The
sacred kingfisher is a medium-sized
woodland kingfisher that occurs in
mangroves, woodlands,
forests, and river valleys in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the western Pacific. In New Zealand the species is also known by its
Māori name
kōtare. It is called “sacred” for it was said to be a holy bird for Polynesians, who believed it to have control over the waves.
Wikipedia
