Sulphur crested cockatoo north of Hunterville

[Cardinal15]

Just saw 2 cockato flying over the road north of Hunterville, around Rowes Rd. First time I've seen them in the wild. Sadly, no photos. Is there a population in the area?

[Neil Fitzgerald]

I believe a pair is known as a cockatwo.

There are observations on iNaturalist in that general area, from Wanganui across to north of Ashhurst.

[Nick Allen]

Cockatoos have been in that area for a long time. I remember them from there from an OSNZ atlassing trip on the 2nd atlas project over 20 years ago, and the comments I got from more local birders than me then was the species was well established. Always worth looking out for when driving along SH1 in the general area.

[Colin Miskelly]

Ross McKenzie (1972, In search of birds in New Zealand, p. 117) states:

"A long-standing colony of White Cockatoo lives in the hills near Hunterville and down the Turakina Valley Road".

I twitched them there in 1977, guided by Ross's book.

Colin

[nzfalcon1]

After seeing them there once, I now regularly lookout and see SCCs when passing Bruce Park scenic reserve just south of Hunterville on SH1. They seem to like a large, tall, white, dead tree near the bush, on the far side of the pond/small lake beside the highway.