Rapa Island, located in Eastern Polynesia, hosts 12 species of breeding seabirds, now primarily found on its ten peripheral islets. These seabirds face various threats, such as invasive mammals that prey on eggs and chicks, as well as invasive plants that encroach upon and degrade their breeding habitats. Major island restoration projects are currently underway on several islets, focusing on the removal of invasive mammals and plants. We present data collected here between 2017 and 2024 and, together with published and unpublished surveys since 1921, compile details on the distribution, population, and breeding seasons of these seabird species.
This paper describes North Island kokako (Callaeas wilsoni) recovery actions and outcomes since 2000 at 11 sites with relict populations, and at 12 other mainland and three offshore island sites to where they have been translocated. Populations are now secure on pest-free Te Hauturu-o-Toi / Little Barrier Island and Kapiti Island, and Tiritiri Matangi Island is a valuable advocacy site. Maungatautari is a large (3,300 ha) pest-fenced and pest-free site that has demonstrated rapid kōkako recovery. All other sites are unfenced and require ongoing control of key pests. The national total of kōkako pairs has increased from c. 458 in 2000 to c. 2,327 in 2023; however, latest counts indicate populations at seven sites have declined. Future kōkako recovery will be assisted most by improved, large-scale pest control tools for unfenced mainland sites, and by sustained effective pest control in large key relict populations (Pureora, Te Urewera, Rotoehu, Mapara, and Mokaihaha).
Te Araroa Trail runs for more than 3,200 km between Cape Reinga and Bluff, along the length of Aotearoa New Zealand’s two main islands. All birds seen and heard along the trail during the austral summer were counted in 1,720 contiguous transects during 124 days of walking from north to south between 2 November 2023 and 11 March 2024 (84.7% of transects were 2 km long). A total of 106,207 birds of 107 species were counted during daylight transects, at a mean encounter rate of 32.6 individuals per km. The highest counts were for house sparrow (Passer domesticus – 12,517 birds), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs – 5,806), and red-billed gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae – 5,427). The species recorded most frequently were chaffinch (62.3% of transects), silvereye (Zosterops lateralis – 58.5%), and Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula – 56.7%). Bird communities are summarised and compared for 19 sections covering the entirety of the trail, providing a baseline for comparisons within regions and over time. Northern and/or southern limits are presented for 30 species with restricted distributions. Comparison of counts along sections of the trail that were trapped (233 km, including 22.4% of forest) with counts from untrapped forest sections revealed that tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), and New Zealand fantails (Rhipidura fuliginosa) were more abundant where predator control was undertaken. Twenty of the fantails seen in the South Island were black morph (5.6%), with the remaining 339 (94.4%) pied morph, indicating that the proportion of black morph birds has been stable over the past two decades. In addition to describing bird communities likely to be encountered on different sections of Te Araroa Trail, this account (and the dataset it is based on) provides a baseline for comparing New Zealand bird communities over time and space.
A colony of the Nationally Vulnerable Hutton’s shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) was established by translocations to Te Rae o Atiu, Kaikōura Peninsula from 2005. Weekly observer visits to the wooden nestboxes, and records from passive integrated transponder readers, provided detailed records of breeding activity. Birds visited many nestboxes in a season, with up to 29 birds recorded at one nestbox, and one bird recorded at 23 nestboxes. Breeding started at 4 years for males and 5 years for females. The pre-laying exodus by females averaged 11.8 days; however, there were instances of birds making up to three brief visits back to the colony. Egg laying was usually on the night of arrival back from the pre-laying exodus, and was asynchronous — average 6 November, but as late as 25 December. There were seven instances of two eggs being found in a nestbox in one season, with evidence of relaying in at least one case. The average hatching date was 13 December, incubation averaged 52 days, with a mean hatching success of 58%. Fledgling period was 87 days on average, with a mean success of 88%, resulting in mean productivity of 52%. Chicks left nestboxes on average 8 nights before fledging, before their first migration to Australian waters. Adults stopped visiting the nestboxes on average 17 days before their chicks fledged for females and 8 days for males. Fledging mass averaged 415 g, 75% of the mean peak mass of 550 g. Single parents successfully fledged a chick when the mate was lost or ceased visiting for up to 71 days before fledging, and a light mass chick (310 g) returned to Te Rae o Atiu and paired up. Divorce occurred in 36% of pairings that did not end with the loss of a partner; 87% of birds had at least one divorce, and one bird lost one mate and divorced six times in 13 years. Nestbox fidelity showed changes by many pairs, especially if there has been a change of partner.
Buller’s albatross Thalassarche bulleri is generally considered to comprise two subspecies: T. b. bulleri, which breeds on islands south of the South Island, New Zealand; and T. b. platei, which nests on the Three Kings Islands, off the northern tip of of the North Island, and on outlying islets of the Chatham Islands east of New Zealand. Although the name platei has been widely applied to the latter population, some authors have suggested that its type specimen is in fact a juvenile T. b. bulleri. As a result, those birds breeding in the Chatham and Three Kings groups have sometimes been considered to represent an unnamed subspecies, or even species, given recent evidence of their genetic differentiation. Because our own morphological examination of the specimen was inconclusive as to which population the type of platei belongs, we subjected the individual to molecular testing. From this, we can confirm that the name platei has been correctly applied to the northern population of Buller’s albatross.
