Kererū

Location: -45° 3’ 36.61" +168° 34’ 35.69"

The Kererū is a native New Zealand pigeon that can reach 51 cm in length and weigh 650 grams, far larger than any pigeons found in Europe.

As New Zealand’s largest native frugivorous bird, the kererū is vital for forest regeneration. With the extinction of other large birds like the moa, kererū are now the only native species capable of eating and dispersing seeds from large native trees such as taraire, karaka, miro, and tawa. Without them, the survival of these trees—and the forests they support would be at risk.

While kererū can live up to 21 years, their average lifespan is only 5 years due to threats like predators, cars, and window collisions.

The major danger to kererū comes from predators. Recent studies show that many nests fail to produce fledglings, as rats, stoats, cats, and possums prey on their eggs and chicks. Even adult kererū are at risk from stoats and cats.