The sign says, "Beware of tiny nocturnal Kiwi birds wobbling across this 100km/hr stretch of road." Spotted on SH 63, just a little northwest of Nelson Lakes; in fact I never knew Nelson Lakes were Kiwi Zones.
And do you remember this? On our way from Nelson Lakes, we almost smashed with a silver car stopping on another 100km stretch to avoid a family of ducks crossing the road; no signs there, I'm telling you, they were country ducks.
Now I guess I will have to find out more about Kiwi birds. Didn't know they were nocturnal. Didn't know there were Kiwi zones either. its amazing the things learned on Blogdom.
ReplyDeleteThis is a gorgeous picture!
ReplyDeleteI love these signs- they are around Tongariro National Park too. I don't know anyone who has actually seen a kiwi on the road yet. As you say, maybe they are really hard to see when you are driving at night.
ReplyDeleteVery unique. I have seen deer crossing signs, cattle crossing signs and even goat crossing signs, but this is the first kiwi crossing sign I've seen.
ReplyDeletegreat view esp. in the large version...and the kiwi sign is kind of cartoon-like :-)
ReplyDeleteI like these signs. And do you often see kiwis?
ReplyDeleteYou don't have kangaroos in NZ, do you?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visits, folks.
ReplyDeletePhotowannabe, yes, the real Kiwis are small, and nocturnal, and endangered.protected. There are Spotted Kiwis, and South Island Kiwis, I think.... Louise?????
Carol, this is a gorgeous stretch of road, the scenery of which I wanted to photograph about 4km before, but "The Drive" wanted to go fast, because we were in a red car. It was only when he saw the Kiwi sign that he asked if he wanted me to stop!!
Louise, we need to put reflector tags on the little birdies, I think.
Faye, we don't see too many of them around here, either, which is a shame.
Lisi, yeah, it does look like a cartoon.
Alice, although I have been to a few darkened bird enclosures and .... buildings at the zoos, etc., I have never seen one to tell you the truth. However, children around me in those buildings say they see them, or parents point the birds out to the children, so they must be there. They must exist. I must borrow those heat-sensitive binoculars the next time to so I can seem them.
Ovelikios, only in zoos, and not even roos but Wallabies). In fact, in Auckland Zoo, there is an Australian enclose where the animals are free to roam and humans walk down the path in the middle - no fences no glass - Wallabies are much smaller, but still when you see the size of their hind legs, I find them very intimidating, because I think they can knock you dead with one kick if they felt like it.
I so much enjoy this Kiwi signage!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful landscape too!
Cheers!
Lachezar, there's one near French Pass which we intend to go shoot this summer - we keep thinking it's an airplane crossing sign, but can't be sure... Have you seen anything like it?
ReplyDeleteNow I know more about Kiwi birds. The word kiwi is usually linked to Kiwi Fruits and Kiwi shoe shine :-)
ReplyDeleteBiscuit Man! Kiwis are also New Zealanders of the human persuasion and NZ $ that I know of.
ReplyDeleteKIWI ZONE... i'd like to see one of them ^.^
ReplyDeleteGiuce, maybe when I go to Auckland I'll try the zoo's Kiwi House again??
ReplyDelete