About
My name is Alice Baranyovits. I am conducting a research project on urban kererū (NZ pigeon; Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) as part of my PhD at the Joint Graduate School in Biodiversity and Biosecurity at the University of Auckland.
Kererū or New Zealand pigeon, which are also known as kūkū and kūkupa, are large distinctive green and white pigeons native to New Zealand. Their diet primarily consists of fruits from a wide range of plant species, but they will also occasionally eat leaves and flowers. As they swallow fruits whole and pass the seeds intacted, they play an important role in forests as seed dispersers, especially for tree species with large fruits. For more information on kererū see the Department of Conservation & NZ Birds Online websites. |
Photo: Shervin Poladi
|
For my project I am interested in how kererū move around fragmented landscapes and more specifically how they utilise the urban environment. I am also interested in their diet, particularly where and when they are eating introduced plants. In order to do this I need to know what resources are available to them, not just in the reserves and parks within the city but also within people's gardens.
Want to be involved? Click here.
Want to be involved? Click here.