Rare native parrot spotted in city park

The bird was photographed in Albert Park in Auckland. Photo / Ben Taylor

One of New Zealand's most endangered native parrots has been spotted in a city park in downtown Auckland.

Ben Taylor, a software developer of Ponsonby, snapped a picture of the rare bird on his way to work last week. It allowed him to take photographs for about a minute before getting spooked and flying away.

It is the second sighting of a kaka in Albert Park in two weeks. The bird has also been seen near Auckland Domain.

The kaka is likely to have flown in from island sanctuaries in the Hauraki Gulf.

KakawatchNZ co-ordinator Suzi Phillips was excited. She said this was the first sighting of a kaka in Auckland city.