Click to hear the distinctive call of the kokakoBellbird Facts

The New Zealand bellbird or korimako - Image: DoC
The New Zealand bellbird or korimako

Bellbirds have yellow-green to olive feathers with black wings and tail. The females are duller in colour than the males. They are able to fly well and distract predators by chasing them away. They make a whirring noise as they fly.

Bellbirds nest from ground level to 15m up. Nests are well hidden behind creepers or in foliage. The female sometimes attacks trespassers in her area. At other times female birds will pretend to have a broken wing to attract predators towards her and away from her nest.

The bellbird (korimako) is endemic to New Zealand. They are a member of the nectar feeders and related to the tui and stitchbirds.

The song of the bellbird is loud and clear with bell-like notes. They sing alone or together and often ruffle out their feathers as they sing.

Honey from flowers and honeydew is the bellbirds main source of food. They take the nectar using their curved bills. They feed on berries, especially in the autumn, and small invertebrates such as insects and arachnids (spiders). Bellbirds gather them from trees or catch them in mid-air.

 

Parts of a Bellbird

Features

Major Functions

 

 

 

 

E
x
t
e
r
n
a
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Feathers

Water proof

Olive green to yellow

Black wings and tail

Courtship

Gender differences

Camouflage

Warmth

Carries pollen on head

Wings

Strong

Versatile

Decoy

Whirring noise

Displaying, courtship

Distracting predators

Flying, chasing

Upright hovering

Beak or Bill

Slightly curved

Black

Nectar eating

Insect gleaning

Pollination of flowers

Legs and Feet

Legs –grey

Claws – brown

Perching

Eggs

3-4 pink-white to pink

14 days to hatch

Nest well hidden

Located from ground level to 15m

Reproduction