Kererū (aka New Zealand pigeon or kukupa) perform conspicuous display flights during their breeding season — the timing of which can vary from place to place. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research scientists, together with their Hamilton Halo partners (Waikato Regional Council and Hamilton City Council) would like to learn more about when and where NZ pigeons breed in the Waikato Region, with the goal of increasing the abundance of this iconic native bird in the region.
This is where we need your help! Please add observations of kererū to this project, and record whether or not you saw any displays.
So, what does their display look like? In these distinctive displays the bird gains altitude with noisy wingbeats, stalls with its body vertical and wings and tail spread, then tilts forwards or sometimes sideways to glide silently down again. You'll know if you see it!
What if you've seen kererū but they weren't displaying? Well, we'd love to know that too, as it helps build a picture of where and when they are present but not breeding. Please use the "Duration" field to record how long you watched the bird(s) for.
Although we are particularly interested in observations from the Waikato Region, we welcome records from throughout New Zealand. menos ↑