Poliocephalus rufopectus

The New Zealand Dabchick. The only remaining endemic grebe in New Zealand, and a rare one at that. It formerly ranged throughout the country but is now restricted to the lakes of Rotorua and Taupo in the central North Island. The population has dropped to less than a thousand birds. Today I was taken to Lake Tarawera near Rotorua by a local couple I met on Stewart Island in February, who meant to show the bird to me. We found it very quickly and I was so thrilled.