Baby Kotare . .

Our New Zealand native Kingfisher or Kotare as the Maori called it, the name meaning a`scrounger, someone who lives off the genorosity of ones friends` - called that may be because kingfisher typically hang around ponds, rivers and lakes waiting for the fish to appear.

Don`t mess with me !

She/he is only a baby, we took it to the local `bird man` and he said it was the 2nd one he had in over the last week. The tiny bird with a very sharp beak, sat quietly while I took pics, excuse my finger in the top one, I will try and get rid of that when I print them out ! It still needs acouple more weeks of being in the nest before it fledges - bill the birdman will keep and care for it until he releases it. And that isn`t my hairy arm - just so you no I`m not a yeti !!

This beautiful native bird was found by a student on the ground, must have tried to fly and couldn`t get back. Kotare nest in holes in banks or trees by waterways normally, they feed on fish, and small creatures like mice and insects. They can often be seen sitting very still on power lines, or branches hanging out over water. Their adult plumage is electric blue - all you usually see of it is a flash of colour and thats that - so special to have held and seen this precious gift up close.