Tōrea call
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
When the tōrea (pied oystercatcher) calls ‘keria’ (dig) it is seen as the sign of an approaching storm – implying that people should dig for shellfish before bad weather arrives. When the tōrea cries ‘tōkia’, the storm is over. Listen to the tōrea calling. Is a ...
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
South Island pied oystercatcher with eggs
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
This South Island pied oystercatcher is nesting in the Cass valley, a typical stony riverbed of inland Canterbury’s Southern Alps. The nest consists of a shallow scrape, and the eggs are well camouflaged. This makes them inconspicuous to predatory birds, ...
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Black stilts in flight
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
This pair of black stilts is flying above the Cass Valley in the Mackenzie Basin, one of their last strongholds. They breed in isolation on the banks above river braids, or nearby side streams and wetlands. The shallow edges are where they search for food, ...
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