Flesh-footed shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) are considered to be one of New Zealand’s seabird species that is most heavily impacted by both commercial and recreational fisheries, yet they have an IUCN ranking of “Least Concern”. To resolve this contradiction we conducted surveys on 3 large breeding colonies and compared our results to historical data. We found that the burrow density on the most northerly island (Lady Alice Island/Mauimua) has increased since the last set of surveys; however the density of flesh-footed shearwaters nests has remained stable. At the largest colony we surveyed (Ohinau Island), the density of burrows has remained stable, while the density of nests has declined. At New Zealand’s most southerly colony (Titi Island), both burrow and nest densities have remained stable. Our results suggest that the status of flesh-footed shearwaters populations in New Zealand is variable with 2 populations that are stable and 1 that is declining. Nevertheless, due to the short time period between our surveys and the historical data, repeated surveys in the future are needed to determine if further declines in the largest colony warrant a reassessment of the status of this species.
Of 4 importations of Canada goose Branta canadensis into New Zealand, 2 (in 1905, 1920) resulted in breeding. Commencing in 1907, multiple and repeated releases of the 1905 geese and their progeny had, by 1922, established flocks of several hundred distributed along the eastern Canterbury and Otago foothills of the Southern Alps. Thereafter, the geese spread widely but remained resident and breeding only in the South Island. Establishment of Canada geese in North Island commenced in 1969 with the first of 4 transfers by the Wildlife Service, collectively totalling 280 birds from Canterbury’s Lakes Ellesmere and Forsyth, to coastal Wairoa lakes and nearby locations. The Wildlife Service assisted numerous other transfer and release initiatives, of at least 800 birds, in North Island in the 1970s and 1980s, principally by Wellington and Auckland Acclimatisation Societies, Ducks Unlimited, and private waterfowl enthusiasts. At the same time it supported transfers of 450 geese to the South Island’s West Coast. From these multiple releases Canada geese have become widespread in rural New Zealand.
Kiwi (Apteryx spp.) are the most vocal of the ratites. Of the 5 Apteryx species only 2 have previously been subject to detailed vocal analysis: the North Island brown kiwi (A. mantelli) and the little spotted kiwi (A. owenii). This paper describes the vocalisations of the great spotted kiwi (A. haastii), the largest of the Apteryx species. Acoustic recorders were installed near the breeding den sites of 7 great spotted kiwi pairs residing in Hawdon Valley, Canterbury between November 2012 and March 2013. A total of 133 whistle vocalisations from 10 individuals were subject to detailed temporal and spectral analysis. Male and female syllables were found to be sexually dimorphic; syllables in male calls tended to be longer and more highly pitched than their female counterparts. Despite this dimorphism, patterns of intra-call variation were consistent between the sexes. It appears that intra-call variation is a trait which varies markedly within the Apteryx genus.
Prior to 1992 the total population of New Zealand king shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus) was estimated to be about 300 individuals. Between 1992 and 2002, colonies in the outer Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand were surveyed by boat and the total population was estimated to be 645 birds. About 92% of all birds occurred at Duffers Reef, North Trio Island, Sentinel Rock, and White Rocks, with an estimated 102-126 breeding pairs. A survey in February 2015 was the first to be conducted from the air. All colonies were photographed within 44 minutes prior to the morning departure and the total population was estimated to be 839 individuals. A total of 187 pairs/nests were recorded using aerial 3D images of all breeding colonies in June 2015. North Trio Island was the largest breeding colony with 33.7% of all nests, followed by Duffers Reef with 18.7% of all nests. Despite the larger revised population size, the species remains Nationally Endangered.
It is difficult to locate and monitor populations of the New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) because the terrain they occupy is frequently inhospitable and the traditional method of walking transects lines to locate nest sites is arduous and time consuming. For this reason we developed and trialled a low-priced broadcasting system that amplifies pre-recorded vocalisations to attract falcons, which we then used to locate their nest sites. We tested the system on 20 falcons in the Kaingaroa and Pan Pac forests on the North Island. Both sexes responded but males responded more frequently. We conclude that the system can rapidly and accurately locate falcons in a large plantation forest during the summer breeding season.