The tīeke or saddleback (Philesturnus rufusater) was once found widely across Aotearoa New Zealand, but by the end of the nineteenth century it had been eliminated from the main islands by predation from small mammals.

The Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne sanctuary provides an ideal environment for these birds, but on this grey day in July only one was visible, and then not very clearly.

Tīeke or saddleback at Zealandia.