There is a historical tendency to view birds as metaphors for human visions of the other world, the soul, freedom and peace, and as national symbols. Numerous birds have been embraced as representative of the divine feminine, swans and doves among them. New Zealand is a nation particularly proud of its birds and has gone to great lengths to safeguard the species that remain. As we experience this sixth mass extinction in real time, remaking the shape of a swan and a flight of doves/pigeons with human hands hints at the interchangeable role of humans as exterminators, manipulators and saviours. 

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Black Swans, Kakīānau are classified as native to NZ though they were introduced in the 1860s. Their population grew so rapidly, it is believed that flocks were migrating naturally from Australia, and continue to do so. A smaller breed of swan, the New Zealand swan, existed prior to the arrival of humans to New Zealand but were hunted to extinction.

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Belonging to the same family, there is a huge divide in what pigeons and doves represent: peace and joy vs. filth and sickness. Doves were introduced multiple times to New Zealand, often unsuccessfully. The Barbary dove exists in a few small pockets, with around 100 total birds remaining. Pigeons have fared much better. Rock pigeons, an introduced species, are ubiquitous. And though New Zealand’s native pigeon, the Kererū, is not threatened, its role in the dispersal of native tree species has become vital, as it is the only bird remaining that can swallow large stone fruits.