Date:  25 August 2022

Naturally uncommon, the self-introduced native royal spoonbill or kōtuku ngutupapa are a difficult bird to mistake.

Department of Conservation Operations Manager Dave Lumley says the large white wading birds with a cutlery-inspired bill can frequently be seen from State Highway 41 near Waihi Road.

“We’re quite often seeing them in the mornings – later in the day they seem to move further into the wetland.”

Spoonbills sweep their beaks side-to-side, seeking prey such as fish, insects, and frogs. The famous bill isn’t a simple ladle though, it has built-in vibration detectors to find prey in darkness or muddy waters.

“They’re obviously stirring up some food in there, as they’ve stuck around for so long.

“It’s a good reminder to slow down on this stretch of road, as we have had a number of wetland birds hit by cars, including endangered matuku hurepo/Australasian bittern.”

“Oh, and drive safely around birdwatchers, too!”

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