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Birds in forest in the Orongorongo Valley near Wellington were caught over a 7-year period (1969-76) in mist-net rigs consisting of six nets one above another, forming a continuous curtain of nets from near ground level to the forest canopy. We recorded which net in the rigs each bird was caught in, and described the vertical distribution of 14 species of bird. Hedgesparrows, Fantails, Tomtits and Blackbirds were caught more often in the lower nets, Kingfishers, Silvereyes and Bellbirds were caught more often in the upper nets, and Moreporks, Riflemen, Whiteheads, Grey Warblers, Song Thrushes, Tuis and Chaffinches were caught more or less evenly at both levels. The vertical profiles differed between rigs. For the three species caught most commonly (Silvereye, Blackbird and Bellbird), the mean height of capture varied with time of day and with season. The vertical distribution is a useful characteristic in helping to define the niches of these birds.