Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)
# Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)

Motueka Island, also known by the name Pigeon Island, is an island off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand.

## Geography

The island is located 1.5 kilometres north-east of Cathedral Cove, to the east of Mercury Bay. It is tidally linked to Poikeke Island, a smaller island located to the west. The island reaches a height of 66 metres. Motueka Island is within the Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve.

Motueka Island is an eroded Miocene era lava dome, composed of flow-banded rhyolite.

## Biodiversity

The island is primarily forested by native New Zealand flora, including kohekohe, karaka, māhoe, whārangi, tawāpou, pūriri and parapara. The summit area is a plateau, forested by large pōhutukawa trees.

The island is a nesting place for Pterodroma gouldi (ōi / the grey-faced petrel). Several hundred birds nest on the island, despite the presence of Norway rats.

## History

The island is historically significant to Ngāti Hei, who are the mana whenua iwi for Mouteka Island. It was given the traditional name Te Kuraetanga o taku Ihu, named by the rangatira Hei, who likened the island to his tā moko. During the early European colonial period, the island gained the name Pigeon Island.

