New Zealand Kaka

This morning when I walked Morgan around the volcano, I heard parrot noises which caught my attention. These squaks were much louder than the common Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius). I quickly turned towards the sound and noticed a bird larger than the Rosella. Could it be a New Zealand Kaka?

I stopped to watch and listen for a bit, heard nothing more, then carried on around the volcano. About 500m further on, I heard loud squaking once again, and looked up to see two large birds circling around the top of One Tree Hill, making quite a racket, then landing at the top of a tall Eucalypt.

A pair of New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis)! My first sighting of kaka in the wild.

Morgan and I stood still for perhaps 15 minutes, watching these majestic birds circle and squak and land once again in the Eucalypt.

This made my day.