Pipipi Mohoua novaeseelandiae Scientific name definitions

12·5–13·5 cm; male 12–14 g, female 10–12 g. Has forehead and broad centre of crown dark reddish-brown, grading into grey-brown on nape, hindneck and back, remainder of upperparts dark reddish-brown, rump somewhat brighter; face , side of neck and ear-coverts grey, pale buff stripe behind eye; upperwing dark brown, outer primaries with slight pale edging on outer webs; tail reddish-brown, all rectrices except central pair with dark brown spot a third of the way in from tip; throat and underparts light greyish-brown, sides and flanks with pinkish wash; iris hazel-brown; bill pale pinkish-grey, culmen grey; legs light brown to pinkish-grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile is like adult, but head duller, yellow gape prominent.

New Zealand: South I, Stewart I and their nearer outlying islands.

Insects , also small fruits. Fruits eaten mainly during autumn. Forages at all levels in forest, more towards upper levels: in various studies, less than 1% to 4% on ground, 4–14% in lower understorey, 18–82% in upper understorey, 4–64% in canopy. Forages in foliage (26–60%), on twigs (18–30%), and on branches and trunks (10–54%). Captures prey by gleaning (c. 75%) and hanging (c. 25%); probes into cracks in bark, hangs upside-down and climbs along underside of branch. Forages in pairs when breeding, often in flocks of 3–12 (rarely up to 50) individuals in non-breeding season. Often joins mixed-species flocks.

Song  of male 5–14 loud whistles, slurs and harsh notes, that of female 4–9 rapid, brief notes of which last or near-last one long and high-pitched; sexes duet with respective songs, also utter “chee-up” during unison singing. Two (occasionally three) rival males engage in interactive singing, one changing to pattern of other. Also 4–6 descending trilled notes by male. Contact call a brief “zick”; pre-copulatory chatter by both sexes during chases; various other short phrases.