Eyebrows have been raised by the suggestion some of our "more elegant" seabirds are a better fit as a national symbol than the kiwi. Photo / File
Eyebrows have been raised by the suggestion some of our "more elegant" seabirds are a better fit as a national symbol than the kiwi. Photo / File
Kiwi may be earthbound, small and funny-looking, but recent arguments that they should move over on their pedestal for New Zealand's "more elegant" seabirds have been pecked to pieces.
Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust co-founder Chris Gaskin raised eyebrows by suggesting seabirds such as the Buller's shearwater (rako) were a better fit as a national symbol.
In front of an audience of seabird enthusiasts in Wellington yesterday, he argued that as great travellers, Kiwis - the people - were better represented by a long-distance flier like the shearwater or black petrel than a stubby-winged bird.
"These birds travel huge distances," Gaskin said.
"But seabirds have gone under the radar, and that's a real concern for us."
While he said his suggestion to that a shearwater or petrel should replace the kiwi was light-hearted, he really liked the New Zealand Navy's idea.
"Our Orions that go on fishing and search and rescue patrols actually have two symbols - the kiwi, and on the tail of the plane, a seabird that looks like a petrel."
Northern NZ Seabird Trust co-founder Chris Gaskin suggested a long-distance flier like the Buller's shearwater (rako) is a better fit as our national symbol. Photo / Tony Morris, Flickr
He added that our native forests flourished because of the nutrients added to the soil by seabird droppings, providing the right conditions for kiwis' favourite tasty invertebrates to thrive.
Jochen Wauters of Kiwi Birdlife Park in Queenstown was not convinced.
"The kiwi is quirky, unique, feisty - those are all qualities I've seen in Kiwis as well," said the Belgian transplant, who moved to New Zealand 10 years ago.
"In Belgium, our national symbol is the Mannekin Pis statue. If I have to choose between a little tiny boy with a little tiny" - he interrupted himself with a cough - "or a kiwi with all these unique things you don't find anywhere else, I'd much rather have the kiwi."
Frances Burton of Forest and Bird in Thames agreed.
"I'm proud to be called a Kiwi," she said.
"You look at a kiwi and you know what it is, even just a cartoon of one," she said. "Whereas a shearwater could be any kind of bird."
While she acknowledged that the English lion and Welsh dragon were more exciting to look at, they weren't as appropriate.
"Dragons don't belong in Britain, and lions don't either. But the kiwi's becoming even more endangered, which makes it even more unique," she said.
This view was endorsed by Kevin Saxton of Kiwi North in Whangarei.
New Zealand Heraldry Society secretary Roger Barnes said that while the kiwi had no official status as our national symbol, he was fond of it.
"But I would prefer it to have its head raised," he said.
"Usually you see it with its head down, pecking the ground. I do think it's much better than the silver fern as a national symbol, which is more of a sporting emblem."
Barnes said the society was lobbying the Government to appoint an official Herald of Arms. The current appointee, Philip O'Shea, owes his allegiance to the College of Arms in London. Canada has had its own since 1988.
"If we had our own authority, we could have some sort of official recognition of the kiwi and the silver fern, but we don't," Barnes said.
As unofficial New Zealand mascot, the kiwi has not been without its challenges over the years.
Among other things he's said about it, British-American comedian John Oliver has called it "the world's most worthless bird".
In 2013, the shocking news that the kiwi was possibly an Australian immigrant hit headlines, although that would give it more in common with today's Tasman-hopping New Zealanders.
Meanwhile, our native seabirds continue their struggles unheralded. More than 90 per cent are at risk of extinction, although there have been some success stories.
As Kiwi battlers go, perhaps there's no better symbol than the storm petrel. In 2011, it was sighted in the Hauraki Gulf after more than 150 years of supposed extinction.
Makes the takahe's 50 years look like chicken feed.
