Pukeko Bird

There are many unusual birds in New Zealand. Most of us are aware of the Kiwi but there are a great deal of others worthy of note. The Pukeko can be found in Papua New Guinea and Australia it is very common here in New Zealand. The first time I came across a Pukeko was on weekend break to a bird sanctuary in the Coromandel. Here they would fly away as soon as got within a few metres of them. The above photograph was taken last week on an evening stroll around Western Springs Park. There are hundreds of Pukeko’s in the park and they are obviously much more comfortable around people. The bright blue of their breasts and the red on their heads make them very striking to look at.