Thread: Morepork in my Garden

we have 3 around here , hear them at night regulary

For some its not a good omen to see them in the day time...

We’ve got quite a few in our neighbourhood on the edge of the Manukau. Never managed to get a photo, but I got a recording I used as the notification for a text message.

40+ years ago hunting on a cobbers place in Lee's Valley. We'd chased a roaring stag around at the very head of a spur but he eluded us as dark fell. So we were pretty hyped up.

The spur was very narrow but with just a narrow clear gap in the bush right on its apex. James was a big, tough musterer, scared of no man and only one woman as far as I know. As he lead down the spur I caught sight of something on a tree branch the very instant he went under it. Brrrreeeeeaaaaakkkkk went the Ruru. James left the ground, legs doing about 103 mph in mid-air. Farrkkk it was funny although it took several days before it was safe to smirk in his presence!

ok so I will ask.....male call is what??? and female call is what??? Im HOPEING that breeeeaaak just described is one and the moooreepoork is the other as that would make sence???

It's their alarm call, I've only ever heard it twice

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

ok so I will ask.....male call is what??? and female call is what??? Im HOPEING that breeeeaaak just described is one and the moooreepoork is the other as that would make sence???

very hard to describe the female call on here MD -the male is a clear more pork more pork -the female is a more raspy growly more pork more pork - google it -there are recordings available- but once heard not forgotten - distinctive difference

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/vide...-a-spectrogram

Used to see them as a kid in Galatea. Dad would take me out on the motorbike to check the cows at calving time and he would ride slowly up and down the race. The ruru would be waiting on the fence posts and swoop in front of the bike light to catch moths. They knew where to get an easy feed.

Believe it or not we have some in the protected bush belts by our house in Central Auckland. Been trapping possums and laying poison for rats for three years to keep them in check.

Years ago I used to walk into Mackintosh hut in the Kawekas a fair bit. At one point there is a section of wilding pines that overhung the track, made it very dark and gloomy.. almost spooky.
A Ruru would always be there and as you brushed past the branches it would drop out of it's perch and straff the track from behind you collecting insects that you had just disturbed.
The first time it did it I damn near shit meself.
Subsequent trips I used to look forward to catching up with me old mate and would give the branches a vigorous shake as I went through.

Few years ago we had a couple sitting in a cabbage tree overlooking our yard with the outside lights shining. There were heaps of puriri attracted by the lights and the moreporks were having a great feed. The boys aged around 12 went out and caught moths and held them up and the moreporks came down and took them out of their hands. Never seen it before or since, don't think I will ever forget the experience.

Greetings,
The robins and fantails can be pretty friendly as well. A lot of places in the Kawekas and Blowhard Bush if you sit down for a grandpa rest the Robins will turn up to see what you are doing, especially if you scratch your feet around a bit. There is a fantail here at home that often turns up to give me advice on something. unfortunately I don't speak fantail.
GPM.

Originally Posted by Billbob

I haven't seen a Ruru for a long time, we have a few Little Owls (German Owl) down here

If you are heading up through the Lewis sometime at darkoclock pull over at the bottom of the hill / hump that is north of the old MOW camp, or anywhere on the straight leading up to Boyle base. Heaps of Ruru along that warm hill above the road