Bird Album
Weka
Gallirallus australis (Sparrman, 1786)
50–60 cmLength876 gWeight
The weka, also known as the Māori hen or woodhen (Gallirallus australis) is a flightless bird species of the rail family.
Busiest months: November · Most records: New Zealand
Where and when it's recorded
Weka has been recorded at 21 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Rakiura NP – Ulva IslandNew Zealand1,266 records
- Blumine Island | OruawairuaNew Zealand563 records
- Kapiti Island LodgeNew Zealand318 records
More places
- Ulva Island West EndNew Zealand237 records
- Fiordland NP – Milford SoundNew Zealand145 records
- Abel Tasman NP – Marahau EstuaryNew Zealand107 records
- Queen Charlotte SoundNew Zealand65 records
- Fiordland NP – Lake Gunn Nature WalkNew Zealand57 records
- Stewart Island – Titi Islands PelagicNew Zealand53 records
- Stewart Island – Oban & Halfmoon BayNew Zealand33 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The weka, also known as the Māori hen or woodhen (Gallirallus australis) is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand. Some authorities consider it as the only extant member of the genus Gallirallus.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Weka?
The Weka is about 50–60 cm long and weighs around 876 g.
Where does the Weka live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: North, South, Stewart and satellites (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in New Zealand.
When is the best time to see the Weka?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Weka endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Weka as Vulnerable.
What does the Weka eat?
Main food: Omnivore.
What family is the Weka in?
It belongs to the family Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae), order Gruiformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 50–60 cm
- Weight
- 876 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Vulnerable
More measurements
- Wing
- 167 mm
- Tail
- 117 mm
- Bill
- 47 mm
- Tarsus
- 58 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: North, South, Stewart and satellites (New Zealand)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rails, Crakes & Coots Rallidae
- Genus
- Gallirallus
Other birds in the genus Gallirallus
Calayan RailGallirallus calayanensis
Invisible RailGallirallus wallacii
Chestnut RailGallirallus castaneoventris
New Caledonian RailGallirallus lafresnayanus
Okinawa RailGallirallus okinawae
Barred RailGallirallus torquatus
Buff-banded RailGallirallus philippensis
Guam RailGallirallus owstoni
Pink-legged RailGallirallus insignis
Roviana RailGallirallus rovianae
Woodford's RailGallirallus woodfordi
Lord Howe WoodhenGallirallus sylvestris
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Indra Bone. ↗
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