Personal Encounters with Kākā on Aotea Great Barrier Island: A Photo Essay

STUART FARQUHAR (Environmentalist, Port Fitzroy, Aotea)

After seeing thousands of different kākā over the years and having close contact with them it becomes the norm to say “I haven’t seen you for a long time”. I can recognise each bird by its different colour, size, scars – leg and eye injuries – and the different pitch of calls that are very evident and common place in the kākā world, and of course, their unique personality. The older birds, which are perhaps 50 plus years in age, have that very knowledgeable look and behaviour that the younger birds don’t have but they seem always to be learning.  The colours can range from the very dark birds to the lighter ones and sometimes multiple colours, possibly related to the environment they spend most of their time in as well as their genetic background.

The size can range from large birds, which are normally male, to smaller female birds, and of course the occasional runt of a brood. Scars from injuries are common, especially to the eye and legs, and feathers are often missing. One bird I call ‘Hoppy’ I helped to recover from a severe leg injury, which I suspect was the result of someone trying to shoot him. But he recovered well and lives a pretty normal life hopping around a lot on the rail of my deck. He also has wing and tail feathers missing. There are also one-eyed birds, who have been injured from a German wasp sting. I have witnessed wasps stinging kākā in the eye and on the soft part of their feet while competing for food such as rotting fruit and honey dew.

I have noticed the numerous birds I have housed and brought back to health from injury over the years. They become friends and will always seek me out when in the area, obviously thinking they can get a piece of apple or banana as they did while recovering. Over the years I have identified around 20 birds I recognise at a glance and I often see birds many kilometres from home, including in photos of birds taken on Waiheke and Auckland. I recognise them mainly from feather colours as some are a standout. The short story is when you are around them most days, like people, there are never two alike.

Stuart Farquhar lives on Aotea and has been an active conservationist for more than 20 years. He has set up a network of tracks (~8 km) and predator traps (300 rat traps and 10 cat traps) in a 200 ha property at Windy Hill. He has a big following on the Wildlife New Zealand Facebook group for his up close and stunning kākā images.