New Zealand Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae ssp. novaeseelandiae
Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
"The tui is known as a honeyeater - its beak is well shaped to get inside flowers to feed on their nectar.
But it also feeds on fruit and insects, in the air and on the ground, and other small creatures without backbones.
When it feeds on nectar, it also picks up pollen from flowers, so the tui has an important role as a pollinator. It has adapted well to human changes to its environment and is now commonly seen in urban areas.
Perhaps the tul's most remarkable feature from a human point of view is its extraordinary vocal range - from liquid notes to grunts, coughs, clicks and whistles. In former times, Mori kept tui as pets, and even trained them to speak."
New Zealand Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae ssp. novaeseelandiae
Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
"The tui is known as a honeyeater - its beak is well shaped to get inside flowers to feed on their nectar.
But it also feeds on fruit and insects, in the air and on the ground, and other small creatures without backbones.
When it feeds on nectar, it also picks up pollen from flowers, so the tui has an important role as a pollinator. It has adapted well to human changes to its environment and is now commonly seen in urban areas.
Perhaps the tul's most remarkable feature from a human point of view is its extraordinary vocal range - from liquid notes to grunts, coughs, clicks and whistles. In former times, Mori kept tui as pets, and even trained them to speak."