The Pukeko

Four little natives popped out of the bush beside our van and tried to find some food. Called the pukeko these birds are quite common in some areas of NZ. The one with the bright red beak would be an adult and the others, just the family. They scratched around the ground with their feet then pecked the food out of their claws. A bit like a hand!

Three good things:
1. Our peugeot got serviced, cost the earth but we got free coffee!
2. Now on board the ferry going back to the South Island... free power and wifi but its frightfully slow! Don't look a dead horse in the mouth... is that right?
3. Camera's battery about to go flat but I have a fully charged second one.

[Babs]

They are strange birds aren't they, we call them purple swamp hens here. I love the silly walk with their huge feet.

[*lynn]

cool birds, I like their long legs

[Maggiemae]

@onewing They walk as if they have swim fins on their feet - you are right!

[Taffy]

What a charming looking bird!

[Rosan]

Great capture! Cool looking birds

[Joy's Focus]

Beautiful birds!

[Valerie Chesney]

I so like their bright blue chests....

[Liana Bull]

Oh I so love pukekos - I hope you had a smooth trip across the Strait.

[Casablanca]

I would say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth!" What a fascinating bird. Almost like English moorhens on stilts!

[Maggiemae]

@kiwinanna It was so smooth, Liana, I never leaned sideways at all!

[Maggiemae]

@casablanca Ah.... thats better, I knew it wasn't 'dead'!

[Bep]

Strange looking birds, never seen pukekos earlier.

[Maggiemae]

@gijsje common in the North Island on the west coast but not in the south! They have a shrieking sound that is quite identifiable!

[Peter Dulis]

love it ...

[katy]

Beautifully colored bird. A nice close composition too.

1. Not really sure that coffee was free if you "paid the earth" for the service!
2. I think it is ".....a GIFT horse....."
3. Hooray for extra batteries.

[ChristineL]

They look a bit like a coot, with more colour.

[gloria jones]

Great shot of these neat looking birds

[Margaret Brown]

Nice colourful capture, love that red beak

[Helen Sanderson]

they are interesting birds indeed...love how in NZ they use them a lot in sculptural forms

[Pat Knowles]

Such an icon in NZ, you can't go in any tourist shop without seeing the pukeko but it's the best & image you could have chosen the colours are fab & so easy to see while in NZ.

[Maggiemae]

@grammyn You are right on three accounts, Katy. I think its something about 'flogging' a dead horse'!

[katy]

@maggiemae yup that is the other one. 😜

[Lou Ann]

Oh my! What cool birds!

[Lisa Pouncy]

What unusual looking birds xx

[Helen Jane]

that is such a striking blue colour on this bird.