Kereru

Kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)

In Māori it is the kererū, kūkū, or kukupa

Once abundant numbers have declined dramatically due to habitat loss and predators.

Good populations still exist in Waiheke.

Kereru are the only seed disperser of large fruits of trees such as the karaka and taraire. The Department of Conservation suggests the disappearance of the kereru would be a disaster for native forest generation.

Once an important food resource for Maori, the kereru, like all native birds, is these days protected and shows little fear of humans.