Rakiura National Park

🇳🇿 New Zealand

🐦 Tūī Chorus in Rakiura
🌍 #249 Global · 3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Oceania #47 in Temperate Forest
New Zealand, New Zealand 244 spp. recorded

Rakiura National Park covers most of Stewart Island, sitting at the southernmost edge of New Zealand. This protected temperate forest reserve features dense podocarp woodland, sprawling coastal scrub, and quiet inlets shaped by isolation. Unlike mainland reserves, this remote island sanctuary offers rare opportunities to watch native wildlife thrive undisturbed in ancient coastal habitats.

-46.810° S   167.853° E

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Southern Brown Kiwi ★
VU Endemic

Southern Brown Kiwi

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Apteryx australis

30–40% · Possible
Shy Mollymawk ★
NT

Shy Mollymawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalassarche cauta

30–40% · Possible
Little Penguin ★
LC

Little Penguin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Eudyptula minor

20–30% · Possible
VOC ★
LC Endemic

VOC

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus unicolor

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

80–90% · Very likely
Silver Gull
Endemic

Silver Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

80–90% · Very likely
New Zealand Bellbird
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Kaka
VU Endemic

New Zealand Kaka

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor meridionalis

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Fantail
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

70–80% · Very likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

70–80% · Very likely
Red-crowned Parakeet
LC Endemic

Red-crowned Parakeet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Pigeon
LC Endemic

New Zealand Pigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae

60–70% · Likely
New Zealand Sea Lion
EN Endemic

New Zealand Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocarctos hookeri

60–70% · Likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

60–70% · Likely
White-fronted Tern
NT

White-fronted Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna striata

50–60% · Likely
South Island Robin
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

New Zealand Sea Lion
EN Endemic

New Zealand Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocarctos hookeri

60–70% · Likely
White-tailed Deer
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

40–50% · Likely
Long-nosed Fur Seal
LC

Long-nosed Fur Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Arctocephalus forsteri

20–30% · Possible
Common Brushtail
LC Endemic

Common Brushtail

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Trichosurus vulpecula

20–30% · Possible
🐒 No photo available
CR Endemic

Long-tailed Wattled Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Chalinolobus tuberculatus

10–20% · With luck
Long-finned Pilot Whale
LC

Long-finned Pilot Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Globicephala melas

10–20% · With luck
Bottlenose Dolphin
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

Insufficient data
Leopard Seal
LC

Leopard Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hydrurga leptonyx

Insufficient data
Common Hedgehog
NT Endemic

Common Hedgehog

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Erinaceus europaeus

Insufficient data
Polynesian Rat
LC

Polynesian Rat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Rattus exulans

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Southern Brown Kiwi ★
VU Endemic

Southern Brown Kiwi

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Apteryx australis

30–40% · Possible
Shy Mollymawk ★
NT

Shy Mollymawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalassarche cauta

30–40% · Possible
Little Penguin ★
LC

Little Penguin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Eudyptula minor

20–30% · Possible
VOC ★
LC Endemic

VOC

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus unicolor

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

80–90% · Very likely
Silver Gull
Endemic

Silver Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

80–90% · Very likely
New Zealand Bellbird
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Kaka
VU Endemic

New Zealand Kaka

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor meridionalis

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Fantail
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

70–80% · Very likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

70–80% · Very likely
Red-crowned Parakeet
LC Endemic

Red-crowned Parakeet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Pigeon
LC Endemic

New Zealand Pigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae

60–70% · Likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

60–70% · Likely
White-fronted Tern
NT

White-fronted Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna striata

50–60% · Likely
South Island Robin
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

50–60% · Likely
Mōhua (Yellowhead)
NT Endemic

Mōhua (Yellowhead)

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mohoua ochrocephala

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common New Zealand Skink
LC Endemic

Common New Zealand Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma polychroma

Insufficient data
Southern Skink
LC Endemic

Southern Skink

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Oligosoma notosaurus

10–20% · With luck
Harlequin Gecko
EN Endemic

Harlequin Gecko

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Tukutuku rakiurae

10–20% · With luck
Small-eared skink
EN Endemic

Small-eared skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma stenotis

5–10% · With luck
Green Skink
EN Endemic

Green Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma chloronoton

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🐦

Albatross Breeding Season

FebMarAprNovDec

Thousands of Shy Mollymawks return to breed on the Titi Islands, with spectacular aerial courtship displays and chick-rearing visible from boat tours.

Shy Mollymawk
NT

Shy Mollymawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalassarche cauta

30–40% · Possible
🐦

Kiwi Night Walks

AprJul

Guided nocturnal walks in the forest reveal the elusive Southern Brown Kiwi foraging on the forest floor, with their calls echoing through the bush.

Southern Brown Kiwi
VU Endemic

Southern Brown Kiwi

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Apteryx australis

30–40% · Possible
🐦

Penguin Landing at Curio Bay

JanMarNov

Little Penguins emerge from the ocean at dusk to waddle ashore at Curio Bay, a spectacle visible from the viewing platform during their annual moulting and breeding cycles.

Little Penguin
LC

Little Penguin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Eudyptula minor

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
Southern Brown Kiwi
20–30
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
20–30
Shy Mollymawk
20–30
30–40
40–50
40–50
20–30
30–40
10–20
20–30
10–20
10–20
40–50
30–40
Little Penguin
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
10–20
10–20
10–20
20–30
20–30
30–40
20–30
VOC
80–90
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
90–100
80–90
70–80
80–90
Tūī
80–90
70–80
70–80
90–100
50–60
60–70
60–70
80–90
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
Silver Gull
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
New Zealand Bellbird
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
New Zealand Kaka
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
New Zealand Fantail
70–80
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
70–80
Dominican Gull
60–70
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
Red-crowned Parakeet
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
New Zealand Pigeon
80–90
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
40–50
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
70–80
New Zealand Sea Lion
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
30–40
70–80
30–40
30–40
50–60
70–80
60–70
Grey Warbler
50–60
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
White-fronted Tern
50–60
60–70
50–60
40–50
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
40–50
60–70
70–80
60–70
South Island Robin
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
Animal Events
🐦 Albatross Breeding Season
🐦 Kiwi Night Walks
🐦 Penguin Landing at Curio Bay

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good
🐦 Tūī Chorus in Rakiura

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
177
🐒 Mammals
56
🦎 Reptiles
9
🐸 Amphibians
2
244 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
44 Threatened 59 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
73%
📊
Coverage (65 species at ≥5% of 244 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
27%
🔀
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
52
🌟
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
10
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
17

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Rakiura National Park?

The most likely sightings are Tūī (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Silver Gull (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Bellbird (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), VOC (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Kaka (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 244 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

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

December 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 Southern Brown Kiwi in Rakiura National Park?

Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Brown Kiwi sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 431 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Shy Mollymawk in Rakiura National Park?

Yes — about 35% of wildlife watchers report a Shy Mollymawk sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 492 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Little Penguin in Rakiura National Park?

Yes — about 28% of wildlife watchers report a Little Penguin sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 396 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see VOC in Rakiura National Park?

Yes — about 79% of wildlife watchers report a VOC sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 1,121 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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