Tweet of the Day

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BBC Radio 4 FM

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Factual: Science & Nature

Discover birds through their songs and calls. 265 programmes of 90 seconds, over a year

Discover birds through their songs and calls. Each Tweet of the Day begins with a call or song, followed by a story of fascinating ornithology inspired by the sound.

BBC Radio 4 LW

Tweet of the Day: North Island Kokako

North Island Kokako

BBC Radio 4 - Tweet of the Day, North Island Kokako

Chris Packham presents the North Island kokako from New Zealand.

Tweet of the Day is the voice of birds and our relationship with them, from around the world.
 
Chris Packham presents the North Island kokako from New Zealand. Kokakos are bluish-grey, crow-sized birds with  black masks. Those from the North Island sport bright blue fleshy lobes called wattles; one on each side of the bill.  And they are famous in New Zealand for their beautiful haunting song which males and females sing,  often in a long duet in the early morning.Known by some people as the squirrel of the woods because of their large tails and habit of running along branches, kokako used to be widespread, today fewer than 1000 pairs remain. The kokako's slow and deliberate, almost thoughtful,  flute-like song evokes the islands' forests and in the film,  The Piano, it features as part of the chorus of woodland  birds in some of the most atmospheric scenes.

Producer : Andrew Dawes

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Tweet of the Day

North Island Kokako

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