Fiordland and Milford Sound are home to a wide range of native New Zealand birds, including the Takahe, Kakapo, Mohua (yellowhead) and Kea. New Zealand fur seals can grow up to two metres in length and weigh up to 200kg. We arrived in Milford Sound with over an hour to spare, had some snacks, shot some video, and got very excited about our boat cruise. To the left of this is a brown hedge - continue on the path around this to the edge of the bush. Milford Sound has an abundance of wildlife, from rare birds and insects to dolphins and seals. Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park is full of abundant wildlife including sunbathing seals, the little penguin, native birds and sometimes whales and dolphins.Milford Sound Whales, Dolphins, Seals and Penguins Encounters bring you face to face with New Zealand’s rich marine wildlife. Learn all about the kea, New Zealand’s famously cheeky mountain parrot, and find out where to see them on a day trip to Milford Sound. There’s a good chance you’ll see a penguin during your Milford Sound cruise as two species are regularly found in the fiord. Premium Milford Sound & Te Anau Highlights 2 day Combo Small Group Tour from Queenstown. Milford Sound is believed to have been discovered by the Maori over 1,000 years ago. Experience the magic of Milford Sound up close on a guided kayaking adventure before coming face to face with the local marine life Lush rain forests cling precariously to the cliffs and gardens of coral grow beneath the water’s surface, creating a magical playground for the wildlife of Milford Sound. Here’s a guide to Milford Sound wildlife. The track may only be walked in its entirety from Te Anau to Milford, with one night spent at each hut, making a total of four days and three nights, no more and no less. There’s a restaurant at Milford Sound but the selection isn’t great and they do close before it’s dark. HistoryWhat today is known as the Milford Track was once one of the two principal trails, used by Maori, linking Fiordland with the rest of Te Wai Pounamu, South Island, for the gathering of pounamu, greenstone. Product code: 103CK. However, the adventurous kea, an alpine parrot, is a curious bird and likely to pay a visit. Much like Milford Sound itself, black coral has been misnamed, as only the dead branches are black and it’s not strictly a coral species. new zealand. A forestful of birds in Fiordland The kea shares the forest with many other birds, and at various times you are likely to see, or at least hear, morepork, kaka, tui, bellbirds, native robins, riflemen, yellow-crowned parakeets, yellowheads, tomtits, fantails and wood pigeons, among other species. Another awesome bonus of the spontaneity of our road trip, was that the original boat cruise we’d booked with the helicopter company was only an hour. Milford Road is 120km long, and I’d recommend setting aside 3-4 hours including photo stops and a few short walks. Thought extinct until 1948 when 200 were discovered in the mountains near Lake Te Anau, this large, flightless blue an green rail is very rare. The very high rainfall creates a permanent freshwater layer on the sea surface. Native beech forests as well as New Zealand rimu, miro and totara trees flourish amongst lower-lying ferns. Unfortunately, the introduction of stoats, possums, and rats have caused a huge decline in their population. The wildlife in Milford Sound includes some of the most intriguing and unique animals and plants in the world. Located in the southwestern corner of the South Island, much of Fiordland is inaccessible by road. Takahe and Kakapo are both critically endangered and you’re unlikely to see them. For an awesome perspective of Milford Sound framed by native bush, make your way to the back of the cafe. Below this layer - stained a tea colour by material washed out of the forest - there is a concentrated 40 metre band of unusual marine life growing on and around the sheer rock walls. There’s barely a corner of Fiordland National Park and the Milford Sound region that isn’t overflowing with wildlife. We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. From insects and birdlife in the abundant native forest to the show-stopping antics of fur seals and dolphins, a visit to Milford Sound will satisfy the most ardent nature lover. In both sounds the rare Fiordland crested penguin Rare, endangered species of plants, animals and birds, notably the Takahe, are to be found there. As keen conservationists, we’re committed to bringing New Zealand’s native birds back into the forest and onto our tracks. Many of the plants and animals in Milford Sound are only found in the Fiordland area due to its remote location and wet weather. Fiordland and Milford Sound are home to a wide range of native New Zealand birds, including the Takahe, Kakapo, Mohua (yellowhead) and Kea. They lay their eggs in August and the chicks become independent in November or December. What today is known as the Milford Track was once one of the two principal trails, used by Maori, linking Fiordland with the rest of Te Wai Pounamu, South Island, for the gathering of pounamu, greenstone. Takahe and Kakapo are both critically endangered and you’re unlikely to see them. The Milford Track can be walked in one direction only, with up to 40 trampers (hikers) staying one night at each of the three Department of Conservation huts on the track. There are more than 60 bottlenose dolphins living in the area, so it’s not uncommon to see them riding the bow wave of cruise ships or visiting groups of kayakers. The Fiordland Crested Penguin is unmistakable, with its bright orange beak and blonde feathers on either side of its eyes. Driving from Queenstown to Milford Sound takes four hours. The Chasm A short hike leads to a narrow gorge called The Chasm. Beech-podocarp forests, perhaps the best modern representatives of the ancient forests of