Weka: New Zealand's Flightless Rail

New Zealand · flightless bird · rail family · endemic

Flightless rail bird. The weka is a stocky, ground-dwelling bird that cannot fly, even though it has wings. It belongs to the rail family, which includes other birds designed for walking and running rather than soaring through the sky.

Only in New Zealand. Wekas live only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. This makes them endemic, meaning they evolved in isolation on these islands for millions of years.

Named by the Māori. The Māori people of New Zealand have known wekas for centuries and gave them their name. They are also called woodhens because they live in forests and scrubby areas.

Subspecies puzzle. Scientists have identified four different subspecies of wekas, but genetic testing has confirmed only two main types: the northern weka and the southern weka. This means some of the older classifications might not be quite right.

Tough survivors. Wekas are strong, adaptable birds that eat insects, small animals, and plants. They have survived for thousands of years in New Zealand's forests and are still found in several regions today.