Pūkeko

Scientific Name Porphyrio melanotus

Native Yes

Family Rallidae

Common Weight 800-1100 Grams

Common Height 40 CM

Common Length 45 CM

Identification

The Pukeko is a large relatively compact rail with a deep blue-violet head, breast and throat and a red bill. Found in swamp/Mangrove areas of Waiheke Island.

The head, breast and throat are deep blue/violet, the back and wings are black, and the under-tail coverts are conspicuously white. The conical bright red bill is connected to a similarly coloured ‘frontal shield’ ornament covering the forehead, the eyes are also red. The legs and feet are orange, with long, slim toes. Females are smaller than males, but similarly coloured. Juveniles are similar to adults but duller, with black eyes and black bill and shield that turn to red around 3 months of age.

Pūkeko are very vocal with a variety of calls. Territorial ‘crowing’ is the loudest and most frequently heard call. A variety of contact calls including ‘’n’yip’, ‘hiccup’ and ‘squawk’ are used between adults, and between adults and chicks. The defence call is a loud, shrill screech used when a harrier is nearby. A similar, but deeper and hoarser, call is made during aggressive interactions between individuals. A soft nasal drone is performed during copulation runs.

Similar species is the takahē they are about twice the size (in weight) and flightless, with a green back and wing cover. ( Takahe are not found on Waiheke but are found on Tiritiri Matangi Island)

Pūkeko are found throughout New Zealand, although less common in drier regions. They are typically found near sheltered fresh or brackish water (e.g. vegetated swamps, streams or lagoons), especially adjacent to open grassy areas and pastures. Pūkeko are regularly seen near roadside and drainage ditches and along the margins of scrub or forested areas, from sea level up to 2300 m.

In some areas, pūkeko are considered an agricultural or garden pest, as they will pull-up and eat planted vegetables and crops.

Pūkeko are commonly seen foraging in paddocks and along roadsides. When disturbed, they prefer to run or hide rather than fly, but once airborne, they are capable fliers and can fly long distances.

Despite not having webbed feet, they are also strong swimmers.

Pūkeko are territorial, and aggressive interactions between birds from neighbouring groups are common. Such territorial interactions are noisy affairs and often involve several birds from each group. Aggressive interactions typically begin with ritualised posturing that emphasises the bird’s size and also display the frontal shield ornament. Occasionally, aggressive interactions escalate to full on fights where individuals bite and kick one another. Territorial defence is typically performed by males.

Adult pūkeko have few natural predators. Juvenile birds are often targeted by swamp harriers, but adult birds will fight vigorously to defend their offspring.

Waiheke Wildlife

Magpie

The Magpie is a large black-and-white songbird, It was introduced from Australia. It can be found on Waiheke around farmland and large grass reserves.

Pied Shag

This large black-and-white shag is often seen individually or in a group, usually spotted in the ocean searching for food or hanging around fisherman by the rocks of Waiheke.

Tui

The Tui is a iridescent blue-green honeyeater with two curled white feather tufts on the throat. Locations found on Waiheke are around flaxes feeding off nectar.

Welcome Swallow

Welcome swallows are small fast-flying birds, they are usually seen around waiheke during breeding season between August and February on powerlines, fences and beaches.

Bar-tailed Godwit

The Godwit is a migrant from Alaska, they fly 8-9 days straight to arrive in NZ. They can be found on Waiheke from September - March located at Blackpool.

White Faced Heron

The white-faced heron is a tall, elegant, blue-grey bird usually spotted stalking prey. Locations found on Waiheke are Mangroves, Anzac bay and quiet beaches.

Grey Warbler

The Grey Warbler is a tiny olive-grey song bird often heard before seen. Locations on Waiheke are dense woody vegetations. The warbler can be difficult to spot.

Pied Stilt

The pied stilt is a dainty wading bird, It is common at wetlands and coastal areas, found on Waiheke at Putiki Bay, Anzac Bay and Blackpool.

Australasian Gannet

The gannet is a large slender-bodied seabird with mainly white plumage, buff-yellow head and neck. Occassionally seen around Waiheke searching for food in ocean depths.

Spur-winged Plover

The Spur-winged plover is a large stocky wader with a yellow bill and spurs on each wing, locations found on Waiheke are Blackpool, Maori hill and Whakanewha.

Great black-backed gull

The Black-backed gull is a large black-and-white gull with a white head and underparts, black back, yellow bill with a red spot near the tip. Located on Waiheke beaches.

