Huia

Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris)

Call

Some human imitation calls available on NZ Birds Online.

Where is home?

Remains indicate that the huia were found in forested mountain ranges of the North Island.

How are they doing?

Huia are Extinct.

The last confirmed sighting was in 1907, but a few birds probably survived into the 1920s. The huia was driven to extinction by introduced predators, hunting, and habitat loss.

What are they known for?

• Huia were sexually dimorphic; the females had a long, slender curved beak, and the male a shorter, thicker one. Paired birds used these different tools to maximise the food available to them. Males would tear away the outer bark of a sapling so that the female could try to extract insects and larvae from their holes. If necessary, the male would enlarge the hole to assist her in her task.

• It was reported by the early naturalist Walter Buller that partnered male and female huia would gently caress one another with their beaks, “uttering at the same time a low affectionate twitter”.

Huia connections

• He huia tangata tahi
  There is but one person synonymous with the huia

  This The whakataukī speaks to how sacred the huia was in te ao Māori, so important and treasured as to be compared to a chief.

• In te ao Māori, huia feathers were the mark of high status. You could wear huia feathers in your hair, or whole skins in your ear, only if you were of chiefly rank. The huia’s name became associated with treasured things: containers for precious items were called waka huia.