Royal Albatross ~ TF Has A Name! It is Kiwa! ♥ A Yellow Banded Chick Displays & Skycalls WYL 9.25.24

The voting had closed and TF has been given his official Maori name - Kiwa! Kiwa means "The divine protector and guardian of the ocean and the name is fitting for our albatross as it's renowned for travelling great distances over vast stretches of water."

The second-place name was… Taitoa! "The albatross chick has shown himself to be brave and bold and somewhat feisty! He hasn't liked being weighed much and clacks, and he has wandered from his nest quite early on. I like his courageous nature and hope it helps him when he fledges to survive in the wild."

Kiwa has been gliding over the Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa / Pacific Ocean for 5 days now so it is appropriate that he has been given this name.

The video opens with a yellow banded female chick sitting to the left in the grass. This is the same yellow banded chick that was seen with LGK when he came in looking for Kiwa to feed. Now TFT's dad WYL lands and the chick comes over to visit with him. This female is a bit precocious as she kept displaying and skycalling and whistling at WYL (that is all a type of courtship behavior we see once the chicks come back to the headland when they are adolescents). WYL clacks as yellow is skycalling and displayed to him lol then he walks away and the chick follows him with her wings spread out! Too funny! WYL walks down the track and then flies off . This is the 5th time he came back to see TFT since he fledged! I hope he is ready to fly to South America and take a much needed rest! Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk
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Courtesy of Dept of Conservation Royal Cam, Royal Albatross Taiaroa Head, New Zealand

Cam Link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/ro...

DOC official website: https://www.doc.govt.nz/royalcam
Royal Albatross Centre website: https://albatross.org.nz/

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