Skip to main content

Story: 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.

Using this item

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.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

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

Story by Christina Troup, published 1 March 2009, updated 1 August 2023.