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Kōrero: Introduced land birds

Chico the cockatoo

Audio file

Although there is now a population of wild sulphur-crested cockatoos, they were originally brought to New Zealand as caged birds and some, such as Chico, are tethered pets. Chico perched on owner Robert Nelson’s shoulder while he cycled around Lower Hutt and Petone. His owner taught him English phrases such as ‘Chico wants a scratch, scratch, scratch’.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1986/1831/29A

by Stuart Ramson

Sound file from the Department of Conservation

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Christina Troup, Introduced land birds – Cockatoos and rosellas, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/natural-sounds/17143/chico-the-cockatoo (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Christina Troup, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.