Despite its name, the North Island robin (Petroica longipes) – or the Maori name toutouwai – is a completely distinct species from the European robin. The South Island robin (Petroica australis) is also a different species. The north island robin is endemic to New Zealand and is fearless around humans because they evolved without native land mammals. They hunt large invertebrates (like the giant tree wētā) and store excess food in tree bark. They possess a sharp spatial memory to relocate these caches. For a small forest bird, they are remarkably long-lived – individuals protected in predator-free sanctuaries like Zealandia have been recorded living up to 16 or 17 years.
© BirdsImageStock