Listen to the kererū
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the kererū
The kererū is a bird in the family Columbidae (order Columbiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 75 cm and weigh around 26 g.
What does the kererū sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
The recordings here are labelled as nz-pigeon-song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), also known as kūkupa (northern Māori dialects), New Zealand pigeon or wood pigeon, is a species of pigeon native to New Zealand. Johann Friedrich Gmelin described the bird in 1789 as a large, conspicuous pigeon up to 50 cm (20 in) in length and 550–850 g (19–30 oz) in weight, with a white breast and iridescent green–blue plumage. Two subspecies have been recognised; the second—the Norfolk pigeon of Norfolk Island—became extinct in the early 20th century. Kererū pairs are monogamous, breeding over successive seasons and remaining together when not breeding. They construct nests with twigs in trees, with a single egg clutch.
Related birds in the genus Hemiphaga
More from the family Columbidae
Rock dove
Columba livia
Common wood pigeon
Columba palumbus
Eurasian collared dove
Streptopelia decaocto
European turtle dove
Streptopelia turtur
Stock dove
Columba oenas
Spotted dove
Spilopelia chinensis
Laughing dove
Spilopelia senegalensis
Mourning dove
Zenaida macroura
Nilgiri wood pigeon
Columba elphinstonii
Orange-breasted green pigeon
Treron bicinctus
Zebra dove
Geopelia striata
Frequently asked questions
What does a kererū sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the kererū on this page, including its nz-pigeon-song. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the kererū endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the kererū as “least concern”.
What family does the kererū belong to?
The kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) belongs to the family Columbidae in the order Columbiformes.
Sources & credits
- Nz-pigeon-song – CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q1145127 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Kererū – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Judi Lapsley Miller – CC BY 4.0