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Pictures Pukaha Wildlife Sanctuary, Mount Bruce NZ

LunaLovebird

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My boyfriend surprised me with a small trip within my holiday to the Wairarapa in NZ, and took me to a wildlife sanctuary there called Pukaha. Pukaha Mount Bruce

It is predominantly birds, and is situated in a forest that they use as a sanctuary and release site for native birds. They do a lot of work in reestablishing populations of the more endangered birds, such as the takahe. They have a few advocacy birds in aviaries, but there are huge populations of some pretty neat birds flying around wild. I loved it.

My favourite bird, the kokako. I didn't get any great photos of her because I was distracted with playing with her, but o found a video with her whistles and talking (she can say kokako in her sweet little voice) with the man who raised her as a chick on YouTube. Apparently they imprint so strongly on humans if raised be them, that they can't ever really be released in the wild, to the point where this girl even got stressed out when they tried to give her a friend. She was super friendly, and would hop (they aren't great fliers because of their smallish wings) over to you and let you give her scritches. :xflove:


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New Zealand wood pigeon. I've seen these in the wild a lot in NZ. They're such little fatties, it's amazing they can fly at all.

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Antipodes parakeet. There were about 6 of them playing around when I was there.

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Kākā parrot. These guys were wild parrots that had stopped by for a scheduled feeding that the sanctuary does with bits of corn. Not as many as usually because the girls were all nesting. Very cheeky things!

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Kakariki. The had orange and red capped ones in some aviaries.

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WendyN

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Have you met a Kakapo?
 

SandraK

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No, they're not easy birds to spot or meet. They're super shy. Kea, on the other hand...
Are the keas the ones that can strip the rubber and windshield wipers off your car? The Kākā reminded me of the kea because of their beak.
 

LunaLovebird

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Are the keas the ones that can strip the rubber and windshield wipers off your car? The Kākā reminded me of the kea because of their beak.
Yep, that's the one. Kakapo I think are more forest dwelling nocturnal things, and they tend to stay away from where people are. Kākā and kea are much more brazen.
 

Tyrion

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Beautiful pics :fairy:
 

expressmailtome

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Those are great pictures!
 

SandraK

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Yep, that's the one. Kakapo I think are more forest dwelling nocturnal things, and they tend to stay away from where people are. Kākā and kea are much more brazen.
The most memorable kakapo video was from the BBc when one met, fell in love with and tried to shag (make love to) the cameraman.
 

WendyN

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The most memorable kakapo video was from the BBc when one met, fell in love with and tried to shag (make love to) the cameraman.
That was funny. Sirocco is the Kakapo in thAt video.
Barbara Heidenreich Has a video in which she teaches him to station. Also a video of her visit to Sirocco's natural habitat.

 

WendyN

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The wood pidgeon is awesome.
 

Sarahmoluccan

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Wonderful pictures!! Thanks for sharing :)
 

SandraK

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Kea? Beautiful bird and so naughty from the YouTube videos I've seen. Great pix though I think I'd be a little leery of that beak. But the second photo looks like a different bird or is it just the angle?
 

Charity921

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The first pic was a hand raised Kea named Charlie. He wanted lots of attention, and came right to us, but I was too intimidated by that beak to do more than barely touch his head (which he offered quite freely, then immediately turned to explore with his tongue. No thanks!)

The last pic was a Kaka, and was in the free flight aviary. He was quite personable, and I'm told was a sucker for perfume. He loved to groom hair and then spread any scent he could glean into his feathers.

Sadly, I have no idea about the little green fellow, who was also in the aviary. He was sitting on the railing of the walkway, so when I got close, he hopped right up on my arm.
 

SandraK

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The first pic was a hand raised Kea named Charlie. He wanted lots of attention, and came right to us, but I was too intimidated by that beak to do more than barely touch his head (which he offered quite freely, then immediately turned to explore with his tongue. No thanks!)

The last pic was a Kaka, and was in the free flight aviary. He was quite personable, and I'm told was a sucker for perfume. He loved to groom hair and then spread any scent he could glean into his feathers.

Sadly, I have no idea about the little green fellow, who was also in the aviary. He was sitting on the railing of the walkway, so when I got close, he hopped right up on my arm.
Sounds like the Kaka has figured out how to attract the ladies by smelling "handsome". :heart:
 

TikiMyn

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This is awesome! Such Great pictures! It is so lovely that you get to see the wild parrots and other birds so close:heart: how I would love to volunteer at that sanctuary:rolleyes:
 
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