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Tui

The flowering Kowhai Tree is often one of the first signs of Spring. But the Daffodils I saw flowering today in the Saturday afternoon sun were also a sure sign of an early Spring.

 

Tui often puff out their chest which aids them to vocalise.

 

The name Tui is from the Maori language name tūī and is the species' formal common name. Tui are considered to be very intelligent, much like parrots. They also resemble parrots in their ability to clearly imitate human speech, and are known for their noisy, unusual call, different for each individual, that combine bellbird-like notes with clicks, cackles, timber-like creaks and groans, and wheezing sounds—the unusual possession of two voiceboxes enable Tui to perform such a myriad of vocalisations.

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Uploaded on July 24, 2010
Taken on July 24, 2010