Keeping an eye on our native birds

• Author: Rebecca Somerfield Experience Purangi general manager
• Published date: 03 November 2021
• Publication title: Stratford Press

This was a successful year, with the team identifying 13 kokako and hearing at least another three birds.

There were five pairs identified with potentially another pair being located, and there are at least five unbanded kokako in the area.

This means there are breeding pairs within the Pouiatoa and that the kokako chicks are surviving.

Operation Nest Egg: The trust is also working with Kiwis for kiwi, and Ngāti Maru to do egg lifts from six male kiwi that were caught this year and had transmitters attached.

The kiwi were caught on one of Ngāti Maru’s blocks in Matau, and these birds have been named by kids from six local schools in the Inglewood community.

The kiwi are monitored monthly to see whether they are incubating eggs. The egg lift occurs when...