Arthur's Pass National Park

🇳🇿 New Zealand

🐦 Bellbird Chorus Over the Alpine Pass
🌍 #291 Global · 2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #22 in Oceania #65 in Savanna & Grassland
New Zealand, New Zealand 192 spp. recorded

Arthur's Pass National Park sits in the heart of New Zealand's rugged Southern Alps, protecting a dramatic landscape of steep mountain passes, rocky riverbeds, and high-altitude grassland. This alpine terrain differs from coastal reserves through its harsh weather and dramatic elevation changes, creating an exposed, windswept environment shaped by jagged peaks and sweeping valleys rather than dense lowland forest.

-42.859° S   171.821° E

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea ★
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor notabilis

60–70% · Likely
South Island Robin ★
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Fantail ★
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Bellbird ★
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

90–100% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

80–90% · Very likely
Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

80–90% · Very likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

80–90% · Very likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC Endemic

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

70–80% · Very likely
Silvereye
LC Endemic

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

60–70% · Likely
Rifleman
LC Endemic

Rifleman

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthisitta chloris

60–70% · Likely
Song Thrush
LC

Song Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus philomelos

50–60% · Likely
Common Redpoll
LC

Common Redpoll

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthis flammea

50–60% · Likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
Dunnock
LC

Dunnock

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prunella modularis

50–60% · Likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

40–50% · Likely
Common Brushtail
LC Endemic

Common Brushtail

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Trichosurus vulpecula

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Brushtail
LC Endemic

Common Brushtail

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Trichosurus vulpecula

30–40% · Possible
Brown Hare
LC

Brown Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus europaeus

20–30% · With luck
Elk
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

10–20% · With luck
Northern Chamois
LC

Northern Chamois

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rupicapra rupicapra

10–20% · With luck
Common Hedgehog
NT Endemic

Common Hedgehog

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Erinaceus europaeus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Kea ★
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor notabilis

60–70% · Likely
South Island Robin ★
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Fantail ★
LC Endemic

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

70–80% · Very likely
New Zealand Bellbird ★
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

90–100% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

80–90% · Very likely
Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

80–90% · Very likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

80–90% · Very likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC Endemic

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

70–80% · Very likely
Silvereye
LC Endemic

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

60–70% · Likely
Rifleman
LC Endemic

Rifleman

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthisitta chloris

60–70% · Likely
Song Thrush
LC

Song Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus philomelos

50–60% · Likely
Common Redpoll
LC

Common Redpoll

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthis flammea

50–60% · Likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
Dunnock
LC

Dunnock

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Prunella modularis

50–60% · Likely
Dominican Gull
LC

Dominican Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus dominicanus

40–50% · Likely
Australian Magpie
LC

Australian Magpie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnorhina tibicen

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common New Zealand Skink
LC Endemic

Common New Zealand Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma polychroma

30–40% · Possible
McCann’s Skink
LC Endemic

McCann’s Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma maccanni

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🐦

Kea Breeding and Playful Displays

NovDec

During late spring, kea engage in elaborate courtship, building nests in alpine scree and performing playful aerial antics.

Kea
EN Endemic

Kea

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nestor notabilis

60–70% · Likely
🐦

South Island Robin Territory Songs

Feb

Males establish territories with melodic songs and defend nesting sites in the forest understory.

South Island Robin
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

70–80% · Very likely
🦎

Alpine Skink Activity in Meadow

OctNov

Common New Zealand Skink emerges to bask and forage as alpine grasses bloom, showing heightened activity.

Common New Zealand Skink
LC Endemic

Common New Zealand Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Oligosoma polychroma

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
Kea
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
South Island Robin
70–80
90–100
80–90
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
70–80
New Zealand Fantail
60–70
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
40–50
60–70
80–90
New Zealand Bellbird
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
Miromiro
80–90
80–90
90–100
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
Chaffinch
80–90
70–80
70–80
90–100
60–70
80–90
70–80
90–100
80–90
90–100
80–90
90–100
Grey Warbler
80–90
90–100
80–90
70–80
70–80
90–100
70–80
90–100
70–80
80–90
80–90
90–100
Eurasian Blackbird
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
80–90
80–90
90–100
Silvereye
70–80
90–100
80–90
70–80
80–90
70–80
60–70
60–70
50–60
40–50
50–60
80–90
Rifleman
70–80
60–70
80–90
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
30–40
50–60
70–80
Song Thrush
60–70
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
70–80
40–50
70–80
60–70
70–80
Common Redpoll
60–70
60–70
50–60
30–40
20–30
40–50
50–60
40–50
30–40
40–50
70–80
60–70
Welcome Swallow
40–50
60–70
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
30–40
60–70
70–80
Dunnock
40–50
20–30
60–70
70–80
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
50–60
50–60
Dominican Gull
60–70
40–50
20–30
10–20
30–40
30–40
30–40
60–70
50–60
40–50
40–50
60–70
Common Brushtail
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
50–60
30–40
50–60
5–10
30–40
50–60
<5
20–30
Animal Events
🐦 Kea Breeding and Playful Displays
🐦 South Island Robin Territory Songs
🦎 Alpine Skink Activity in Meadow

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate
🐦 Bellbird Chorus Over the Alpine Pass

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
2.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
167
🐒 Mammals
15
🦎 Reptiles
8
🐸 Amphibians
2
192 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
32 Threatened 57 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
73%
📊
Coverage (48 species at ≥5% of 192 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
25%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)
46% Global avg
0%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
39
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
4
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
15

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Arthur's Pass National Park?

The most likely sightings are New Zealand Bellbird (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Miromiro (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Chaffinch (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Grey Warbler (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Eurasian Blackbird (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 192 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Arthur's Pass National Park for wildlife?

December has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Kea in Arthur's Pass National Park?

Yes — about 68% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 321 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see South Island Robin in Arthur's Pass National Park?

Yes — about 73% of wildlife watchers report a South Island Robin sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 345 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see New Zealand Fantail in Arthur's Pass National Park?

Yes — about 71% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Fantail sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 336 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see New Zealand Bellbird in Arthur's Pass National Park?

Yes — about 90% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Bellbird sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 427 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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