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The blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) is named for its gunmetal-blue plumage. The Māori name whio refers to its call, an odd repeated whistle: ‘whio-whio-whio’. The duck is unusual in that it feeds on invertebrates, diving down to scrape them off boulders, using its specially adapted beak.
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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
by Carl Walrond
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