#nz native birds

[jarredspec]

The Kakaruwai (South Island Robin), The Tūī, The Kākā, The Korimako (NZ Bellbird) and the Takahē all at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary here in Dunedin

[aldercaps]

Apologies for the absolute terrible quality of this video, but I thought some of my non-nz followers might like a snippet of tūī song :-) they're well known for imitating other birds' calls and mixing them up, the ones around my high school could all do car alarm impressions, and some have been known to speak!

Plus some better quality photos where you can see its little cape :)

[yellowgnomeboots]

I thought I'd draw a picture every day. It remains to be seen whether this will last more than two days - previous experience says no but let's take advantage of the impulse while it lasts.

This is a female paradise duck. Endemic to NZ, but I reckon few people realise its native. I always assumed it was European, since it's so large and recognisable but no one ever mentions it. The male looks completely different and you usually see them in pairs.

Several ate out of my hand at the duck pond today, and it was much more polite and less grabby than a mallard (?) duck. They nibble instead. The male paradise duck was uninterested in eating out of hands but the several females were keen.

Brought to you by "approachable but under-rated NZ native birds" week.

[skermit]

INKTOBIRDSNZ DAY 1-4

Day 1: Kākā

Day 2: Pūteketeke/Australasian Crested Grebe

Day 3: Tauhou/Silvereye

Day 4: Pārera/Grey Duck

[balthazarslostlibrary]

Look at this magnificent bastard

[nonfatalnerdisms]

What about my boy the kererū

there are three types of pigeon breeds: "just your average french fry thief," "a little weird but nothing to write home about," and "what the fuck"

[helz-belz]

Kea trying to steal my cup of tea, and acting like it's never heard the word "no" in its life before. And possibly the same Kea attempting to eat my dress. It was fine until it manage to pinch some skin.

[lohstandfound]

what is your favorite kind of forest? -forest anon

I quite enjoy flower forests in minecraft

This dumbass somehow didn't realise there were different types of forests. I'm also stuck thinking very local where we just call it the bush

Which, actually, I very much like NZ native trees and such. The trees are pretty and the birds are pretty

[jarredspec]

The cheeky AF Kea from Milford Sound, New Zealand

YouTube | Tip Jar

[yellowgnomeboots]

A group on the bus were talking about native birds and one of them said "I wish you saw native birds around like you do sparrows and seagulls" i.e. lots of them all the time.

Because our most famous native birds in NZ do have depleted numbers but also they're forest birds so you don't just see big numbers on the street.

But also, I've drawn the worst cartoon ever to correct a misconception here.

All our seagulls are actually native! 😭

Poor under-appreciated birds :(

[k1w1fru1t]

The recipe for being a perfect New Zealand bird really is having a name that starts with K.

(Birds under the cut)

Korimako? Tiny Ball Of Fluff That Can Sing??? 10/10

Karure/Kakaruia? EVEN TINIER BALL OF FLUFF We love to see a conservation success story 10/10

Kākā? Big Parrot 10/10

Kākāpō? BIG PARROT 10/10

Kea? Just a mischievous little guy 10/10

Kingfisher/Kōtare? Tiny and hAVE YOU SEEN HOW BLUE THEIR TAILFEATHERS ARE 10/10

Kiwi? Classic. An Icon. 10/10

Kōkako? Look at how elegant these guys are 10/10

Kākāriki? YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT COLOUR "KĀKĀRIKI" IS IN TE REO 10/10

Kererū? My personal favourite, I adore these fat, berry-loving pigeons and their beautiful shiny feathers. 11/10

(((All Images are from the NZ Department Of Conservation's (DOC) website)))

[balthazarslostlibrary]

Behold, my great work, my glory, my tribute.

Kōtuku framed by two ponga and kōwhai blossom in Celtic art styles.

This features designs from megaliths in Newgrange (Ireland) incorporated into the pikopiko of the two ponga, as well as a design from the Lisnacrogher scabbard (Northern Ireland) as the lower framing section over the kōtuku legs.

The Lisnacrogher scabbard also helped me design the kōwhai seed pods. The outstretched kōtuku wings were also inspired by middle Celtic designs, especially the dot work.

The double wings of the kōtuku was directly inspired by four winged birds found in the Book of Kells. I intentionally kept the kōtuku lines light and I darkened because of the bird’s ephemeral nature. They have a very low population and only breed in one spot in the whole country, and so to see one is very very special. They are fading but still a constant, reflected in this artwork.

I have thoroughly enjoyed drawing this for my sister.

[ladydisofdurin]

my neighbour won't stop shooting the birds in their backyard and it's driving me nuts

[helz-belz]

Kea trying to eat my dress, featuring me trying to reason with a bird

[aexploration]

[evecolourshock]

Oh, yeah. Kea, or mountain parrots. Zero fear in those birds, here for a good time and a long time if they can get away with it.

There's specific spots where motorcyclists are told DO NOT LET GO OF YOUR HELMET AT ALL COSTS, NOT EVEN FOR FIVE MINUTES because a Kea will steal it. Sometimes for nests, usually just because it's big and shiny and these fuckers can fly off with it.

They also like to rip off the rubber seals around car windows (because "hey, new toy!") to the point where parking rental cars in their habitats - especially near ski fields, because the damn birds have learned that's where stealable things are - is strongly discouraged because they'll get damaged and need repairing.

Also the repercussions of killing one - even by accident - are huge. Kid at my school (was about 12? at the time) threw a rock at one while on a school ski trip and killed it, and the body had to be taken back for effectively a funeral, plus there were massive fines as well (I think the school and the kid's parents took joint responsibility for those, because it was the kid's fault but under school supervision).

I love how both corvids and parrots are in general highly intelligent, but where corvids generally have strict hierarchies, solve disagreements in the pecking order by fighting, and have a strong dislike for anything new or foreign until they figure out how to make use of it, parrots are just here to party.

The New Caledonian crow, who knows how to specifically build a tool in order to build another tool, never engages in play. These motherfuckers are smarter than some people with the right to vote, and they are Extremely Serious Birds. They don't have time to play, they got work to do and kids to raise.

And then there's the kea, straight-up titled "clown of the mountains", that has a specific vocalization for "playtime!". Scientists decided to try what happens if they play the Play Call for two fully-grown adult keas that are together in an area and can clearly see there is no other, third kea to make the call, and they just go "great idea, disembodied voice! it's TIME TO FUCKING PARTY!" and start wrestling.

Imagine working really hard in order to make it into a top university to study astrophysics, making it to your first Very Serious Class, sitting down full of serious determination, and the dude next to you is taking notes without using his hands, with a glitter pen he's shoved up his nose. And his notes are good.