Thread: Pukeko question

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

cant help myself 308 hope ya dont mind - quick bird classification lesson - all birds in NZ have a classification - pukeko are deemed native to NZ - Native means breeds and exits in NZ but can breed and exist in other countrys as is the case with pukeko - its actually for NZ a classification with not a lot of birds in it really uhmm native classification -grey duck- wax eye - harrier hawk come to mind - all in Aussie as well - for our NZ birds there is a classification above native called endemic - thats means the bird breeds and exists only in NZ so morepork tui fantail kiwi kakapo kaka all endemic - now if a bird arrives in NZ under its own steam its classification would be vagrant - but if breeding pairs make it here they would be given the native status if they started breeding - thats why spur wing plover initially were protected - they arrived and started breeding - once it was realised they were not worthy of protection they were removed from schedule of protected species and just deemed introduced - other classifications well introduced so sparrow blackbird etc - circum polar so albatross - migratory i.e come to breed and go again - vagrant we get birds blown here I have seen a duck called a Northern Shovellor native to PNG in Gisborne - the birds on game bird list different ball game again - can be and are a mix of classification s eg paradise ducks are endemic - grey ducks are native and mallards are introduced

Fair point and my apology

Rather than native what I should have said was that a lot of people I have met are surprised that pukekos exist in other countries and didn't orginate here

You are correct good sir