Mohoua ochrocephala
The Yellowhead, or mōhua, is a vibrant and highly social passerine endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. This small bird, measuring approximately 15 cm in length and weighing 20-32 grams, is easily identified by its distinctive bright yellow head and breast, contrasting with a white belly and olive-brown back and wings. Juveniles have a duller, yellowish-brown crown. Mohoua ochrocephala belongs to the Mohouidae family, a group of insectivorous passerines unique to New Zealand, with its ...
Found primarily in mature native Nothofagus (beech) and podocarp forests, particularly at mid to high elevations in mountainous regions.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, spiders, and cicadas, which they glean from foliage and bark. They also consume small amounts of fruit, particularly during late summer and autumn.
Yellowheads are diurnal and highly active, often foraging in the forest canopy and mid-storey throughout the day. They employ a variety of foraging strategies, including gleaning insects from foliage and bark, probing crevices, and occasionally catching prey in flight. These birds are highly terr...
The Yellowhead is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, where its historical range once covered almost all extensive lowland and montane native forests. Today, its distribution is severely fragmented, primarily restricted to isolated populations within larger national parks and protected ar...
Endangered
- The Yellowhead is one of only three species in the endemic New Zealand bird family Mohouidae. - It is a cooperative breeder, meaning young birds from previous broods often help their parents raise new chicks. - Māori legends often portray the mōhua as a messenger or a bird of good omen. - Their...