Fiordland National Park

Q: What animals can you see in Fiordland National Park?

The most likely sightings are Chaffinch (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Dominican Gull (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Fantail (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Bellbird (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), Eurasian Blackbird (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers) — among 319 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

Q: When is the best time to visit Fiordland National Park for wildlife?

November has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Q: Can you see Kea in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 32% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 554 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see Long-nosed Fur Seal in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 53% of wildlife watchers report a Long-nosed Fur Seal sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 294 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 33% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 117 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see New Zealand Kaka in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 24% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Kaka sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 419 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

🇳🇿 New Zealand

🦜 Kea Calls Above the Fiords

🌍 #292 Global · 2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #23 in Oceania #65 in Temperate Forest

New Zealand, New Zealand 319 spp. recorded

Fiordland National Park sits on the southwestern corner of New Zealand’s South Island, a maze of deep fjords, steep‑sided valleys and ancient temperate rainforest. Towering podocarp trees line moss‑covered tracks that wind past waterfalls and the rugged coastline.

-45.674° S 167.309° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Nestor notabilis

Arctocephalus forsteri

Tursiops truncatus

Nestor meridionalis

📊 Most Spotted

Fringilla coelebs

Larus dominicanus

Rhipidura fuliginosa

Anthornis melanura

Turdus merula

Tadorna variegata

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

Gerygone igata

Hirundo neoxena

Petroica macrocephala

40–50% · Likely

LC Endemic

Aythya novaeseelandiae

40–50% · Likely

LC Endemic

Zosterops lateralis

40–50% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Arctocephalus forsteri

50–60% · Likely

★

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

LC Endemic

Trichosurus vulpecula

Cervus elaphus

Cephalorhynchus hectori

Erinaceus europaeus

Mustela erminea

Lepus europaeus

Mystacina tuberculata

5–10% · With luck

🐒 No photo available

CR Endemic

Chalinolobus tuberculatus

5–10% · With luck

Megaptera novaeangliae

Rupicapra rupicapra

Phocarctos hookeri

Mustela nivalis

⭐ Iconic Species

Nestor notabilis

Nestor meridionalis

📊 Most Spotted

Fringilla coelebs

Larus dominicanus

Rhipidura fuliginosa

Anthornis melanura

Turdus merula

Tadorna variegata

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

Gerygone igata

Hirundo neoxena

Petroica macrocephala

40–50% · Likely

LC Endemic

Aythya novaeseelandiae

40–50% · Likely

LC Endemic

Zosterops lateralis

40–50% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

VU Endemic

Oligosoma inconspicuum

Oligosoma repens

Oligosoma maccanni

Oligosoma polychroma

Oligosoma chloronoton

Oligosoma judgei

Oligosoma awakopaka

Lepidochelys olivacea

Insufficient data

EN Endemic

Mokopirirakau cryptozoicus

Hemidactylus brookii

Oligosoma pikitanga

📊 Most Spotted

Ranoidea aurea

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Alpine Breeding and Foraging Season

NovDec

Warmer late-spring and early-summer conditions bring alpine wildlife into peak activity across the high-altitude passes.

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely

EN Endemic

Nestor notabilis

30–40% · Possible

🦌

Coastal Marine Mammal Gathering

JulNov

Cooler winter and transitional spring months see increased marine mammal sightings along the sheltered fiord waters and rocky outcrops.

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible

Arctocephalus forsteri

50–60% · Likely

🐦

Forest Bird Song Peak

JanFeb

Mid-summer provides abundant forest resources, triggering peak feeding and vocal activity among native bush birds.

VU Endemic

Nestor meridionalis

20–30% · Possible

LC Endemic

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

Kea

30–40

10–20

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

20–30

40–50

30–40

Long-nosed Fur Seal

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

Bottlenose Dolphin

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

New Zealand Kaka

30–40

10–20

20–30

10–20

20–30

Chaffinch

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

Dominican Gull

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

New Zealand Fantail

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

New Zealand Bellbird

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

Eurasian Blackbird

60–70

30–40

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

Paradise Shelduck

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

60–70

40–50

Tūī

50–60

20–30

40–50

20–30

40–50

60–70

Grey Warbler

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

Welcome Swallow

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

30–40

40–50

60–70

50–60

Miromiro

40–50

50–60

40–50

20–30

30–40

40–50

New Zealand Scaup

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

60–70

50–60

40–50

Silvereye

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

30–40

20–30

30–40

Animal Events

🐦 Alpine Breeding and Foraging Season

🦌 Coastal Marine Mammal Gathering

🐦 Forest Bird Song Peak

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate

🦜 Kea Calls Above the Fiords

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

231

🐒 Mammals

🦎 Reptiles

🐸 Amphibians

319 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

65 Threatened 78 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

55%

📊

Coverage (82 species at ≥5% of 319 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

26%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)

46% Global avg

20%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Fiordland National Park?

The most likely sightings are Chaffinch (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Dominican Gull (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Fantail (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Bellbird (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), Eurasian Blackbird (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers) — among 319 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Fiordland National Park for wildlife?

November has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Kea in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 32% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 554 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Long-nosed Fur Seal in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 53% of wildlife watchers report a Long-nosed Fur Seal sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 294 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 33% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 117 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see New Zealand Kaka in Fiordland National Park?

Yes — about 24% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Kaka sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 419 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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Fiordland National Park

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea

Long-nosed Fur Seal

Bottlenose Dolphin

New Zealand Kaka

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Dominican Gull

New Zealand Fantail

New Zealand Bellbird

Eurasian Blackbird

Paradise Shelduck

Tūī

Grey Warbler

Welcome Swallow

Miromiro

New Zealand Scaup

Silvereye

⭐ Iconic Species

Long-nosed Fur Seal

Bottlenose Dolphin

📊 Most Spotted

Common Brushtail

Elk

Hector's Dolphin

Common Hedgehog

Stoat

Brown Hare

New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat

Long-tailed Wattled Bat

Humpback Whale

Northern Chamois

New Zealand Sea Lion

Least Weasel

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea

New Zealand Kaka

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Dominican Gull

New Zealand Fantail

New Zealand Bellbird

Eurasian Blackbird

Paradise Shelduck

Tūī

Grey Warbler

Welcome Swallow

Miromiro

New Zealand Scaup

Silvereye

📊 Most Spotted

Cryptic Skink

Eyres skink

McCann’s Skink

Common New Zealand Skink

Green Skink

Barrier skink

Awakopaka Skink

Pacific Ridley

Takitimu Gecko

Spotted House Gecko

Sinbad skink

📊 Most Spotted

Golden Bell Frog

Animal Events

Alpine Breeding and Foraging Season

Chaffinch

Kea

Coastal Marine Mammal Gathering

Bottlenose Dolphin

Long-nosed Fur Seal

Forest Bird Song Peak

New Zealand Kaka

Tūī

Sighting Calendar

Sighting Zones

Where Wildlife Score

Biodiversity