Exotic Intruders
The waxeye
The waxeye
While this bird, variously called the waxeye, white-eye or silvereye, is often considered to be a native, it is more likely to be a relatively modern introduction from Australia, an intruder that managed to arrive and acclimatise all by itself. The bird was first recorded by Captain Howell in the Milford Sound area in 1832, and then, in the 1850s, it began to migrate northwards, travelling in great numbers up the midribs of New Zealand. Waxeyes first appeared north of the Cook Strait in 1856, when they were suddenly abundant in Wellington, and were called 'the blight bird' by grateful orchardists who noticed that the visitors destroyed great quantities of the 'American blight', or, as it is now much more commonly known, woolly aphis. The waxeyes disappeared entirely after two or three months, to the mystification of all Wellington-ians, and then re-appeared in 1858, when they took up permanent citizenship. The to-ing and fro-ing was apparently, some sort of migration between the North and South Islands, a migratory habit which was probably the reason why the restless little bird arrived here from Australia in the first place. Since its establishment in New Zealand, the waxeye has migrated further: to the Chatham Island, the Kermadecs, the Auckland Islands, and the Campbell and Macquaries Islands.
The waxeye is a very successful colonist, now found in flocks along the coasts, in scrub and fern country, on the outskirts of the forests, and, of course, in suburban gardens. Its natural food consists of insects and nectar, so the farmer and gardener consider it a friend: it takes payment in the form of soft fruits at harvest. It cross-pollinates many native flowers, and is a disperser of native seeds. The bird is a snacky feeder, liking variety and constantly flitting from one type of food to another. It tends to suffer badly in winter and other times when food is short, so it is an eager client for anyone who puts out a bird table. In bad weather it feeds on the ground and doesn't appear to be very alert, so it is often caught by cats. For the same reason, more waxeyes are attacked and destroyed by predatory birds than any other small birds. However it is as adaptable and as reproductive as the sparrow, so despite ravages by cold weather, food shortages and predators, it seems that this visitor is definitely here to stay.