North Island saddleback | Tīeke

North Island saddlebacks were confined to a single population on Hen Island (Taranga) off the northeast coast of the North Island by the early 1900s. A series of successful translocations has led to 18 populations including their natural population on Hen Island and a thriving population at Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari. Voted most likely to be both heard, then seen!

English name: North Island Saddleback

Māori name: Tīeke

Scientific name: Philesturnus rufusater

New Zealand status: Endemic (only found in New Zealand) momo taketake

Conservation status: Relict

Threats: Predation from introduced predators such as ship rats and stoats. They are particularly vulnerable to these predators due to their cavity roosting and cavity nesting behaviour.

I mōhio rānei koe? Did you know?: They are a member of the Callaeidae family, an ancient family of wattlebirds endemic to New Zealand including North Island Saddleback, South Island Saddleback, North Island Kōkako, South Island Kōkako (data deficient, possibly extinct) and the Huia (extinct).

40 were translocated from Tiritiri Matangi Island to Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari in 2013.

Geographical variation: South Island Saddleback, Philesturnus carunculatus

Is the North Island saddleback / tīeke on your NZ birds to see list?

Tīeke | North Island Saddleback at Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari

Tīeke can be encountered when walking the trails of Te Tūī a Tāne, the southern enclosure forest. They are often heard first and then seen. Listen for loud chattering calls (the loudest of all the bird calls), or the male's rhythmical territorial song that often starts with 2-4 introductory chips and then follows with a series of repeated phrases that sound a little bit like a car that won't start!

They are extremely active foragers, from the forest floor to the canopy. They use their bill like an anvil to chip away at rotting wood to find the juicy bugs underneath. Listen for their calls and for the sound of leaf litter being tossed aside or the bark of trees being cracked open.

Translocation

40 North Island Saddlebacks were translocated to Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari from Tiritiri Matangi Island in 2013.

Ngā mihi nui, Tiritiri Matangi Island and the supporters of Tiritiri Matangi.

When initially transolcated in 2013, Tīeke were surveyed to determine how well they were doing in their new environment on Maungatautari. Surveys have not been required since because they have become self-sustaining and are one of the birds most likely to be seen or heard on the mountain today. Tīeke breed successfully provided they are protected from introduced predators. They can have up to 4 clutches of eggs per breeding season.

References:

New Zealand Birds Online

Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

Department of Conservation

Our knowledgeable guides can help you to identify many of the plants and animals you'll encounter within the forest, including Tīeke!

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What our visitors say

Wonderful experience seeing tuatara on a wetland tour. Southern Enclosure surrounded by native trees, bush and birds soothes the soul.

Desley McFarlane

A great morning activity for our family. Our mountain buggy terrain was easily able to navigate the trails.

Emma Southall

I’m honestly still smiling after my afternoon on the maunga yesterday, so I had to write and thank you SO MUCH. The team is doing extraordinary work with the whole sanctuary, and to see the kiwi team, volunteers, dogs, it was absolutely amazing. It was very moving to see the kiwi close up....

Katy Scoullar

My wife and I live in Miami and visited Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari during a trip to New Zealand a month ago. Our guide was Jenny. We were very impressed with her sincerity as well as your organization and the success of your work.

Anonymous, Miami, USA

Great experience and wonderful staff so friendly and helpful. The bush and birdlife are amazing, have to go back to do the wetland tour to see the tuatara.

Gary Chapman

Thank you. It was an informative and engaging day. Engaging the children with what you were doing conservation wise and the guides information on the track were excellent. Excellent knowledgeable staff, friendly and plenty of them to help guide the students (and teachers) around.

Fairfield Intermediate

I wanted to email you and tell you how literally amazing our day was and that we were absolutely blown away by the whole experience. You and your team are fantastic [Phil and the educators]. All of the parents who attended raved about the whole day. We are totally happy to fill in the form and I...

Ōhaupō School

This place is special. Heaven for the nature-loving ornithologist. Gentle walkways, a viewing tower, and a clearing with kākā. Please respect and take care of this precious maunga.

Knixi

We had the most wonderful experience at Sanctuary Mountain, I even managed to spot a beautiful Saddleback! Highly recommend.

Martha Rowbotham

Impressive Magical Inexpensive

Gerhard Markus Beckmann