Saddleback

The Saddleback, known in Maori as tieke, is a striking wattlebird with mostly glossy black plumage broken by a broad chestnut band, or "saddle," across the back and rump, along with a chestnut rump and undertail. Bright orange to red fleshy wattles dangle at the base of the bill, most vivid in adults.

Two closely related forms are recognized, the North Island Saddleback and the South Island Saddleback, differing subtly in plumage and sometimes treated as separate species. Both were pushed to the brink by introduced predators and survived only on a single predator-free island each before determined conservation translocations reestablished them on numerous other protected islands and fenced mainland sanctuaries.

Key field marks

• Glossy black body plumage overall
• Broad chestnut "saddle" across the back and rump
• Bright orange-red fleshy wattles at the base of the bill
• Fairly long black tail, often held cocked
• Strong legs for hopping and clambering through dense vegetation

Similar species

• North Island Kokako is much larger, blue-grey (not black), and has blue rather than orange-red wattles.
• Stitchbird is smaller, yellow and black rather than black with a chestnut saddle, and lacks wattles.
• Juvenile Saddlebacks are duller reddish-brown overall and lack developed wattles, differing from the crisp adult pattern.

Range

Once widespread on the New Zealand mainland, now found mainly on predator-free offshore islands (such as Hen Island, Kapiti Island, and Ulva Island) and fenced mainland sanctuaries where it has been reintroduced.

Habitat

Inhabits native forest with dense understorey, using low vegetation and the forest floor as much as the canopy.

Migration

Sedentary and territorial, pairs holding a permanent territory within their protected habitat.

Behavior

Active and inquisitive, foraging low in dense vegetation and on the ground as well as in the canopy, often in pairs that stay together year-round.

Voice

A loud, sharp, rattling call, along with clear whistled notes; pairs often call back and forth to maintain contact.

Feeding

Forages by flicking aside bark, moss, and leaf litter to find invertebrates, and also eats fruit and nectar when available.

Nesting

Builds a bulky nest of twigs, bark, and fern in a tree cavity, dense vegetation, or rock crevice; the female incubates two to three eggs, and both parents feed the chicks.