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15 He aha tērā? Canada Goose

Birds flying in a V formation above the Tararuas.
Miraz Jordan

The honking. The V-formation flying. The New Zealand population of these large birds with a distinctive white chin-strap is primarily descended from an importation of 50 birds in 1905. He aha tērā? What is that?

Two large birds by a lake, with black head and neck, white chin-strap, brown stripey bodies.

Photo by Miraz Jordan. Used with permission.

Answer: it’s a Canada goose:

Identification: Length: 85 -95 cm; Weight: 4.5 - 5.5 kg

Similar species: Greylag goose, Cape Barren goose

A large light-brown goose with black head, neck, bill, legs and feet, white ‘chinstrap’, and light brown barring on the white breast and abdomen.

This item was updated on Wednesday 23 March 2022

I live at Waikawa Beach and love all the wildlife, fauna and flora.