Pūkeko

The pūkeko is a cheeky blue-and-black swamphen that struts around New Zealand’s wet grassy places. It has a deep blue-violet chest, glossy black wings, long orange legs, and bright red eyes. Best of all, it wears a shiny red beak topped with a shield of red skin on its forehead, which gives it a bold, friendly face that is easy to recognise.

Pūkeko are very sociable birds. They live in family groups where several grown-ups share a single nest, take turns keeping the eggs warm, and help feed and guard all the chicks together. This teamwork means the little ones always have plenty of watchful eyes looking after them as they grow.

When it is time to eat, a pūkeko often does something that looks a bit like a parrot. It grips a tasty stem or leaf in one foot, lifts it up, and nibbles away with that red beak. Pūkeko are omnivores, so most of their meal is grass shoots, seeds, and clover, with the occasional insect, spider, or earthworm mixed in.

You can find pūkeko near swamps, streams, and damp paddocks all over New Zealand, striding through the reeds on their long legs or flicking their white tail feathers up and down. They are strong walkers and swimmers, and they are not shy about wandering close to roadsides and farm ditches.

The pūkeko is listed as Least Concern, which means it is doing well and is a common sight across the country. Even so, it does best when wetlands are kept healthy and full of plants. Looking after New Zealand’s swamps and grassy margins helps these bold blue birds, and many other wetland creatures, keep on thriving.