Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
#Shorts
Ngā Tapuwae o Toi is a popular track through the New Zealand bush above the beautiful seaside town of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty.
But around a bend in the track we got a surprise – a rare North Island weka bird.
These flightless birds are found nowhere else in the world. Once they roamed widely across New Zealand, and historically were a useful food source for Māori – in a land with no mammals, a bird about the size of a chicken makes a good meal. But over the last few decades the North Island weka became so rare they almost died out. They are now found only in a few small areas – one of them is here in the Bay of Plenty.
The weka’s best known call is a loud “coo-et” heard at dawn and dusk, but here that low booming noise you can hear is the mother weka calling to her chick. The chick is probably about 2 weeks old.
For fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
youtube.com/c/Chickensinmygarden
#Shorts
Ngā Tapuwae o Toi is a popular track through the New Zealand bush above the beautiful seaside town of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty.
But around a bend in the track we got a surprise – a rare North Island weka bird.
These flightless birds are found nowhere else in the world. Once they roamed widely across New Zealand, and historically were a useful food source for Māori – in a land with no mammals, a bird about the size of a chicken makes a good meal. But over the last few decades the North Island weka became so rare they almost died out. They are now found only in a few small areas – one of them is here in the Bay of Plenty.
The weka’s best known call is a loud “coo-et” heard at dawn and dusk, but here that low booming noise you can hear is the mother weka calling to her chick. The chick is probably about 2 weeks old.
For fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
youtube.com/c/Chickensinmygarden
