{"id":1708,"date":"2017-04-18T03:00:57","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T15:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/travellingk.com\/?p=1708"},"modified":"2018-01-01T20:46:12","modified_gmt":"2018-01-01T20:46:12","slug":"cheeky-weka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/travellingk.com\/cheeky-weka\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cheeky Weka"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Weka’s are unique to New Zealand and look almost aggressive with a funny walk involving lots of tail bobbing. They are the size of a chicken, but have been known to bully them and steal their eggs.<\/p>\n

Some of Weka’s\u00a0food are\u00a0earthworms, larvae, beetles, weta, ants, grass grubs, slugs, snails, insect eggs, slaters, frogs, spiders, rats, mice, and small birds…. I’ve seen one polish off a blackbird. They would be handy controlling garden pests if they didn’t also dig up your garden searching for more food. They are extremely curious and have gone for my discarded footwear.<\/p>\n

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They\u00a0will go after your food and make a lot of noise when you are trying to sleep. They are the scavengers and the predators…. but their eggs and young are just as vulnerable to stoats as other New Zealand birds. And, like a lot of other native New Zealand birds, are vulnerable and threatened and need some\u00a0help to survive.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t