Common Myna

Mynas are stocky brown birds with a shiny black head and shoulders. Commonly found on road sides on Waiheke, usually playing chicken with cars while foraging for food.

Black Bird

The black bird is a medium-sized songbird that is entirely black in adult males with a yellow bill. Abundantly found on Waiheke around household properties and trees.

White-Eye

A small songbird, immediately recognisable by its distinctive white eye-ring. This quick little bird can be found feeding off flax and kowhais or fruit trees on Waiheke.

White Fronted Tern

The white-fronted tern is a medium-sized, long-tailed sea tern commonly around New Zealand coasts. Spotted congregating on Waiheke wharfs such as Matiatia and Orapiu.

NZ Dotterel

The New Zealand Dotterel is a shorebird which breeds on beaches in NZ's North Island. Locations found on Waiheke are Whakanewha, Anzac Bay and Blackpool.

The Pukeko is a large relatively compact rail with a deep blue-violet head, breast and throat and a red bill. Found in swamp/Mangrove areas of Waiheke Island.

Kaka

The Kaka is a large, olive-brown parrot with grey-white crown, red-orange underwing and deep crimson belly, located in tree covered areas around Palm beach and Onetangi.

Wood Pigeon

The Wood pigeon is a large distinctively-coloured pigeon, it is easy to find on Waiheke due to its size, they are usually perched on powerlines or trees.

Little Shag

The little shag is a small shag, with a short yellow bill, black feet, a relatively long tail, usually spotted in the ocean searching for food or hanging around Waiheke…

Sacred Kingfisher

The sacred kingfisher is a distinctive bird with a green-blue back, buff to yellow undersides and a large black bill. they can be found nearby tidal beaches on waiheke.

Spotted Turtle Dove

The spotted dove is a medium-sized, long-tailed dove, with a greyish head and speckled greyish brown upperparts. Found on Waiheke around gardens and the rooster reserve.

Thrush

The thrush is a medium-sized songbird with a speckled brown-on-cream breast, usually heard before it is seen, found in grass reserves, gardens and trees on Waiheke.

Variable Oyster Catcher

The variable oystercatcher is a stocky coastal bird with a long, bright orange bill, it is located on many quiet beaches such as Blackpool, Whakanewha and Anzac bay.

Red Billed Gull

The red-billed gull also known as a "Seagull" is common around New Zealand Coasts. Located everywhere on Waiheke beaches where food or bait is readily accessible.

Fantail

The Fantail is a well known NZ bird due to its distinctive fanned tail. Locations found on Waiheke are any well-treed parks, bush walks and even properties.

Breeding

Pūkeko have a highly variable mating system. Birds may nest as monogamous pairs but can also form polyandrous, polygynandrous and, more rarely, polygynous groups.

Any of these groups may also have non-breeding helpers. When multiple breeding females are present, all lay in the same nest, a phenomenom known as “joint-laying”.

Clutch size is typically 4-6 eggs per females and when multiple females contribute to a single nest the total clutch size can be as high as 18 eggs. Eggs are light brown with dark brown or grey spots and blotches.

Incubation is predominantly by breeding males, with some assistance from breeding females. All group members contribute to chick care. Incubation begins midway through laying and lasts 23-27 days. Hatching is spread over several days, but is more synchronous than laying.

In the North Island, laying can occur in any month, with a peak in August to November.

Pukeko nests are a large nest bowl composed of stem and leaves of plants, usually constructed on a platform of beaten-down vegetation. Often adjacent vegetation is pulled over the nest to provide additional concealment. Nests are often built near or over water and have one or more access ramps for nestlings.

Food

Pūkeko are primarily vegetarian, but animal foods make up a small proportion of the diet. Most common foods are the stems, shoots, leaves and seeds of grasses.

They also eat garden vegetables and crop plants. Animal foods consist mostly of insects, spiders and earthworms however there are rare reports of pūkeko taking larger prey such as frogs, lizards, fish and nestling birds.

Waiheke Locations

Mangroves – They like to nest in these areas of Waiheke, usually you hear them make their call before you see then if you get to close to a nesting site.

Rooster Reserve – Seen associating with many bird species feeding at the rooster reserve, also seen perched on top of trees feeding.

Pukeko are flying birds so they can really be anywhere on Waiheke but not just Waiheke they are all over New Zealand. These are just areas I’ve spotted them and photographed.