Thursday, 22 October 2009
New Zealand's Top Bird
My daughter sent me this from that strange and wonderful country, New Zealand. As it had me in fits of laughter, I pass it on in the interests of spreading a little jollity. I think it's phrases like 'flightless national bore' and 'feathered ground dweller' that do it - and the fact the Rio Tinto sponsor the Kakapo (that's the feathered ground dweller that climbs up trees and falls off, I believe). They do indeed take their birds seriously in New Zealand. When Oddie ran a similiar poll over here, I don't remember Rio Tinto throwing its corporate weight behind the Chaffinch...
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The contrast between the 'harmless feathered ground dweller' and these other Kiwis has always amused me. However, they too might be described as a 'national bore' - not just birds are taken perhaps a bit too seriously in NZ. Lovely dance though.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, the winner of the poll for Wales's Favourite Woolly Farm Animal is... the sheep.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Wildlife Photographer of the Year pics? Superb. I like the one of the Yellowhammers, by someone aged just 16. Perhaps the Yellowhammer would make a good new national bird for New Zealand. There's a certain Quixotic appeal in choosing a national bird that doesn't in fact exist in one's country. Somehow I feel that Bill Oddie himself would make a good national bird, perhaps for somwhere like South Georgia or Tristan de Cunha.
ReplyDeleteWord has it the riflemen and keas are challenging the first-past-the-post balloting and are demanding a new election with proportional representation and run-offs.
ReplyDeletethe bit in 'Last chance to see' when the kakapo had sex with a bloke's head was excellent.
ReplyDeleteNo mention in the list of top ten birds of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, not surprised, her Pamina was well off the boil.
ReplyDelete