kāhukorako - swamp harrier
Aotearoa's largest and most common bird of prey.
Photo: Tania Wilkinson
kāhukorako - swamp harrier / Australasian harrier
Circus approximans
New Zealand Status: Native
Conservation Status: Not threatened
Lifespan: up to 18 years
Size: 50-60cm (bigger than a kererū)
Weight: Males 650g, Females 850g
-Cars and wind turbines are problematic for harriers.
Is it a harrier?
Look for: A classic V shape while gliding. Closer up you'll see they have pale breasts and rumps and fingered wing tips.
Listen for: Kāhukorako tend to be fairly quiet outside breeding season, where they emit a short, high pitched 'kee' call.
Did you know?
Harriers have actually benefited from the clearance of forest and the rise of agriculture. This is due to their preference for hunting birds, mammals and insects.
While it wouldn't be our first choice of diet, by eating roadkill kāhukorako actually do us a huge favour by removing carcasses from the road.
Kāhukorako @ Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
Kāhukorako were surviving on Maungatautari in the presence of introduced pests before the completion of the fence in 2006. They are most likely to be seen circling above the farmland on the other side of the fence. If you are in and around the Visitor Centre you have a good chance of spotting them. And on your drive home keep an eye out for them snacking on possum roadkill.
References:
Wingspan
New Zealand Birds Online