As part of our Lockdown Learning we had a weekly challenge. One challenge was to build an native animal out of lego and research some interesting facts about it. Toby made a kotuku, or white heron. His mother made a the karearea, or New Zealand falcon. He found the following facts about the heron.
I'm going to tell you about the white heron. The white heron is on the New Zealand two dollar coin
The white heron is found in New Zealand on the West Coast on waitangiroto river down at Whatatroa. The Maori name for it is kotuku. You can take a guided jet boat ride to see them from September to January when they are breeding. Birds make their nests in the crowns of tree ferns or in kōwhai or kāmahi trees along the bank of the river
We see them on our way to town in the farm paddocks, creeks, and on the river. When we go into lake mahinapua for a look you can always see some before September.
They eat little fish like whitebait, eels, frogs, mice, insects, and small birds like wax eyes.
Mum said my neighbour has to put netting over her fish pond as she had one that used to come for breakfast and eat her gold fish. It would sit on the roof of the house and wait
