KingfisherKōtare

Conservation status
Doing OK

Kōtare are fearless and aggressive when it comes to food and family. In the breeding season, they use their fearsome, dagger-like beaks to tunnel into soft tree trunks or clay banks to build nests. Mum takes a short rest when nurturing their young, with dad in charge of providing food and sometimes even attacking other birds and mammals. 

Campaign Manager

Hawke's Bay Museum

Our newly opened exhibition He Hononga Manu – Connecting Birds, People & Place celebrates all things bird. As the exhibition's colour scheme is based around the stunning colours of the kōtare kingfisher we're repaying the favour by campaigning for it as Bird of the Year.

Kingfisher

Photo: Craig McKenzie