Like many parts of New Zealand, the Orongorongo Valley was once home to a rich and diverse community of native birds. Many have disappeared from the area and some are now even extinct, such as the moa and huia.
Today the valley is still home to many native plants and animals. Native birds in the valley include fantails, kereru (native wood pigeon) tui, tomtits, grey warblers, bellbirds, whiteheads, silver-eyes, moreporks, riflemen, kakariki, kingfishers, the occasional NZ falcon - and more recently - North Island Brown Kiwi.
The valley has an interesting mix of plant life from beech to mixed podocarp forest. You can see splendid examples of these different types when walking along the Orongorongo track where you see lush nikau palms and ferns, magical beech forest and towering podocarps like rimu and totara. In the summer months the valley also puts on a beautiful display of flowering northern rata.
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