Zealandia in Pictures

Wellington, July 17th 2015

Zealandia was my major destination in Wellington, and I did not regret it.

Wait! Click.

Shag

Both of my tour guides (Walk Talk Tour and Night Tour) seemed so excited about these shags while I was the least excited. First, they don't seem cute and second, aren't they just common sight?

Hahaha.. same as Indonesia, same as Malaysia, was my first thought when I saw this. I didn't know that there are many kinds of shag and maybe for this reason:

Of the world’s 36 shag species, 12 are found in New Zealand. Eight of these are endemic – they are found nowhere else. (Quoted from Te Ara, The Encyclopedia of New Zealand)

my tour guides were so enthusiastic and so proud.

"They can be trained to catch fish!" said the guide.

"To catch fish??" replied a fellow visitor.

Ah... my ancestors have been doing that ever since centuries ago in Southern China... I whispered to myself. But then, my second lesson: shag and cormorant are different although from the same family.

Looking for Takahe.

Here he is. Hello, Takahe!

Takahe, flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand. Status: endangered. Numbers: three hundred something... left, if I remember my guide correctly.

Kaka, New Zealand's native parrot.

Relationship with Indonesia's Kakatua?? Somehow, somewhat, just birds :D

Kakariki in awesome camouflage, don't you think so?

Kaka's lunch box.

Kaka steps on the pedal, the lid flips up, Kaka pokes through and enjoy a meal. Other birds, or other animals, lighter than Kaka or Kakariki or any other Kakas, won't be able to steal the Kakas' meal, because there won't be enough wait on the pedal to push the lid up. Genius idea. Beautiful mind.

North Island Robin

Waiting for the robin come to pick a worm from a fellow visitor's hand (right) given by our Walk Talk Tour guide (right).

European Black Bird

"Is this a robin, too?" my stupid question to my guide.

"No! That's not!"

"What bird is it?" I found its orange beak standing out so cute.

Now it was my guide's turn to be the least excited. "Ah, that's just a European Black Bird."

Later on I realized that this black European is indeed everywhere and anywhere in New Zealand.

Conclusion:
European Black Birds are ordinary sight for my guide just like shags for me; and so is it the other way round. I had never seen a European Black Bird before, you knowww....


Next: Zealandia, still. Stay tuned. Subscribe.