It’s not hard to tell when you are in the presence of a kererū. If the rhythmic whoosh of wings doesn’t give it away, the crash landing into a tree probably will. This chonky berry-lover is not afraid to take up space either, often spotted clinging improbably to slim branches in search of berries, and apparently unaware of its own heft.
Dress to impress
The kererū, also known as kūkupa or kūkū is New Zealand’s native wood pigeon, one of our most visually striking birds. It has a blue-green head, back and wings with a bronze-purple iridescence that shifts with the light. A crisp white belly provides a contrast to its top half, setting it distinctly apart from our other native birds.
Add the fact that the kererū can weigh as much as 850gm, making it our largest forest bird that can still fly, and that it often gets tipsy on fermented berries, and it’s easy to see why this handsome pigeon soared to victory as the 2018 Bird of the Year on a crest of unmatchable memes.
An important eater
The kererū’s appetite is not only impressive, it’s ecologically critical. Thanks to its large mouth size (referred to as gape), the kererū is the only bird left in New Zealand with a beak large enough to swallow the seeds of some of our biggest native trees whole. Think forest giants like tawa, taraire, miro, karaka, pūriri and nīkau, and many more – the kererū has been found to spread seeds from over 70 native plants far and wide. These seeds pass through the kererū’s digestive system whole and are deposited wherever it happens to land next, fertilised and ready to germinate.
Since the extinction of the moa, the kererū has been the only bird doing this job. Without it, these trees simply cannot regenerate and spread. It’s a lot of responsibility for a bird!
When fruit is scarce, kererū will happily supplement their diet with leaves, flowers and buds (kōwhai flowers are a favourite in spring). They’ve also developed a fondness for some introduced species, including elderberry, plum and tree lucerne.
If you spot a kererū acting a little tipsy in fruiting season, it’s likely because they are. Warm weather causes fruit to ferment in their digestive tract and before it can be fully digested, kererū can become noticeably intoxicated. They’re known to fly erratically, misjudge landings, and sit on branches with the glazed expression of someone who’s had one too many at a summer barbeque.
One egg, maximum effort
Kererū are devoted partners and remarkably committed parents, laying just a single egg in a breeding cycle. Pairs are monogamous and stay together across multiple seasons sharing incubation duties closely. Typically, the female sits on the egg overnight and through the morning, with the male taking over in the afternoons.
Incubation takes around 28 to 30 days and newly hatched chicks are fed “crop milk”, a rich, protein-packed secretion produced by both parents before graduating to regurgitated fruit. If food sources are plentiful, a pair of kererū will often create a second and sometimes a third nest, and can raise up to three chicks a season.
However, due to only ever laying one egg at a time, kererū are far more vulnerable to predators than birds like the pīwakawaka, who can bounce back quickly after losing a nest. A single rat or possum can wipe out an entire season’s breeding effort. This makes predator control a critical component in the conservation of kererū.
How to keep kererū safe
The NZ Garden Bird Survey has shown a shallow decline in kererū numbers over the last five years of the survey, most notably in Southland, Otago, the east coast of the North Island and Northland. However, they are still one of the native bird species most likely to be spotted in urban areas. In certain neighbourhoods, especially those lucky enough to be surrounded by lots of nikau and kōwhai, New Zealanders are learning to live alongside these clumsy birds.
When startled from feeding or resting, vehicle collisions can be an issue for the low-flying kererū. Signage is helping to raise awareness in certain areas such as Otatara in Invercargill and Wellington suburbs. Kererū are particularly vulnerable to window strikes, and our modern windows have been linked to higher rates in recent years. Applying window decals and collision tape can help kererū avoid glass balustrades and windows.
If you do find a dazed kererū, give it some time in a quiet, safe spot away from predators. If it doesn’t come right, contact your local bird rescue centre or DOC.
As with all native birds, mammalian predators are a huge threat to kererū. Rats, stoats and possums are the primary reason kererū breeding success is so low across much of the country. Getting involved in your local community trapping network or setting traps in your own garden has a direct and meaningful impact. Keeping your cat indoors at night helps too.
And if one does turn up in your garden? Stop what you’re doing. Watch it wobble on that impossibly thin branch, wings spread for balance, looking completely unbothered by physics. There is truly no other bird quite like it.
Read more from us
From farm to feeder: Why buying New Zealand grown pet food matters
Here’s how buying local boosts the health of pets – and our human communities too.
Top seed
Topflite is one of the few pet food producers in New Zealand that grows its own ingredients. Learn about what is still grown at our founding farm 50 years on.