Riroriro - Grey warbler - Gerygone igata

One of the most pure sounds of the NZ bush the high pitched trill of the riroriro always adds joy to your day.

A species of insectivorous bird in the Acanthizidae family endemic to New Zealand. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

Weighing about 6.5 grams this 11 cm long bird is grey-brown (tending to olive green tint) above and has a pale grey face, throat and breast and has an off white abdomen, tinged with yellow. The tail is white underneath and dark brown on top with white tips visible in flight, it also has a distinctive ruby-red eye. The female has similar plumage but is smaller in size. The young are paler with no hint of yellow and have brown eyes. The male's song often starts with a series of three squeaks and builds into a distinctive long plaintive wavering trill that rises and falls. They sing throughout the year but most vigorously, when nesting, during spring. More commonly heard than seen.

Common throughout New Zealand main islands and many off-shore islands, absent from open country and alpine areas. At home in native and exotic forests it may be found almost anywhere there is some tree or shrub cover.
Riroriro are the only host to shining cuckoo on the New Zealand mainland. First clutches often escape parasitism because they are laid before cuckoos arrive, but often shining cuckoos replace an egg in the second clutch with one of their own and, eventually, the bigger and faster growing cuckoo chick expels all other eggs or chicks.