The distributions of birds on the islands of Aitutaki were surveyed 3–13 Oct 2024. We describe 22 resident and migratory species across the 17 islands of the almost-atoll Aitutaki, with regionally important colonies of red-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon rubricauda), red-footed boobies (Sula sula), and wedge-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica), as well as a population of the IUCN-vulnerable blue lorikeet (Vini peruviana)on Aitutaki’s main island. While Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) and cats (Felis catus) are present on some islands, others potentially remain rat-free. Over the last 25 years, the reef island of Motukitiu has undergone a substantial habitat transformation from introduced coconut forest to native atoll broadleaf forest, enabling the recovery of seabirds. Prevalent threats to the birds of Aitutaki include the introduction of additional rat species, spread of Pacific rat to currently rat-free islands within the almost-atoll, unsupervised tourism, and habitat modification on the small islands.
Kororā, little penguin, breed in New Zealand and Australia with two subspecies now recognised after numerous taxonomic revisions: Eudyptula minor minor only in New Zealand, and E.m. novaehollandiae, in Australia and Otago on the southeast coast of South Island, New Zealand. One of the distinguishing features of E.m. novaehollandiae is the possible laying of a subsequent clutch by the same female after successfully fledging chicks (double brooding). In this study in Wellington, North Island, 25–53 nestboxes used for breeding were monitored for 10 years, 2014–2023 to determine abundance and breeding success. From the 380 clutches, 81% of eggs hatched, 87% of hatched chicks fledged, 70% of eggs fledged chicks, and 1.32 chicks fledged per clutch. Micro-chipping of adults from 2021 allowed identification of individuals at most locations. Double brooding was suspected prior to 2021 and was confirmed at one location in 2023. This is the first record of double brooding of kororā on the North Island. Genetic analysis of the female will resolve whether E.m. minor can double brood or if E.m. novaehollandiae has reached the North Island.
Understanding plant invasions is important in conservation ecology and land management, as invasive plant species worldwide have caused irreparable damage and often incur substantial control costs. To record the dispersal vectors for the invasive barberry (Berberis glaucocarpa) in a New Zealand regenerating forest, video cameras were used to film 24 barberry plants in fruit in Kowhai Bush, Kaikoura. During 242 hours of video, a total of 101 foraging events were recorded by four bird species: silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), blackbird (Turdus merula), song thrush (T. philomelos), and starling (Sturnus vulgaris). The four bird species varied in visitation frequency, time spent on plants, and fruit removal rates. The estimated daily contribution to recorded barberry fruit removal was 42.8% by song thrush, 32.6% by silvereye, 24.3% by blackbird, and 0.2% by starling. No endemic bird species were observed feeding on barberry, despite bellbirds (Anthornis melanura) being common in Kowhai Bush. Removal rates for ripe barberry fruit were relatively modest (1.14% per day), but given the ~3 month fruiting season, represented a sizable seed rain in the surrounding forest. Although barberry is now sympatric with several introduced frugivores in New Zealand, none of its dispersers from its native range in Nepal and northern India are present. Instead, dispersal in New Zealand is facilitated primarily by introduced European bird species and native silvereyes.
A collection of 16 birds from Hokianga, including the type specimens of banded rail Hypotaenidia philippensis assimilis and black petrel Procellaria parkinsoni, is recorded as presented to the British Museum in 1842 by a mysterious “Miss Rebecca Stone.” She is identified as Rebecca Stones of London, who presented birds brought from Hokianga by her brother William Stones. A further search for the collector in Hokianga, based on the evidence of the specimens and how they were obtained, prepared and documented, points to the Wesleyan missionary William White, and also reveals much about the practices of ornithology of the time. It also reveals that Hokianga Māori, notably Mohi Tāwhai of Waimā, played a significant role in obtaining and naming birds for the collection. The type localities for New Zealand banded rail, black petrel, and Botaurus melanotus are restricted to Hokianga, Northland.
Understanding the drivers for the seasonal movements of kea at landscape scales is critical to their conservation. Recent developments and increasing use of Global Positioning System (GPS) trackers prompted a small-scale trial on kea (Nestor notabilis) in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park during October 2021 to February 2022. We attached a solar charged Druid Debut Lego™ tracker to four birds: two nesting females, a juvenile male and a recently fledged male. One tracker, with a raised solar panel, transmitted data by 3G cell phone network and the others sent data by 2G GSM cell phone network. The two trackers with raised solar panels collected and transmitted substantially more data than the flush-mounted solar panels. Location data was mapped, and elevation, distances travelled, 24-hour movement patterns and activity behaviour were analysed. The limitations of these GPS trackers are discussed, and recommendations are made for future use of GPS trackers on kea where topographic shading, power consumption, satellite reception, and data transmission are likely to remain significant challenges.