Three government ministers were at a special hui in 2013 in the central North Island where kereru were cooked and served. Kereru are protected birds. It is illegal to catch them. The ministers said they did not know that kereru were on the table at that dinner. Perhaps they ate other food on that occasion. DoC often gives dead birds to local iwi for their feathers.
Last month, a Ngapuhi leader from the far north of the North Island, brought home 5 kereru from the far south of the South island. This upset many people and he has apologised. He will go to court later this week and may have to pay a fine.
The Kereru is a native pigeon which lives in the bush. Sometimes, you could be lucky enough to see a kereru in a tree around your house. You can often hear a kereru when it flies – the large wings make a swishing noise. It is a big bird, about 50cm from beak to tail and can weigh up to 650g. Maori used to catch kereru for food and for their feathers. The feathers are a bright, iridescent– blue, green, purple – like the colours inside a paua shell. Part of the body is white. Feathers were used for decoration in cloaks and weaving. They are useful birds because they are the only birds large enough to eat the fruit of some native trees and spread the seeds in the forest. They are now protected birds because there are not so many these days.
Go to kereru to see a picture of a kereru.
Vocabulary
• hui – meeting (Maori)
• DoC – Department of Conservation which protects endangered birds
• iwi – tribe (Maori)
• swishing – a noise words
• iridescent – shining in different light, like the colours of the rainbow
• weave – a method of making cloth, Maori weave with flax