Art Magnet - Blue Duck - Whio

Art Magnet - Blue Duck - Whio.

Rubber.

Blue duck/whio are a taonga (treasured) species that Māori have a strong cultural, spiritual, and historic connection with. 

Their Māori name is whio in the North Island or ko whio whio in the South Island, which depicts the call of the male bird. They are forever watchful – they will always see you before you see them, and the male will sound the alarm call.

Whio are believed to be an ancient species of waterfowl, that appeared at a very early stage in evolutionary history. Their isolation in New Zealand has resulted in unique anatomical and behavioural features.

The whio is an iconic back-country species, and it features on the New Zealand $10 note.

The blue duck is a river specialist, and one of the few waterfowl worldwide that live year round on fast-flowing rivers.

They are a key indicator of healthy rivers and streams. They require clean, fast flowing streams in the forested upper catchments of rivers that provide high water quality, low sediment loadings, stable banks, over head canopy cover, and lots of varied invertebrate communities. The more breeding pairs of blue duck the healthier the river.

Size 9cm H x 6.5 cm W.