Fiordland National Park

🇳🇿 New Zealand

🦜 Kea Calls Above the Fiords
🌍 #273 Global · 2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Oceania #62 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

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare 5–15%
With luck 15–40%
Possible 40–70%
Likely >70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea ★
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor notabilis

30–40% · Possible
Long-nosed Fur Seal ★
LC

Long-nosed Fur Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Arctocephalus forsteri

50–60% · Likely
Bottlenose Dolphin ★
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible
New Zealand Kaka ★
VU Endemic

New Zealand Kaka

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor meridionalis

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

60–70% · Likely
New Zealand Fantail
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

60–70% · Likely
New Zealand Bellbird
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

50–60% · Likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

50–60% · Likely
Paradise Shelduck
LC Endemic

Paradise Shelduck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tadorna variegata

50–60% · Likely
Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

50–60% · Likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

50–60% · Likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

40–50% · Likely
New Zealand Scaup
LC Endemic

New Zealand Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya novaeseelandiae

40–50% · Likely
Silvereye
LC Endemic

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

40–50% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Long-nosed Fur Seal ★
LC

Long-nosed Fur Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Arctocephalus forsteri

50–60% · Likely
Bottlenose Dolphin ★
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Brushtail
LC Endemic

Common Brushtail

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Trichosurus vulpecula

10–20% · Possible
Red Deer
LC

Red Deer

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

10–20% · With luck
Hector's Dolphin
EN Endemic

Hector's Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cephalorhynchus hectori

10–20% · With luck
Common Hedgehog
NT

Common Hedgehog

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Erinaceus europaeus

10–20% · With luck
Stoat
LC Endemic

Stoat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mustela erminea

0–10% · With luck
Brown Hare
LC

Brown Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus europaeus

0–10% · With luck
New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat
VU Endemic

New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat

Mammal

Mystacina tuberculata

0–10% · With luck
Long-tailed Wattled Bat
CR Endemic

Long-tailed Wattled Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Chalinolobus tuberculatus

0–10% · With luck
Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

0–10% · With luck
Northern Chamois
LC

Northern Chamois

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rupicapra rupicapra

0–10% · With luck
New Zealand Sea Lion
EN Endemic

New Zealand Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocarctos hookeri

Insufficient data
Least Weasel
LC

Least Weasel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mustela nivalis

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea ★
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor notabilis

30–40% · Possible
New Zealand Kaka ★
VU Endemic

New Zealand Kaka

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor meridionalis

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

60–70% · Likely
New Zealand Fantail
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

60–70% · Likely
New Zealand Bellbird
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

50–60% · Likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

50–60% · Likely
Paradise Shelduck
LC Endemic

Paradise Shelduck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tadorna variegata

50–60% · Likely
Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

50–60% · Likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

50–60% · Likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

40–50% · Likely
New Zealand Scaup
LC Endemic

New Zealand Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya novaeseelandiae

40–50% · Likely
Silvereye
LC Endemic

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

40–50% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Cryptic Skink
VU Endemic

Cryptic Skink

Reptile

Oligosoma inconspicuum

10–20% · With luck
Eyres skink
VU Endemic

Eyres skink

Reptile

Oligosoma repens

10–20% · With luck
McCann’s Skink
LC Endemic

McCann’s Skink

Reptile

Oligosoma maccanni

0–10% · With luck
Common New Zealand Skink
LC Endemic

Common New Zealand Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma polychroma

0–10% · With luck
Green Skink
EN Endemic

Green Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma chloronoton

0–10% · With luck
Barrier skink
CR Endemic

Barrier skink

Reptile

Oligosoma judgei

0–10% · With luck
Awakopaka Skink
CR Endemic

Awakopaka Skink

Reptile

Oligosoma awakopaka

Insufficient data
Pacific Ridley
VU

Pacific Ridley

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Lepidochelys olivacea

Insufficient data
Takitimu Gecko
EN Endemic

Takitimu Gecko

Reptile

Mokopirirakau cryptozoicus

Insufficient data
Spotted House Gecko
LC

Spotted House Gecko

Reptile

Hemidactylus brookii

Insufficient data
Sinbad skink
CR Endemic

Sinbad skink

Reptile

Oligosoma pikitanga

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Golden Bell Frog

Golden Bell Frog

Amphibian

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.

Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely
Kea
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

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.

Bottlenose Dolphin
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible
Long-nosed Fur Seal
LC

Long-nosed Fur Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

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.

New Zealand Kaka
VU Endemic

New Zealand Kaka

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor meridionalis

20–30% · Possible
Tūī
LC Endemic

Tūī

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

50–60% · Likely

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
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
50–60
Kea
30–40
30–40
10–20
20–30
20–30
30–40
20–30
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
60–70
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
Bottlenose Dolphin
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
30–40
New Zealand Kaka
30–40
30–40
10–20
10–20
20–30
20–30
10–20
10–20
10–20
10–20
20–30
20–30
Chaffinch
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
60–70
70–80
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
80–90
70–80
Dominican Gull
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
New Zealand Fantail
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
50–60
40–50
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
New Zealand Bellbird
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
60–70
60–70
Eurasian Blackbird
60–70
30–40
30–40
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
Paradise Shelduck
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
80–90
60–70
40–50
Tūī
50–60
50–60
20–30
20–30
40–50
40–50
20–30
20–30
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
Grey Warbler
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
50–60
40–50
60–70
50–60
Welcome Swallow
50–60
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
60–70
30–40
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
Miromiro
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
New Zealand Scaup
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
60–70
50–60
40–50
Silvereye
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
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

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
231
🐒 Mammals
67
🦎 Reptiles
18
🐸 Amphibians
3
319 Total Species
841 Global average across 280 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 (88 species at ≥5% of 319 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
28%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)
47% Global avg
20%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
132 Global avg
63
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
14 Global avg
5
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
26 Global avg
12
⚖️

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