The Kingfisher: A Little Bruiser

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 9:27 am – Posted by Mandy | 5 Comments

Guest blogger: Campaign Manager for the Kingfisher, Stephanie Gray.

If I were to paint our Sacred Kingfisher in caricature, I’d give him a little leather jacket in midnight-blue.

For he is a thug. A stunning little predator. A handsome, hard-headed, supremely successful species that excels at pulverising the small prey he swoops upon.

Skinks, silvereyes and dragon-flies are all flung against fence posts and dashed on river rocks until every bone is broken and they can then be swallowed whole.

The Sacred Kingfisher, Kotare, relishes this regal diet. He is not (surprisingly) not that fussed with fish but will raid your goldfish pond when wild food is scarce. For his appetite, and for love of the kingfishers in my seaside neighbourhood, I nominate the Kotare as Bird of the Year.

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Published in: General
Tags: kingfisher, native bird
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Kiwi: Dethroned? Never

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 9:15 am – Posted by Mandy | 3 Comments

Guest Blogger: Campaign Manager for the Kiwi and Executive Director of the BNZ Kiwi Trust, Michelle Impey  

Boring?  Uncharismatic?  Not kiwi – our national icon and a quirky bird! Kiwi are our living icon and perhaps the most taken for granted of all our native species.   Commonly found in company logos, product packaging, clothing design and much, much more, we are proud to be known worldwide as Kiwis.  But how much do we really know about them?  And why are we known as Kiwis?  Is it simply because the bird appeared on shoe polish during the war, or is there more to it?  

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Published in: General
Tags: kiwi, native bird
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