during the summer months. Fantail, silvereye, grey warbler, shining cuckoo and a few South Island tomtits are commonly seen and heard in the bush. The New Zealand wood pigeon (kukupa or kereru) is the largest berry-eating bird in New Zealand and an important seed-disperser for many native plants. The wood pigeon can often be seen when walking through the bush areas. The most common birds seen on the Port Hills are introduced, such as the blackbird, chaffinch and thrush. A large range of native invertebrates occupy the Port Hills bush and grass lands areas, including the native copper butterfly (Lycaena salustius). Lizards native to the Port Hills include gecko and skink species. Plant life The contrasting sheltered valleys and exposed windswept hillsides provide a range of growing conditions for a wide variety of plants. Local endemic plants which are found only or mainly on Banks Peninsula (and nowhere else in the world) include the Banks Peninsula hebe ( Hebe strictissima ), the Banks Peninsula blue tussock ( Poa colensoi ) and the rare and endangered 'Lyttelton forgetmenot' ( Myosotis australis var. lytteltonensis ). The Port Hills are also home to rare ferns. Remnant pockets of podocarp forest shelter 500-600 year old matai, totara and kahikatea trees and regenerating seedlings. A diverse range of fruiting and flowering hardwood species including kowhai, lacebark, ribbonwood, mahoe, five finger, cabbage tree, kanuka, lancewood, fuchsia, and many shrub species, thrive in these remnants. The sunny northern slopes of the Port Hills feature tussock grasslands, dominated