The Cute Tiny Tomtits With Oversized Heads On A Ball Of Yellow Feathers

The tomtit (Petroica macrocephala) fits perfectly into the Australasian robins family, with a large head, tiny beak, and round puffed-out little body. They found only on the islands of New Zealand.

Tomtits are widespread and fairly common through the North and South Islands. The population was estimated to number about 1000 birds on the Snares Islands in 1987, less than 1000 birds on the Chatham Islands in 2001, and no estimate has been made of numbers on the Auckland Islands. Although populations declined during European settlement (forest clearance), comparison of distribution of the species in the North and South Islands during 1969-79 and 1999-2004 suggest there was little or no change during the 20-year interval.