Wekas as Divers.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 493, 30 June 1932, Page 10

Wekas as Divers.

Nature Notes

By James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. JEWELLERS in the forests, who have the company of wekas, know that these birds add swimming to their accomplishments. Few people know that they are expert divers also. Mr P. J. O’Regan, a Wellington solicitor, has seen wekas dive, but only when chased by dogs. He believes that they swim because they like to swim, but that they never dive unless they must. He has seen them swimming large flooded rivers on the West Coast, and making light work of it. Wekas are flightless, but they climb skilfully, and are so intelligent that they usually get safely out of difficult places; but thev often fall into mining shafts on the West Coast and perish. Their remains have been found in shafts five or six feet deep. They wander about a great deal at night, but are less alert at night than by day, and in the dark, probably, they tumble into the shafts.