Author: Simon Pierce
Rotokare Scenic Reserve is the best bird photography destination in Taranaki. Located on New Zealand’s North Island west coast, this 230-hectare predator-free forest reserve surrounds a small lake near Eltham, approximately 55 minutes south of New Plymouth.
Location Details
- Entry: Free, open 24/7
- Lakeside camping available
- Established: 2004
- Wheelchair accessible first 600m
- 4km main walking trail (largely flat)
Photo Gallery
Pateke (with a radio tag for tracking its movements)
The view across Lake Rotokare towards Mt Taranaki from the Ridge Trail
Kereru having a good sit
Hihi standing still for a millisecond
Tieke at work
Toutouwai are hilariously friendly if you give them a chance
Banded kokopu
Pateke
Scaup
There’s a flat path from the carpark
Toutouwai
Tomtit
Tui feeding in the lakeside flax
Fernbird – often heard, rarely seen!
Kotare (kingfisher)
Toutouwai and Mads
Featured Bird Species
Reintroduced Species
These birds were reintroduced to the reserve after predator eradication:
- Hihi (stichbirds) - rare endemic honeyeater
- Tieke (saddlebacks) - distinctive black bird with chestnut “saddle”
- Pateke (brown teal) - endangered endemic duck
Native Species Observed
- Toutouwai (North Island robins) - friendly and curious
- Kereru (wood pigeons) - large and colorful
- Popokatea (whiteheads) - small songbirds endemic to North Island
- Tui - distinctive white throat tuft
- Fantails - acrobatic insect-catchers
- Tomtits - small black and white birds
- Fernbirds - skulking wetland specialists
- Scaup - diving ducks on the lake
- Kotare (kingfishers) - often perched watching for prey
Evening Species
North Island brown kiwi can be heard calling and occasionally sighted at dusk.
Native Fish
Banded kokopu are visible near stream crossings—look carefully in shallow water.
Photography Tips
- Walk counterclockwise during morning visits to capture favorable light through the forest canopy
- Afternoon visits benefit from reversed direction
- The floating platform provides excellent water-level photography opportunities for waterfowl
- Robins are particularly confiding and will approach closely
Supporting Conservation
The Rotokare Trust manages the reserve. Visitors can become “Friends of the Lake” members to support ongoing conservation efforts, including predator control and species monitoring.
Getting There
From New Plymouth, head south on SH3 towards Eltham. The reserve is well-signposted. Allow a full morning or afternoon to walk the main loop and enjoy the birdwatching.