Sacred kingfisher

Commonly seen on jetty poles and rocky shores, watching the water.

Story

A common native that has done well out of farmland, fences and power lines, which give it plenty of lookouts. On Kawau, kōtare nest in the banks above the rocky shore and hunt from jetty poles.

Behaviour

Sits hunched on a high perch, then drops to snatch crabs, insects, lizards or small fish. It bashes bigger prey against the perch before swallowing it whole. Nesting pairs dive-bomb intruders with a piercing 'kek-kek-kek'.