Listen to the Kererū
Recording by Ken George · xeno-canto XC957125
Kererū
Māori name: Kererū
Scientific name: Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
Not Threatened
The kererū, or New Zealand wood pigeon, is a large, striking bird with vivid green and bronze plumage and a white chest. It is the only bird capable of swallowing large native fruits whole, making it a critical seed disperser for trees like tōtara, miro, and karaka. You'll often hear them before you see them — their wings produce a distinctive loud whooshing sound in flight.
Did you know?
Kererū are the sole dispersers of several large-seeded native trees. Without them, these trees cannot regenerate — making the kererū essential to the entire forest ecosystem.
Threats
Possums compete for the same fruit and also destroy nesting trees. Rats take eggs and chicks from nests. Stoats are a serious predator of incubating adults.