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Kōrero: Small forest birds

Tūī drinking nectar

Audio file

The tūī reaches the nectar in a flax flower with its curved beak, extending its brush-tipped tongue. Its fine feathers above the bill become coated with yellow pollen, and the tūī then transfers pollen from one flower to another.

Sound file from Birds of New Zealand. Compact disc. © Viking Sevenseas NZ, 1980 (PO Box 152, Paraparaumu). All rights reserved.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by Christina Troup

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Christina Troup, Small forest birds – Honeyeaters – bellbirds and tūī, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/natural-sounds/12476/tui-drinking-nectar (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Christina Troup, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009, updated 1 August 2023.