A kereru, or New Zealand pigeon, photographed on the wires in Merivale this morning. With their short wingspan and plump square bodies, kereru are the Chinooks of the bird world. I've seen them a couple of times lately in the city, and heard the startlingly Deer Hunteresque whump!whump! of their wings overhead in the park.
Here's an image of kereru I came across a while ago, which might go towards explaining why we don't see them so often these days.
It was taken about 1900, and is a studio shot by Fairy and Plum of a group of hunters posing with their spoils: from the collection of Nelson Museum.
1 comment:
Oh no!!!!!!! Smug, self-satisfied expressions... OK only doing what time and place allowed but I am glad to be living in an era when our native birds are (generally) valued. I have resident kereru who regularly kamikaze over the house...
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