It's illegal to kill and eat kereru but one academic is concerned the law violates Maori cultural and Treaty rights.

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Former Maori Party leader Dame Tariana Turia has defended a marae for serving kereru at a meal for ministers, saying Maori should not be "criminalised" for serving it at special occasions.

Professor Paul Moon believes the native wood pigeon were regarded as a delicacy and eaten at formal occasions - such as feasts hosting visitors and tangi.

LISTEN TO PROFESSOR PAUL MOON TALK KERERU ABOVE

"Ironically, before the legislation came in to protect the bird, Maori communities by and large protected those birds anyway through their own cultural processes," Moon said.

"In a sense they've always had some protected status, they've never been a bird that anyone can hunt at any time for any purpose."

Moon believes Dame Tariana's view is widely held and very fair - as the birds have great cultural importance.

"To turn the tap off completely say 'No these can't be touched at all' seems a bit unfair. It also potentially is a violation of article two of the Treaty which guarantees hapu and iwi the full, exclusive, and undisturbed possession of their assets."

In the early 1800s flocks of 700 kereru were the norm, now you're lucky to see two flying together, Forest and Bird's Dean Baigent-Mercer said.

When the sun goes down an army of predators comes out to hunt the birds - which are lousy at making nests.

"They're very loose sticks and it just takes a possum to go up there and knock them and the egg falls to the ground. Possums, rats, and all of those other predators will eat the eggs and have a go at the chick as well."

Kereru are also particularly slow breeding, generally laying one egg a year, or hatching three chicks over two years.