When it rains
And tūī comes to sing
When it rains, and it has been raining for three days straight, as it does on these islands;
sheets of rain unfolding from the sky of steel, like curtains in a theatre, a sparkling shower of silver and light into misty, hazy air, specks of glitter caught inside droplets of water, trembling, like tears,
and my thoughts threaten to dissolve into rivulets of rainwater, an elegant, exquisitely attired bird comes and sits in the branches of a tree growing in front of my kitchen window.
At first, its plumage appears glossy-black, but for a tuft of white feathers at its neck and a small white wing patch, making it resemble a clergyman wearing clerical garb. Which is why early settlers called it a parson bird. But you only have to look a bit closer to see the bronze feathers on the back and flanks, a multicoloured iridescent sheen that changes with the angle of light, and a dusting of white-shafted feathers on the back and sides of the neck that give the bird a lacy collar.
As it sits amongst the tree branches, regal in its finery; feathers glistening like river-stones, frivolous white tufts at the throat warble as it sings, I call him by his name — Tūī. He turns his head towards me as if to ask — who are you and what do you want with me, don’t you see that I’m busy, singing my lungs out to chase away the competition and secure a mate. At that, he puffs up his feathers a bit more, tilts his head back and returns to singing with all his might.
I smile and snap a photo, thinking how confident the splendid bird is. Certain of his home and place in the world — islands of New Zealand. The only place it dwells.
For many, tūī’s song is an aural anchor to home, an echo of New Zealand; piercing clarity of its lights, the wetness of its forests, the murmurings of its bush and its beaches. A treasured icon.
The tūī is well known for its complex and varied song. A Māori proverb describes great orators or singers as ‘me he korokoro tūī’ — ‘he has the throat of a tūī’. Their impressive range of sound is due in part to their many muscles that control their ‘double voice box.’
The tūī’s song is indeed achingly beautiful:
- click to hear its communication calls
- click to hear its territorial calls
In Māori culture, tūī represents life fulfilment, confidence, and spiritual harmony. They are said to be messengers of the Gods and Goddesses, acting as mediums to help communicate with the gods and goddesses of Māori beliefs.
I think about it as I listen to the chorus through the open window. I could vanish while the rain falls and the tūī sings. Shrouded in a cloak woven of feathers, ocean and sky. Like a bird.
Did you find tūī’s song’s enchanting, interesting, haunting? Let me know.
Thank you for reading.
Daniela
