KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of any country

Learn the wildlife of New Zealand

Oceania

16,965 species have research-grade observations in New Zealand on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you can learn a country's wildlife from home.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. New Zealand Pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae22,610
  2. Tūī Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae13,915
  3. New Zealand Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa12,936
  4. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae11,636
  5. Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus10,326
  6. Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata10,311
  7. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula9,834
  8. Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor9,265
  9. Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius7,656
  10. New Zealand Bellbird Anthornis melanura7,615

Plants

  1. Māhoe Melicytus ramiflorus11,213
  2. New Zealand cabbage tree Cordyline australis10,966
  3. Karamū Coprosma robusta9,297
  4. Hound's tongue fern Microsorum pustulatum8,760
  5. Kawakawa Piper excelsum8,595
  6. Mānuka Leptospermum scoparium6,992
  7. Old man's beard Clematis vitalba6,824
  8. Tōtara Podocarpus totara6,817
  9. New Zealand flax Phormium tenax6,607
  10. Gorse Ulex europaeus6,509

Mammals

  1. Long-nosed Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri8,934
  2. New Zealand Sea Lion Phocarctos hookeri3,400
  3. Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula3,145
  4. Common Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus2,812
  5. European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus2,798
  6. House Mouse Mus musculus1,673

Insects

  1. Buff-tailed Bumble Bee Bombus terrestris7,066
  2. New Zealand Cutworm Ichneutica mutans6,662
  3. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera5,791
  4. Monarch Danaus plexippus5,363
  5. Australian Pug Moth Chloroclystis filata4,561
  6. Common grass moth Orocrambus flexuosellus4,410
  7. Yellow Admiral Vanessa itea4,368
  8. South African Mantis Miomantis caffra4,346
  9. Forest Semilooper Declana floccosa4,303
  10. New Zealand Mantis Orthodera novaezealandiae4,061

Spiders and kin

  1. Knobbled Orbweaver Socca pustulosa6,799
  2. New Zealand Nursery Web Spider Dolomedes minor4,839
  3. Bronze Hopper Helpis minitabunda3,253
  4. White Banded House Jumper Maratus griseus3,072
  5. Black-headed Jumping Spider Trite planiceps2,801
  6. Black Cobweb Spider Steatoda capensis2,369
  7. Katipō Latrodectus katipo1,734
  8. Spotted Ground Swift Spider Nyssus coloripes1,514

Reptiles

  1. New Zealand Grass Skink Oligosoma polychroma3,318
  2. Dark-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis delicata2,368
  3. Tuatara Sphenodon punctatus2,051

Fish

  1. Common Triplefin Forsterygion lapillum1,702
  2. New Zealand Longfin Eel Anguilla dieffenbachii1,640
  3. Australasian Snapper Chrysophrys auratus1,561

Mollusks

  1. Garden Snail Cornu aspersum3,247
  2. Snakeskin Chiton Sypharochiton pelliserpentis2,500
  3. New Zealand Green-lipped Mussel Perna canaliculus2,173
  4. Radiate Limpet Cellana radians2,099
  5. Cat's Eye Snail Lunella smaragdus2,036
  6. New Zealand Cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi1,924
  7. Spotted Top Snail Diloma aethiops1,846
  8. Blackfoot Paua Haliotis iris1,478
  9. Cook's Turban Cookia sulcata1,461
  10. Blue Green Chiton Chiton glaucus1,399

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.