male stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta)

September 2012, Tiritiri Matangi island, Auckland.

A peculiar little bird endemic to the North Island. Formerly widespread, it disappeared from most of its range after the arrival of Europeans, surviving only on Little Barrier Island. Today there are populations on a number of other islands and even in some heavily-protected mainland areas.

Originally it was classed as a honeyeater (along with tui and bellbird), but more recently it has been moved to its own monotypic family Notiomystidae, which is thought to be most closely related to the wattlebirds (saddleback, kokako and huia).