Fiordland National Park
🇳🇿 New Zealand
🦜 Kea Calls Above the FiordsFiordland 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
★ 
Kea
Nestor notabilis
★ 
Long-nosed Fur Seal
Arctocephalus forsteri
★ 
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
★ New Zealand Kaka
Nestor meridionalis
📊 Most Spotted
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Paradise Shelduck
Tadorna variegata
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
New Zealand Scaup
Aythya novaeseelandiae
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Common Brushtail
Trichosurus vulpecula
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
Hector's Dolphin
Cephalorhynchus hectori
Common Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
Stoat
Mustela erminea
Brown Hare
Lepus europaeus
Long-tailed Wattled Bat
Chalinolobus tuberculatus
New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat
Mystacina tuberculata
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Northern Chamois
Rupicapra rupicapra
New Zealand Sea Lion
Phocarctos hookeri
Fallow Deer
Dama dama
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Paradise Shelduck
Tadorna variegata
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
New Zealand Scaup
Aythya novaeseelandiae
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
📊 Most Spotted
Cryptic Skink
Oligosoma inconspicuum
Eyres skink
Oligosoma repens
McCann’s Skink
Oligosoma maccanni
Common New Zealand Skink
Oligosoma polychroma
Green Skink
Oligosoma chloronoton
Barrier skink
Oligosoma judgei
Awakopaka Skink
Oligosoma awakopaka
Pacific Ridley
Lepidochelys olivacea
Takitimu Gecko
Mokopirirakau cryptozoicus
Sinbad skink
Oligosoma pikitanga
Spotted House Gecko
Hemidactylus brookii
Recent sightings in Fiordland National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Alpine Breeding and Foraging Season
Warmer late-spring and early-summer conditions bring alpine wildlife into peak activity across the high-altitude passes.
2Coastal Marine Mammal Gathering
Cooler winter and transitional spring months see increased marine mammal sightings along the sheltered fiord waters and rocky outcrops.
3Forest Bird Song Peak
Mid-summer provides abundant forest resources, triggering peak feeding and vocal activity among native bush birds.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Alpine Breeding and Foraging Season
- 2Coastal Marine Mammal Gathering
- 3Forest Bird Song Peak
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Once arriving, I was delighted to see my second wild weka!
Helpfully this was the only location where I could actually see wading birds, with a few Ruddy Turnstones trotting about in front of me.
We were visited by dolphins, saw a couple of young fur seals and just enjoyed the amazing scenery.
During the cruise, we encountered sea lions and dolphins, with a memorable moment when the boat stopped directly in front of a waterfall, allowing those inclined to experience its formidable power and even get soaked.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Fiordland National Park?
The most likely sightings are Chaffinch (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Dominican Gull (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Fantail (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), New Zealand Bellbird (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Eurasian Blackbird (seen by about 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 30% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 1,977 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Long-nosed Fur Seal in Fiordland National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Long-nosed Fur Seal sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 348 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Bottlenose Dolphin in Fiordland National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 143 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see New Zealand Kaka in Fiordland National Park?
Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Kaka sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 918 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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