The Blue Duck
Found only in New Zealand the blue duck, or whio as it’s called in Maori, is a unique and threatened species. A torrent duck the whio requires clear fast flowing water, like that of the Kaiwhakauka and Morinui Rivers on Blue Duck Station, and approximately 10 of the remaining 1400 pairs can be found here.
Often heard before they are seen the blue duck has an unusual call; the male whistling 'fi-o' and the female making a harsh purring noise. In the sunlight you can see a number of colours on their feathers but in the main the duck is a slate blue grey that blends in perfectly with the river rocks. We have a particularly friendly pair of blue ducks on our Kaiwhakauka stream named Gobby and Scarlet who don't mind being observed. Come and visit us to see them and find out how they got their names! For more information on the blue duck check out the following websites: