Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Pukeko

I like the pukeko. I think it's the tail flipping thing they do. It looks suspiciously like they're flipping you off when they do that, and they do it all the time.

They're as common as muck, but I only had one opportunity to get close enough to photograph one. My first shot was a total failure. I could not get my camera to work properly. I thought I was aiming with pinpoint accuracy, but the pukeko kept sliding out of focus. I was using a zoom, and thought maybe the fence was in the way, so I took one picture, and then as the pukeko moved off into the field I got more focussed pictures. They are not wonderful pictures, but at least I got some.

It was only when I got that first picture onto the computer that I realized that my camera had done quite a good job of focusing after all. It was just focusing on the wrong bird.



Where did that little guy come from?

Here are two more pictures of the pukeko. The first one shows it with its tail down.


And in this one it is flipping you off.

7 comments:

Keera Ann Fox said...

Hrmph! Watch me flip the bird the bird!

Hebron said...

I like the pukeko as well. Probably because I saw what the chicks look like. Huge feet!
The Weka does the same tail thing as well. I think they saw the Pukeko doing it and thought it would make them cool.

Badaunt said...

Keera: The pukeko is apparently closely related to the swamp hen, which is common practically everywhere. But do all swamp hens flip the bird to all and sundry, I wonder?

Hebron: Chicks with huge feet? How unbearably cute! If I didn't already like pukeko I'd totally fall for them just because of that. There is something iresistible about chicks with big feet.

Keera Ann Fox said...

Y'know, I was thinking it sure looks like a coot but the ones in my neck of the wood are not as - expressive.

Hebron said...

Yep. I went looking and found the ad on youtube which shows their disproportionate feet :)
Pukeko ad

Anonymous said...

I like the pukeko as well Probably because I saw what the chicks look like.

Pukeko Maniac said...

Pukekos are indeed one of the most amusing birds around us.