Gondwanaland, predominate along with extensive areas of temperate rain forest. It’s not all bad news though and projects like the Sinbad Sanctuary Project are helping to ensure their survival. Fiordland even has its own penguin colony. Known as antipathes fiordensis, this black coral is native to the Fiordland area. Not exactly in Milford Sound, but one of the best parts of any Fiordland trip is the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound. Starting off place is the resort town of Te Anau. This small group, fully-guided tour not only gives you the best Milford Sound experience but also allows you to enjoy everything Te Anau has to offer, making it the ultimate Fiordland Adventure. The fenced in birds here are tame and friendly, and entry is free. 2017 © Entrada Travel Group. The Lookout Track (10 Minutes Return) This one is so quick that you simply can’t miss it! Bottlenose dolphins can grow up to 3 metres long and weigh up to 300 kilograms. Der Fiordland-Nationalpark ist mit über 12.500 km² Fläche der größte Nationalpark Neuseelands.Er umfasst den größten Teil Fiordlands, die gebirgige Südwestspitze der Südinsel, die an der Westküste von Fjorden wie dem Milford Sound und dem Doubtful Sound, im Osten von weitverzweigten Seen geprägt ist. Milford Sound is more than you can possibly imagine. Imagine paddling through pure glacial water in a peaceful cove with the sound of birds singing. Ancient giants are home to epiphytes (parasitic plants). Don’t listen to your google map though, I can almost guarantee that the 118km Te Anau to Milford Sound drive won’t take the predicted 1.5 hours. They named the sound Piopiotahi after the legend of a single Piopio bird which flew here mourning the death of … Milford Sound is home to three species of dolphins plus many more unique animals. The entrance to the walk is marked by an information panel about Donald Sutherland’s Grave. These penguins visit the same beach each year to mate and often mate for life. New Zealand fur seals inhabit Milford Sound year round and can often be seen basking in the sun at Seal Point, where the rocks are not as steep and can be easily climbed. At the end of the Milford road, discover iconic scenery, flights, cruises and underwater observatory. The heavy rainfall and surrounding rainforest create a unique effect in Milford Sound – the top layer of water is fresh water, while the rest is salt water from the Tasman Sea. Dusky dolphins are also occasional visitors to Milford Sound. You can discover Milford Sound flora and native plants on one of the many Milford Sound walking tracks in the region. Wildlife in Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound You should be able to spot all sorts of wildlife in both Milford and Doubtful Sound. The title “the finest walk in the world” first coined in an article by poet Blanche Baughan, which was published in The London Spectator in 1908. One of the rarest birds found in Milford Sound though is the whio or blue duck. Here it is possible to see the Takahe, Notornis mantelli. We want to see more birds like Bob the Weka out and about and thriving on our Milford Sound guided Black coral usually lives in the depths of the ocean, but thanks to the geology of Milford Sound you can see black coral as little as 10 metres below the surface. 1. From the car parking area at the rear of the café at Milford Sound, pass in front of the two brown buildings to the south of the carpark and towards Donald Sutherland’s grave. You'll enjoy free WiFi, free lunch and a cruise from $165. Milford Sound is one of the most visited areas on the South Island and when you do the Te Anau to Milford Sound drive, it soon becomes clear why. The Milford Sound Lookout Track is only 400 meters long in total and takes you up above Milford Sound via some stairs. Don’t miss out on the flourishing plant and animal life under the water, either – visit to the floating Underwater Observatory or go scuba diving for a unique view of Milford Sound. With cruises and walking tracks taking you right into their home environment, you can have an up close and personal experience with the inhabitants of Milford Sound. Yes that’s right, there’s a Milford Haven in wales, where the European discoverer John Grono was from.I bet it’s not nearly as pretty as Milford Sound in New Zealand though! As well as 60 varieties of black coral, Milford Sound is also home to rare red corals and the enormous bubblegum coral, which can grow up to seven metres high and live for centuries. The track's popularity, coupled with the fragile nature of the environment, requires that some important restrictions apply. From NZD$550 Duration: 48 hours (approx.) There is very good reason that Milford Sound should be on your list when visiting New Zealand. These are smaller than bottlenose dolphins, growing up to 1.75 metres long, with dark grey backs, white bellies and a two-toned dorsal fin. The cheeky Kea birds are as beautiful as they are clever, and and are always happy to see tourists traveling to Milford Sound. The area surrounding Milford Sound is home to some fantastically diverse flora and fauna, with over 700 plants found only in Fiordland. The Little Blue penguin is a relatively common penguin, while the Fiordland Crested Penguin is an endangered species, one of the rarest penguins in the world, and is only found in Fiordland and Stewart Island. However, the adventurous kea, an alpine parrot, is … Hut accommodation must be booked in advance, which guarantees walkers a bunk for every night of their journey. The living colonies are brightly coloured, with yellow, green, white and orange varieties on display here. Call on 0800 486 877, email on info@awesomenz. Many of the plant and animal species in Milford Sound can only be found in the Fiordland region due to its remote location and the damp wet weather, making these encounters even more special. Seabirds like shags (cormorants), Sooty Shearwaters and gulls can often be seen in the skies over Milford Sound – keep an eye out for them during your cruise. Camping is prohibited at any time within 1km of the track. Discover the unique wildlife of Milford Sound and the best way to see them! The track is in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand's largest national park at 1,257,000 ha which is also part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. If you’re really lucky, you might even see a whale in Milford Sound, although they are infrequent visitors. Keas are the only parrots that live above the snow line in the mountains Kea in flight – see the orange features underneath and blue on top of its wings What is a kea? DescriptionThe Milford Track, described as "the finest walk in the world", extends for 54 kilometres from the northern end of Lake Te Anau, to Sandfly Point near Milford Sound. But be careful – keep bags, tents and car windows closed, because kea like to steal things! These seals were once close to extinction thanks to hunting in the 19th century, but are now protected and are growing in number. All rights reserved. Milford Sound/Piopiotahi stretches 16 kilometres to the open sea and is 265 metres deep in places. Milford Sound’s history is a product of it beautiful but also challenging environment. a birds eye view of fiordland national park with the river. Milford Sound Experience Full Day from Queenstown 676 reviews Cruising Milford Sound is among New Zealand’s most spectacular activities, but the mountain scenery that lines the coast is just as gorgeous. The ancient history of Milford Sound Milford Sound’s history goes back millions of years as glaciers and tectonic activity carved it.In Māori tradition, Milford Sound was the most spectacular work of Tū Te Rakiwhānoa, an atua (demi-god) responsible for shaping Fiordland. An environment that has offered Maori and European visitors natural resources of … Playful dolphins dive and leap in the waters of Milford Sound. Cook by John Gully, chromolithograph, 1877. The very rare Blue Duck or ‘whio’ in Māori lives within the native forests of Fiordland National Park. Native rainforest fringes the cliffs, containing precious birdlife, while down below a marine reserve protects the fish and visiting mammals like seals and dolphins. They make their home on fast-flowing rivers, and can often be found around the Eglinton Valley and Monkey Creek on the Milford Road. The kea is a native New Zealand bird. A pod of bottlenose dolphins resides in Doubtful Sound so you have a good chance of seeing these fascinating mammals, and in Milford Sound dolphins are occasional visitors. Journey into Milford sound with on a glass roof bus with awesomeNZ. New Zealand: Birds of the Milford Sound Post author: sandra Post published: November 11, 2014 Post category: New Zealand / Oceanien / South Island Post comments: 1 Comment History. In Fiordland you can find birds as varied as the Tui, Weka, Kaka and Yellow-Crowned Kakariki, not to mention the varieties of Australasian migratory species you can find. - milford sound stock-videos und b-roll-filmmaterial track forward over snow capped mountain ridge to open sea, milford sound, south island, new zealand - milford sound stock-videos und b-roll-filmmaterial If you’re lucky you might be able to spot bottlenose dolphins in both sounds, as well as little blue penguins and seals. The Fiordland Crested Penguin or ‘tawaki’ can be found at … From up there, you’ll be able to enjoy Milford from a completely different point of view than you’ve seen Your best chance of seeing one is at the Te Anau Wildlife Reserve where a captive breeding programme is in place. Because fresh water is less dense than salt water, the rainwater forms a protective top layer over the salt water from the incoming Tasman Sea. The darkened fresh water blocks sunlight, with light levels at 10m deep in Milford Sound being equivalent to those at about 70m in the open sea. There are about seven million colonies of coral in Milford Sound. Real Journeys is a major South Island and New Zealand award-winning tourism company,[1] privately owned by the Hutchins family since 1954. The Milford Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks. Something rare and fascinating grows in the depths of Milford Sound – black coral. There are tunnels made out of trees, bushes, natural vegetation, with its tall golden grass, rivers, lakes, mountains, and waterfalls. There is a gigantic rainforest around the fjord, which has ensured that there are many animals and plants there. The fenced in birds here are tame and friendly, and entry is free. Even the rain that started pouring halfway there wasn’t enough to spoil it. Te Anau to Milford Sound: How to get to Milford Sound safely We took a road trip to Milford Sound on our journey and elected to stay in Te Anau for two nights. Due to this  unique environment, the fiord supports the world’s biggest population of black coral trees. Reasons for its World Heritage status include dramatic glacier cut fiords, lakes, deep U-shaped valleys, hanging tributaries and well preserved ice shorn spurs. As heavy rainfall drains through the lush forests, it becomes stained with tannins until it is the colour of strong tea. Image: Mt. But the focus is on conservation of these beautiful animals and plants – Milford Sound cruise operators ensure you can get as close as possible to the local wildlife without disturbing it. Claimed as the Eighth Natural Wonder of the World, the grandeur and beauty of Milford and the Fiordland National Park is This prefers to hang around the parking in Milford Sound. Milford Sound Select operate a daily coach tour to Milford Sound from Queenstown, that includes a boat cruise on Milford Sound. As rainwater runs though the forest into the fiord it becomes stained with tannins, making the surface layer a darker colour.