Pūtangitangi
Paradise shelduck · Tadorna variegata
The pūtangitangi or paradise shelduck is a waterfowl which is endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand*. Females of the species have chestnut bodies with white heads, while males are mostly black. Both have white and green patches under their wings.
This bewilders lots of people who believe they must be introduced because ‘there are just so many of them’. But no - pūtangitangi just happen to have benefited from the increase in open green spaces in Aotearoa (from farming, and also urban recreation e.g. sports fields). So really, they’re opportunists.
5 fun facts about the pūtangitangi
- Pūtangitangi couples mate for life - got a local pair? That might be Bob and Barb, they’ve been together since 2011.
- Pūtangitangi babies are black and white striped, then when they get adult feathers they all look like Dad until they moult - when the girls reveal their red and white plumage.
- Mum and Dad pūtangitangi will nest in holes in trees up to 20m above ground level. The chicks, when they hatch, have to get themselves down!
- These aren’t quackers! Male pūtangitangi make a meep sound, while the females have a wailing cry.
- Aside from mallards, there are more pūtangitangi in Aotearoa than any other waterfowl.
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