From my memories from growing up in NZ long ago there are lots of funny/rock-n-roll stories about the Kea (very cheeky and charismatic parrot-like bird). I remember finding a funny CCTV video from about a year ago in NZ, showing some Keas screwing around with construction workers working on a road. Every time the workers were out of line of sight they moved the orange traffic cones to change the traffic.
I’m fascinated with them all. New Zealand has been seperated from other contintents for a long time, and until mankind arrived here (only around 1000 years ago), there were no large mammals on the islands, and for the land birds at least, the only predators were other birds. So the birds here have adapted to fill niches normally filled by mammals, and they also tend to be large, long lived and flightless (or poor flyers), because flight didn’t help them escape predation, but size, strong legs and camoflage did.
Unfortunately, they died in large numbers when mammals were introduced (mankind as well as their companions/stow aways) and many have gone extinct.
New Zealand is leading the way in establishing completely predator free spaces (initially mostly islands, but now mainland areas too), so you have spaces where rare birds are flourishing again.
I’ve been in New Zealand for the last couple of weeks, and honestly, my favourites are the North and South Island Robins. They appear fearless, because they follow larger animals around (like people), and hunt for insects that they stir up. What it looks like though is this friendly little robin comes right up to you and starts following you! I also love the Kererū (New Zealand pigeon). They’re big clumsy birds, but so gorgeous! And speaking of pigeons, it’s interesting that rock pigeons don’t dominate city spaces here. They’re around, but mostly, the niche normally filled by pigeons is filled by gulls and house sparrows…
New Zealand birds
Oh cool! Which bird from New Zealand has impressed you the most and how so?
From my memories from growing up in NZ long ago there are lots of funny/rock-n-roll stories about the Kea (very cheeky and charismatic parrot-like bird). I remember finding a funny CCTV video from about a year ago in NZ, showing some Keas screwing around with construction workers working on a road. Every time the workers were out of line of sight they moved the orange traffic cones to change the traffic.
I’m fascinated with them all. New Zealand has been seperated from other contintents for a long time, and until mankind arrived here (only around 1000 years ago), there were no large mammals on the islands, and for the land birds at least, the only predators were other birds. So the birds here have adapted to fill niches normally filled by mammals, and they also tend to be large, long lived and flightless (or poor flyers), because flight didn’t help them escape predation, but size, strong legs and camoflage did.
Unfortunately, they died in large numbers when mammals were introduced (mankind as well as their companions/stow aways) and many have gone extinct.
New Zealand is leading the way in establishing completely predator free spaces (initially mostly islands, but now mainland areas too), so you have spaces where rare birds are flourishing again.
I’ve been in New Zealand for the last couple of weeks, and honestly, my favourites are the North and South Island Robins. They appear fearless, because they follow larger animals around (like people), and hunt for insects that they stir up. What it looks like though is this friendly little robin comes right up to you and starts following you! I also love the Kererū (New Zealand pigeon). They’re big clumsy birds, but so gorgeous! And speaking of pigeons, it’s interesting that rock pigeons don’t dominate city spaces here. They’re around, but mostly, the niche normally filled by pigeons is filled by gulls and house sparrows…