A rare endangered bird described as ‘Tauranga’s Bigfoot’ has been sighted by Tauranga City Council contractors working in the Kopurererua Valley.
The Australasian bittern, or Matuku as it is known in Maori, was seen near an area of maturing re-vegetation planted by the Kopurererua Valley Rotary Centennial Trust in the wetlands near Judea.
Full Circle Arboriculture managing director Brian Rickey says they were undertaking restoration works in the Kopurererua Valley when one of his staff spotted the bird.
“About three weeks ago Logan Cowley spotted the endangered bird right at the end of the wetlands near Birch Avenue.”
At first Logan thought the bird was a hawk but then realised it was much larger.
