Possible kaka in Mt Albert

[aaustin]

Hi all,

A large red/brown bird flew across a walking path on Mt Albert this morning: don’t think it was a kereru (didn’t have a white underbelly). It flew directly into the bush, which I haven’t seen a gull do before. Would be uncommon to see kaka in suburban Auckland?

Cheers
Andrew

[Jim_j]

Hi Andrew

Surprisingly no - there are quite often reports on this site of kaka in Auckland on this site - Mt Albert, Cornwall Park etc.
I lived in Auckland 25+ years ago and while waiting for the bus in Royal Oak and saw groups of 3+ birds on many occasions at certain times of the year - must have been on a well used flight path.
I believe the birds come from the outer Gulf islands at certain times of the year looking for food - I imagine it may be some instinctive inherited behaviour possibly related to when the vast forests of Rata, Pohutukawa or some other trees flowered.

Cheers
Jim

[aaustin]

Thanks Jim! I went up again this evening, and managed to photograph it! First time I've seen one in suburban Auckland

LR-7436.jpg (876.78 KiB) Viewed 1384 times

[Jim_j]

Cool - hope it sticks around for a while.

cheers
jim