Wellington Paranormal: Bird Woman

"Bird Woman"
	Series Wellington Paranormal; Season 4, Episode 1
Air date	February 16th, 2022 (NZ); July 27th, 2022 (US)
Writers	Melanie Bracewell
Story	Paul Yates; Nick Ward; Rosie Howells; Tom Sainsbury
Director	Tim van Dammen
Producers	Jemaine Clement; Taika Waititi; Paul Yates
Starring	Karen O'Leary; Mike Minogue; Maaka Pohatu
	Episode guide
Previous; "Fatberg"	Next; "The Wicked Man"

This page is similar in name or subject to other pages.

See also Bird Woman for a complete list of references to clarify differences between these closely named or closely related articles.

"Bird Woman" is the first episode of series four of the New Zealand based mockumentary comedy show Wellington Paranormal and the twentieth episode of the program overall. It was directed by Tim van Dammen with a script written by Melanie Bracewell based on a story treatment by Bracewell, Paul Yates, Nick Ward, Rosie Howells, and Tom Sainsbury with additional material supplied by Karen O'Leary, Mike Minogue, and Maaka Pohatu. It first aired in New Zealand on TVNZ 2 on February 16th, 2022. It premiered in the United States on the CW Network on July 27th, 2022.

Synopsis[]

A man named Tom at the Swan Apartments calls in a complaint about a break-in. Officers O'Leary and Minogue arrive to take his statement. There is considerable damage to the room, as if by pecking, and there is evidence of a giant bird feather. Minogue takes the feather and makes a quill pen out of it.

At Wellington Police Headquarters, Sergeant Maaka addresses the staff and talks about similar robberies in the Brooklyn area involving the theft of shinny objects, silverware, cutlery and compact discs. Minogue takes notes with his quill pen. Maaka brings in an endangered bird specialist from the Zealandia Ecosanctuary named Beverly Hatupatu. Beverly surmises that the suspect is a cryptid known as a Kurangaituku, or "birdwoman". O'Leary makes a bawdy comment about dabbling in birds.

Minogue, O'Leary and Hatupatu go to Wellington Civic Square where they set up a large yet rudimentary trap for the birdwoman. The trap consists of an over-sized box tipped up at a forty-five degree angle with a stick and various shiny objects and assorted bric-a-brac inside as bait; including Minogue's Andre Rieu live CDs. At 9:23 pm, while O'Leary and Minogue are distracted, the Kurangaituku flies down and swoops Beverly up and takes off with her.

Meanwhile, back at Wellington Police Headquarters, Officer Parker brings in a pet budgie, Paulie, which belongs to his uncle Trevor. Maaka doesn't understand why he did this, and does not readily approve of the bird's presence. The parakeet escapes and flies about the station. All of the officers ineffectively leap about trying to capture the bird. Maaka tries to contain it with his coat, but the budgie flies into a large stationary fan and is shredded.

Back in Te Aro, O'Leary and Minogue drive through the streets looking for Beverly and the birdwoman. They use the car's loudspeaker to issue mating calls. The birdwoman appears, picks the vehicle up in its claws and deposits it atop the Majestic Centre. O'Leary and Minogue manage to exit the vehicle as it topples off the building.

They track the birdwoman to the Brooklyn Wind Turbine where they find that she has built a nest using all of the shiny objects she has stolen. She has recently given birth and intends on feeding Beverly to her young.

Sergeant Maaka and Officer Parker arrive on the scene. Parker has a tranquilizer gun, but due to his clumsiness, manages to shoot Maaka, Minogue and himself with the darts. Despite this, Beverly is rescued and the birdwoman is contained. She and her young are taken back to the Zealandia Ecosanctuary. While O'Leary and Minogue are distracted talking to the camera, the birdwoman eats Beverly Hatupatu.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Actor	Role
Karen O'Leary	Officer O'Leary
Mike Minogue	Officer Minogue
Maaka Pohatu	Sergeant Maaka

Guest Starring[]

Actor	Role
Tom Sainsbury	Officer Parker
Eteuati Ete	Tom
Waitahi Aniwaniwa	Beverly Hatupatu

Co-Starring[]

Actor	Role
Anika Moa	Birdwoman
Tae Jin Ha	Uber driver

Notes & Trivia[]

Wellington Paranormal was created by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Paul Yates. It is a documentary style horror/comedy that aired for four seasons on TVNZ 2 from 2018 to 2022 twenty-five episodes, which also includes a special holiday episode. The show follows two inept New Zealand police officers named Minogue and O'Leary as they investigate matters of the strange and paranormal in the city of Wellington, New Zealand.
This is the seventh episode of Wellington Paranormal directed by Tim van Dammen. It is one of three episodes from series four of the show. He previously directed "The Revengers".

Allusions[]

This episode centers on a cryptid of Maori legend called the Kurangaituku, or "bird-woman". A chieftain named Hatupatu, presumably the great-ancestor of Beverly Hatupatu, escaped from a Kurangaituku by hiding inside of a rock and then led the creature into a boiling pool of mud.
O'Leary makes a comment to Beverly Hatupatu about "dabbling in birds", alluding to her sexuality. There have been many references throughout the series implying that O'Leary is a lesbian, but this won't be fully confirmed until "The Wicked Man".
O'Leary has trouble trying to climb a fence due to her short stature. This recurring detail goes all the way back to the pilot episode, "Demon Girl" when she got stuck on a fence. In both situations, Minogue had to help her out.
Minogue complains about O'Leary and Beverly using his André Rieu live CDs to bait the Kurangaituku. André Rieu is a Dutch music conductor and violinist best known for creating the Johann Strauss Orchestra.

Quotes[]

Officer Minogue: We do think that she would have to be a real birdbrain to fall for this, so it just might work perfectly.

External Links[]

Keywords[]

"Bird Woman"
Series Wellington Paranormal Season 4, Episode 1

Air date	February 16th, 2022 (NZ) July 27th, 2022 (US)
Writers	Melanie Bracewell
Story	Paul Yates; Nick Ward; Rosie Howells; Tom Sainsbury
Director	Tim van Dammen
Producers	Jemaine Clement; Taika Waititi; Paul Yates
Starring	Karen O'Leary; Mike Minogue; Maaka Pohatu
Episode guide
Previous "Fatberg"	Next "The Wicked Man"