Animal Fact Sheets
Kereru, New Zealand Woodpigeon (Hemiphaga novaseelandiae)

The Kereru is New Zealand's only endemic species of pigeon. 

Very large in size, they have a pure white breast, with green purple and grey plumage. Breeding displays include a display dive, chasing and head bobbing, posturing and calling to attract a mate.

Breeding
Woodpigeon nest from August to March every year. The nests are very flimsy, and eggs are often visible from below. Only one egg is laid, though occasionally a second egg will be incubated in a new nest, while the first chick is being raised. Chicks fledge at around 40 days of age.

Diet
The Kereru eats a wide range of fruits, seeds, flowers and foliage of native plants. They feed off nikau, puriri, kowhai, pigeonwood, tawa fruit, five finger, matai, karaka and many other native plants. These trees depend on the Kereru to aid in despersing their seeds, for new trees to grow.

The birds ingest the seeds of the plant’s fruit, and they are passed through the bird’s system, and spread over their territory as they fly in search of food. Regeneration of native forest is also dependant on the seeds of large fruited trees and shrubs, many of which are too large to be dispersed by any other birds. Without the Kereru many of our native trees would also be in danger of becoming extinct

Threats to Survival
The numbers of Kereru have been in serious decline from overhunting and forest clearance for many years. They have been a protected species since 1921, and it is now illegal to hunt Kereru without special permission. They are still threatened due to adult mortality from illegal hunting, predation and starvation, and chick mortality from predation by rats, stoats and possums. Starvation is mainly due to a lack of forest food, and competition for fruit by possums. Starvation also affects Kereru breeding on a yearly basis.

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