Pukako in the Garden (4/4)

Pukakos are not a gardeners friend, they destroy plants and eat young lettuces, but I think these birds can be trained to take out weeds. It has picked out kikuyu grass roots for me, and it has a beak much like pliers, so the Pukako can effectively be trained to weed gardens, but most right it off as a pest.

A pukako is also a predator and I notice the cats have not visited our garden. We get about 4 Pukakos visit, plus we had 5 Drakes and sometimes Mrs Duck as well, plus sparrows, White eyes, green finches, starlings, pigeons, turtle doves and mynas…