Kororā in Wellington (and Bird of the Year!)
Voting for Bird of the Year closes very soon!. If you haven't voted yet, read on for some information about (and children's books featuring) Wellington City Council's top pick, the Kororā!
The kororā, or little penguin, is Wellington City Council's number one pick for Forest & Bird's Bird of the Year competition.
The Bird of the Year competition started in 2005 to raise awareness of our native manu, many of which are in danger of becoming extinct. Previous winners include the kākāpō (2008 AND 2020), the long-tailed bat (a contentious winner in 2021), and 2023's winner of Bird of the Century, the Pūteketeke or Australasian crested grebe.
Kororā
Three kororā heading to the beach. Image credit: Wellington Zoo.
The kororā is the smallest penguin in the world. They don't grow much larger than 30cm! Since they're so small, kororā are at threat from animals like dogs, cats, ferrets and stoats. Around Wellington, dogs are probably the biggest threat to kororā, which is why it's important to keep your dog on a leash (except in designated off-leash areas) if you're walking them around the coast.
From July to October kororā can be found laying their eggs and raising their chicks, which means that right now is the time of year that kororā chicks will be hatching in the nests and burrows along the Wellington coastline.
The Department of Conservation and NZ Birds Online both have more information about the kororā and are great sites to visit if you want to discover more about these tiny penguins and their characteristics, habitat, and ways we can protect them.
If you'd like to know more about helping the kororā around Wellington, visit wellington.govt.nz/korora for more information, and remember to keep your dog on a lead!
Voting for Bird of the Year 2024 closes at 5pm on the 15th of September, so there's still time to get in and vote for your favourite birds (and hopefully one of them is the kororā!).
If you'd like to settle in and read a book about or featuring the kororā, here are a few of our picks.
- Kororā and the Sushi Shop / Keegan, Linda Jane
- Kaewa the Kororā / Haydon, Rachel
- Mōtītī Blue and the oil spill : a story from the Rena disaster / McCauley, Debbie
- Big Little Blue. SandyPants! / 1 / Mcgrath, Raymond
- Inside New Zealand wildlife / Gunson, Dave
- Under the ocean : explore & discover the seas around New Zealand / Candler, Gillian