The strange and ungainly bird you see here is a Takahe. It is indigenous to New Zealand and it’s critically endangered. The takahe was thought to have gone extinct in the late 19th century. But in 1948, they were discovered on the South Island. According to our guide, this is one of only 249.
It’s a flightless bird weighing about six pounds and standing about 20 inches tall. It is the largest member of the rail family. The takahe was almost wiped out by a combination of over-hunting, loss of habitat and the introduction of predators.
I took this picture on the island on Tiritiri Matangi, about a 45 minute boat ride from Auckland. It’s one of five off-shore islands were they’ve been relocated, and there are a few other places, as well.
Seeing such a rare bird in the wild is thrill; a real birding highlight of our trip to Australia and New Zealand.