Pūkeko

Porphyrio melanotus

Not often found in the forest but very common around the fringes in wet areas.

Pūkeko are thriving on surrounding farm land and have adapted well to human occupation and the development of New Zealand. In some instances they are considered a pest as they kill other birds chicks.

When travelling to the forest Pukeos will be seen on the surrounding farm land and will be protected by the Tangihua Community Pest Control Area (TCPCA).

Description

Pūkeko are a member of the rail family of birds, which also includes the  takahe.  They have distinctive colourings; a deep blue colour, with a black head and upperparts, white feathers under their tail, and a red bill and legs.
When disturbed they Pūkekos to flick there tail showing the white underneath. They prefer to run or hide rather than fly, but once airborne, they are capable fliers and can fly long distances (e.g. to offshore islands). Despite not having webbed feet, they are also strong swimmers.
Adult Pūkeko have few natural predators. Juvenile birds are often targeted by swamp harriers, but adult birds will fight vigorously to defend their offspring. Pūkeko have been observed attacking cats and stoats.

Breeding

Pūkeko have a highly variable mating system.
Birds may nest as

• monogamous pairs
• A female may have two male partners
• one male lives and mates with multiple females, but each female only mates with a single male.
• both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.

Any of these groups may also have non-breeding helpers. When multiple breeding females are present, all lay in the same nest, a phenomenom known as joint-laying.
Clutch size is typically 4-6 eggs per females and when multiple females contribute to a single nest the total clutch size can be as high as 18 eggs.
Incubation is predominantly by breeding males, with some assistance from breeding females. All group members contribute to chick care. Incubation begins midway through laying and lasts 23-27 days.
Hatching is spread over several days, but is more synchronous than laying. Chicks begin leaving the nest after 4-5 days, but are fed by adults for  2 months.
In the North Island, laying can occur in any month, with a peak in August to November.

Behaviour and ecology

Pūkeko are territorial, and aggressive interactions between birds from neighbouring groups are common. Such territorial interactions are noisy affairs and often involve several birds from each group. Aggressive interactions typically begin with ritualised posturing that emphasises the bird’s size and also display the frontal shield ornament. Occasionally, aggressive interactions escalate to full on fights where individuals bite and kick one another. Territorial defence is typically performed by males.

Food

They’re mostly vegetarian, but also eat invertebrates, eggs, frogs, small fish, chicks and mammals, especially in breeding season where chicks are fed protein-rich animals

Predators

Adult Pūkeko have few natural predators. Juvenile birds are often targeted by swamp harriers, but adult birds will fight vigorously to defend their offspring. Pūkeko have been observed attacking cats and stoats.