Kererū/kūkū/kūkupa

As is common for birds, these names for the native pigeon are onomatopoeic – imitating their soft cooing of alarm. Kererū are placid creatures, easily approached and usually silent.

The kererū is one of the forms adopted by the shapeshifter Māui, so that he could follow his mother Taranga to the underworld and meet his father.

The main kererū season was autumn and winter after they had gorged on miro berries. Many birds were taken while they were fat and preserved as huahua manu for future use.

Image: Kererū standing on a rock by Pseudopanax.