I can nonetheless bear in mind the primary time I noticed a weka right here in New Zealand. Touring across the South Island, I used to be staying in a cute cabin within the forest on the West Coast. On a moist, heat day, I left the doorways open, hoping for a breeze. First rookie mistake, guys: by no means go away something open when visiting the West Coast within the bush. You may be annihilated by sandflies.
Wanting up from my e book, I noticed {that a} huge, fats brown fowl had wandered inside, poking round fearlessly. What is that this factor? I had no concept. I spent the subsequent 10 minutes shooing it round, attempting to encourage it to return outdoors whereas it shat all over the place. Not a great first encounter with the weka. Later I might be taught they’ll poop their physique weight in a day. Respect.
However they haven’t actually risen in my esteem till lately.
Nonetheless, I’ve simply returned from an journey on the Heaphy Observe, the place, you guessed it, there have been tons of weka. And as a lot as I discover them annoying, they’re a cheeky, enjoyable, charismatic fowl that doesn’t get sufficient love. Permit me the possibility to attempt to redeem them.
New Zealand weka have such an angle. They don’t seem to be afraid of a lot, together with folks, and are very curious. They’ll come proper as much as you begging for meals (don’t feed them) and can snatch something in the event you’re not vigilant. That is round locations the place folks congregate; they’re rather less daring in additional distant spots.
Whereas I used to be having my lunch beneath a bit shelter on the primary day strolling the Heaphy Observe, I used to be shortly swarmed by 4 weka. One was notably courageous, coming proper as much as me, and after I tried to shoo it away, it LITERALLY growled at me. Or regardless of the weka equal of a growl is. Extra of an indignant chuff-like shriek that sounds prefer it has smoked for 50 years. No matter. I understood what it meant; not backing down, this daring weka simply stared me down till I completed my crackers. What an influence transfer.
However you gotta hand it to them. In a rustic the place native birds are dying left, proper, and middle, the weka appears to lack any sense of self-preservation. Dwell free or die!
Within the scheme of issues in New Zealand, weka aren’t notably horny birds. They’re not fluffy and elusive like kiwi. They don’t have the attractive colours of the kea. They didn’t return from the useless like takahē, nor do they get drunk like kererū and fall out of timber.
However in their very own manner, weka are stunning. And their chicks? Omg so cute; they seem like blackish-brown balls of fluff. And that’s saying one thing as a result of not all child birds are cute. And they’re very attention-grabbing.
Giant brown flightless birds, the wily weka are strong, hefty creatures belonging to the rail household. Generally, the larger ones are virtually completely spherical, like a ball with legs. There are 4 subspecies, and their coloring ranges from chestnut to tawny to darkish brown. Some have a little bit of gray or black combined in there, too. When spooked, they typically bounce straight up and run round, with their tail feathers sticking straight up, making them look virtually cartoonish.
The extroverts of the fowl world have purple eyes, that are stunning but barely intimidating in the event that they’re gazing you.
Invertebrates and fruit comprise the weka’s important weight-reduction plan, they usually rip up grass and gardens alike foraging for meals. I can virtually see grumpy outdated folks yelling at disobedient youths to get off their lawns.
I’ve seen weka chow down on useless issues, even grazing on the shoreline and tide swimming pools. What’s good is that they eat rabbits, rats, and mice, that are pests right here. However they can even eat different lizards, birds, chicks, and eggs, which doesn’t endear them, particularly in the event that they go after weak species. Weka play for their very own staff.
Due to this predatory tendency, weka should not often welcome on off-shore predator-free islands or eco-sanctuaries (although some have been reintroduced to their very own islands). I feel that is fascinating! Kicked out of the uncommon fowl membership. Badass.
However then once more, folks nonetheless eat weka on the close by Chatham Islands, and there’s a little bit of a motion right here to farm them. And by a little bit of a motion, I imply one rouge farmer who will die on the hill of eating on weka: “I’m ready to go to jail over it. You set me in jail, and also you make a martyr of me.” Lol. I like dwelling in New Zealand.
And right here we thought Australia was the one place to eat its iconic animal.
Anyway, we’re a good distance off from chowing down on fried weka on the native pub. Do you fry them? Or is it extra like a roast? No concept. I simply googled it with no definitive solutions; I hope I don’t find yourself on a listing someplace.
In any case, weka are totally protected on the mainland right here, however they nonetheless face the identical threats our different native birds do, notably predation, habitat loss, meals shortage/competitors, and getting hit by vehicles. Their populations increase and crash, and their distribution has been shaken up quite a bit. Some do okay, others don’t. There’s a restoration plan to attempt to return them to their authentic homelands. Deliver again the weka.
The gregarious weka have lengthy been important to some Māori iwi in New Zealand as a precious useful resource for meals, oil, and feathers. Most of the early European settlers wrote about their huge personalities and thievery. However what I actually need to know is who they harassed earlier than folks got here right here.
Weka won’t be instructed the best way to reside their lives. And I love that.
I can’t inform you how typically I’ve met vacationers visiting New Zealand who rave about what number of kiwi they noticed within the wild: “OMG we noticed, like, 12 kiwi throughout the day in Punakaiki! So cool!” Our nationwide fowl is gorgeous, fluffy, nocturnal, and, most significantly, endangered.
You noticed weka—numerous weka. It actually will depend on my temper whether or not I burst their bubble or not. I do like to right folks, however I’m engaged on not doing that a lot, as I’m conscious it’s not one in all my higher qualities.
However my temper tonight is ruthless, so I hate to interrupt it to you guys, however you’re by no means going to simply stumble throughout kiwi by chance, not to mention many. It’s important to know the place they hang around, go in search of them at evening, and even then, you won’t see them. Rakiura/Stewart Island is among the locations you have got a excessive likelihood of seeing kiwi within the wild.
Nonetheless, if we are able to all get on the conservation prepare, Predator Free 2050, possibly in the future we might stumble throughout 12 kiwis within the wild. How cool would that be?
So, if I’m being trustworthy, weka have certainly risen in my regard. I’ve realized to miss their annoying-ness in favor of their feisty, take-no-prisoners demeanor. You’ll in all probability see them on a visit round New Zealand, and any expertise with weka is fairly enjoyable. Unstoppable, they’ve endured and made their mark on us in some ways. Particularly in the event that they as soon as stole your automobile keys.
They’ve a singular story and historical past and deserve to face tall in our canon of nationwide birds. Inspirational. Fearless. Defiant.
So maybe I’ll take a web page out of their books and attempt to stroll by way of life with the arrogance of a weka.
