Feisty Kereru With a Damaged Wing Passes Through Flock

A Feisty Kererū Passes Through

A feisty kererū briefly passed through our care this week before being carefully whisked away by Kererū Discovery to The Nest Te Kōhanga at Wellington Zoo. This one had a damaged wing but still had plenty of spirit!

Found an Injured Kererū in Wellington?

If you find an injured or grounded kererū in Wellington, Kererū Discovery are the best first call — they can safely hold and stabilise kererū overnight and transport them to The Nest Te Kōhanga at Wellington Zoo for specialist care. As Wellington's only DOC-permitted independent rescue, we are always happy to offer support, and we can take drop-offs, but Kererū Discovery and Wild Bird's NZ are the go-to for kererū until our flight aviary is complete.

Why Kererū Need Specialist Facilities

Kererū are large, powerful birds that require significant flight space to fully rehabilitate. They need proper flight conditioning before returning to the wild, which is why we are fundraising for our own flight aviary. In the meantime, we work closely with our network partners to make sure every kererū gets to the right place.

Found a grounded kererū yourself? Our guide to what to do if you find an injured kererū in Wellington walks you through it.

Related reading: what to do if you find an injured kererū and our DOC permit explained.