Some make their homes on the beach near the coastline, others like living above the tree-line and some even venture into pastures or forests.
Weka need their environment to have an area of dense coverage that they can retreat to for protection at night. Their environment also needs to have steady rain and a source of food. Weka are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and animals. To satisfy their hunger, weka hunt for fruits, eggs, lizards and other small mammals.
Weka have become extinct over large portions of mainland New Zealand, but they are still doing well at some sites. Droughts, or long periods with no rain, and predators are the main cause for weka extinctions in the mainland. Ferrets, stoats (a type of weasel) and dogs all hunt weka. However, because weka are a threat to burrowing seabirds, ground-nesting birds and reptiles, they are unwelcome in many sanctuaries. It is complicated because they are a threatened species themselves and also need protection.
