South Island Saddleback
South Island SaddlebackSouth Island SaddlebackSouth Island SaddlebackSouth Island Saddleback

South Island Saddleback

Philesturnus carunculatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Rakiura National Park
583 Verified records at Rakiura National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The South Island saddleback or tīeke (Philesturnus carunculatus) is a forest-dwelling passerine bird in the New Zealand wattlebird family which is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Both the North Island saddleback and this species were formerly considered conspecific. The Department of Conservation currently has the South Island saddleback listed as At Risk--Declining. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a South Island Saddleback sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 583 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Rakiura National Park

Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

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

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

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

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

70–80% · Very likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

60–70% · 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
Eurasian Blackbird
LC Endemic

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

40–50% · Likely
Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

30–40% · Possible
Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

30–40% · Possible
European Starling
LC Endemic

European Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sturnus vulgaris

30–40% · Possible
Dunnock
LC

Dunnock

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prunella modularis

30–40% · Possible
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
40–50
Feb
40–50
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
30–40
Jul
40–50
Aug
30–40
Sep
30–40
Oct
30–40
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
40–50%
2 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
3 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a South Island Saddleback in Rakiura National Park?

About 41% of wildlife watchers report a South Island Saddleback sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 583 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see South Island Saddleback in Rakiura National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for South Island Saddleback in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.

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