Kererū, the Bird of the Year, can be spotted everywhere from Northland to Stewart Island. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today
Kererū, the Bird of the Year, can be spotted everywhere from Northland to Stewart Island. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today
You'll hear their whooshing wings before you see them, and the kererū– or New Zealand wood pigeon – has officially been named Forest and Bird's Bird of the Year after a fierce battle between feathered friends.
Rocking a classic white singlet over their green-blue plumage, these chunky birds play a very important part in the regeneration of our native forests – they're the only bird big enough to swallow and disperse many of our native seeds and fruit. Weighing in at around 630 grams, kererū have a trademark crash landing – with some even breaking branches as they arrive.
Forest and Bird described them as "clumsy, drunk, gluttonous and glamorous" – something we can all aspire to.
A kererū enjoys a meal of plums. Photo / Colin Sandford
Despite being considered somewhat of a delicacy in the past, Aotearoa's kererū population is classed as stable and you'll find them getting tipsy on fermented berries everywhere from Northland to Stewart Island. As numbers increase, they're also being seen in urban areas more often.
you'd like to see these "thicc bois" in a more traditional setting, these bird sanctuaries and regional parks have you covered.
Tiritiri Matangi, Auckland
The view from Tiritiri Matangi, with a kererū in a cabbage tree. Photo / Supplied
Located 30km north east of central Auckland, this island sanctuary is accessible by ferry and home to a number of endangered bird species – as well as our not-so-endangered friends, who fly frequently between the island and the mainland. Despite farming stripping 94 per cent of native bush from the island, thanks to volunteers it's now 60 per cent forested, with the remainder as grassland for species that prefer it. Visitors can take a guided walk, explore on their own or head to Hobbs Beach for a swim.
Belmont Regional Park, Wellington
Thanks to the Kererū Discovery Project, numbers have boosted in the Wellington area. While they're generally seen in ones and twos, in Belmont Regional Park you can see flocks of them crashing through the trees. The park covers 3500 hectares of hills and valleys between Porirua and the Hutt Valley, with a variety of tracks to take on for walkers of all abilities. The indigenous habitat of the park provides a "bird corridor" to Wellington city and beyond.
Shakespear Regional Park, Whangaparoa
Army Bay in Shakespear Regional Park. Photo / Natalie Slade
With a range of habitats, this park in Whangaparoa provides homes to a variety of bird species – including some who have migrated over from Tiritiri Matangi. An absence of predators in the Shakespear Open Sanctuary has led to increased numbers of our Bird of the Year, as well as tui, pukeko and pheasant. Take a stroll up Waterfall Gully and you'll find plenty of kererū feeding on the nectar and fruit of the mature forest.
Lying within Stewart Island's Paterson Inlet is a beautiful island sanctuary that's open to the public. Only 3.5km in length, Ulva Island is one of New Zealand's few predator–free environments. As you'd imagine, it's a fantastic bird watching location, featuring kererū, among many more endangered species that often struggle on the mainland, like kiwi, saddleback and yellowhead. You can explore Ulva Island with Ulva's Guided Walks, one of the original bird watching companies on Stewart Island – they offer everything from a half day amble to two days of series bird watching.
Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Otago
Orokonui Eco Sanctuary is a great place to spot native birds. Photo / Supplied
Located in the Orokonui Valley, 20km north of Dunedin, this 307-hectare reserve and wildlife sanctuary was created to bring back native species to the area that would have been there in times past. Kaka were the first species to be introduced and the park is also home to the famous Sirocco the kākāpō. But fear not, the mighty kererū is also a solid part of the population. Emphasis on "solid".
