Saddleback – Tieke
The saddleback gets its name from the chestnut coloured band of colour across the bird’s back. In Maori tradition the saddleback was a bird of omen.
If a war party heard the call of the bird from the right, it was a sign of victory. If the call was heard from the left, this was a sign of defeat. One peculiar call of the saddleback means good weather is on the way. A shrill cry warns of a storm. The South Island saddleback is endangered while the North Island saddleback is vulnerable.