This is bird note.

Keraroo, green blue pigeons native to New Zealand, like to sun themselves after a good meal.

Keraroo have a distinct preference for fruit. In fact, many local trees depend on these pigeons.

They're the only birds left that can both ingest and pass the seeds from the fruits of many native trees.

But in warm summer months, the bird sunbathing has a surprising side effect.

A part of their digestive system, called the crop,

stores their latest snack, where it begins to ferment. The birds, in essence, brew their very

own batch of boutique throat wine. The rotun creatures often get so tipsy that they fall out of trees, prompting compassionate

Kiwis, New Zealanders, not the birds, to deliver them to local bird rescues and let them sober up.

One manager said, it was ridiculous. People were bringing armfuls of these flaming, drunk pigeons.

In 2018, the citizens of New Zealand voted the Keraroo as Bird of the Year.

Perhaps conservation organization Forest and Bird described the species best.

That absolute unit, the roundest boy, the devourer of fruit, the wushiest of

wishes. For bird note, I'm Michael Stein.