tūī seemed at ease with me being there. I managed to get these shots one morning when the light was just right.

Click to zoom in

The flax flowers by the window have now gone, and the seed pods have formed. Luckily, there are many more flowering flax on the bank and throughout the region.

Enticing Tūī to Your Garden

If you would like tūī in your garden, plant suitable high nectar-producing plants such as flax and kōwhai. The Department of Conservation has a good page on what to plant to attract native birds to you garden. You can also create a tūī feeder.

It is important to put a bell on your cat if you have one, and invest in some backyard trapping for invasive mammalian predators.

Click to zoom in

References and Further Reading

Backyardbirds Website, Tui Feeder – http://www.backyardbirds.co.nz/tui-feeder1.htm (Retrieved 25 December, 2017)

DOC Website, Chatham Island Tui – http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/chatham-island-tui/ (Retrieved 25 December, 2017)

DOC Website, What to plant to support birds and other wildlife – http://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/conservation-activities/attract-birds-to-your-garden/what-to-plant/ (Retrieved 27 December, 2017)

NZ Birds Online Website, Tui – http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/tui (Retrieved 25 December, 2017)

Predator Free NZ Website, Backyard trapping – https://predatorfreenz.org/backyard-trapping/ (Retrieved 25 December, 2017)

Radio NZ Website, Birdwatching Tui – http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thiswayup/audio/2495592/birdwatching-tui (Retrieved 25 December, 2017)

A New Zealand Tūī Feeding on Flax Nectar Click to zoom in New Zealand's Endemic Tūī Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) are an endemic New Zealand bird found across almost all of New Zealand.