Naturing in winter: what our native species get up to

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

As the winter snap hits through the country, many of us are reaching for extra layers and staying indoors a little more often. But for our native wildlife, winter is far from a time of inactivity.

From alpine parrots playing in the snow to seabirds returning from epic ocean journeys, many species have developed remarkable ways to survive and thrive during the colder months.

Here are just a few of the fascinating things happening in nature over winter…

Taken at The Hermitage – Aoraki, Mt Cook
Family: Strigopidae
Common name: Kea (Mountain Parrot)
Maori name: Kea
Scientific name: Nestor botabilis

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Kea amongst the snow. Photo: Janice McKenna

Kea

While many animals seek shelter from frigid weather, kea seem to embrace it.

New Zealand’s alpine parrot is well adapted to life in the mountains and is often seen investigating snowy landscapes with its trademark curiosity. Winter provides opportunities for kea to forage for a wide variety of foods, from plant material and insects to the occasional alpine treat uncovered by melting snow.

Kea are experts at thriving in winter – so they don’t need help from humans. In fact, feeding or interacting with kea can disturb their natural behaviours and make them more reliant on humans. If you see a kea, they’re best admired from a distance.

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Grey-faced petrel. Photo: Terry Greene

Ōi / grey-faced petrel

For some species, winter marks the beginning of the breeding season.

Several seabirds spend much of their lives far out at sea and return to breeding colonies during the cooler month, defying the typical spring/summer breeding pattern.

Species such ōi/grey-faced petrel spend most of their time at sea where they are fast and graceful, soaring on the sea breeze, but return to our northern islands to mate and lay their eggs.

Leatherback turtle. Photo: Nathan Pettigrew

Leatherback Turtles

For some species, winter in New Zealand is far too cold!

Did you know the world’s largest turtle is a visitor to New Zealand waters? The West Pacific population of leatherback turtlees can forage in New Zealand during summer for jellyfish and saps.

As the weather starts to turn cold, they make the impressive journey north headed to the Pacific coast of North America, while females will head to northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to lay their eggs.

Kiwi footprints in the snow. Photo: Bridget Railton

Kiwi

Winter nights may be chilly, but kiwi continue their nightly search for food.

With their highly developed sense of smell and long bills, kiwi probe the soil (and sometimes snow) for worms, insects and other invertebrates. In some areas, winter rainfall can soften the ground, making it easier for them to find food.

For many New Zealanders, winter is also an excellent time to listen for kiwi calls, which can carry surprisingly far through the crisp evening air.

Kekeno/fur seal. Photo: Kurt Sharpe

Kekeno / fur seals

Winter also coincides with seal silly season! Along many coastlines, winter offers the chance to observe New Zealand fur seals resting on rocky shores.

Seal pups born over summer are growing rapidly by winter and learning the skills they’ll need to survive in the marine environment. Adults continue to spend much of their time at sea, travelling considerable distances in search of food.

If you’re visiting the coast, remember to give seals plenty of space. They may appear relaxed, but they are wild animals and can move surprisingly quickly when disturbed.

Longfin eel. Photo: Alan Cressler

Tuna / eels

Like many native fish, tuna grow a bit sluggish over winter (eels like it cool – their preferred temperatures range in the low-to-mid-20s °C).

Throughout autumn, before the water gets too cold, some adult eels will feel the call: they will pack up for the trip of a lifetime and head off to deep tropical trenches somewhere in the Pacific – we still don’t know exactly where!

There, they will participate one of the greatest events of the natural world – eel spawning, which has been known of for centuries, but evidence of it happening is still mostly indirect. We do know that eels don’t feed on their final journey, using all their resources for spawning. It’s a one-way trip – once they’ve spawned, they’re completely spent and die. But the circle of life goes on because in late winter, little ‘glass eels’ (the juveniles) return to New Zealand’s waters. Riding the tides, they enter the waterways and begin a new journey – from the sea to the mountains.

Nature knows no rest

Although winter can make our landscapes seem quieter, nature remains busy beneath the surface: kea are feeding, kiwi are calling, seals are turning up in weird places and eels and turtles are navigating vast oceans.

So next time you’re out naturing, take a moment to look and listen. While you’re out there, why not do something to help out our wildlife by choosing an activity from our Nature Action Finder.