takahe |

Kapiti Island takahē flies the nest

Department of Conservation — 04/09/2014

By Megan Martin, Partnerships Ranger, Wellington

A few years ago Kawa, a much loved female takahē, was transferred off Kapiti Island and ended up at the Te Anau Wildlife Centre.

She’s a beautiful, happy bird and is a real star down there—always drawing a crowd.

Kawa being released by Mitre10 staff at Te Anau Wildlife Park. Photo: Barry Harcourt.

Kawa being released at Te Anau Wildlife Park

Kawa is also very fat. She loves sweetcorn but the staff have to watch her diet because all that sugary starch isn’t good for this chick’s waistline.

Although Kawa wasn’t a particularly successful breeder, her genes were already over-represented in the takahē population, so she was paired up with an infertile male, Tumbles.

Each year, Kawa and Tumbles produce infertile eggs which are replaced with fertile ones because they are such awesome foster parents.

Kawa feeding her foster chick at Te Anau Wildlife Park.

Kawa being an excellent foster mother and feeding her chick

At the moment Kawa and Tumbles are also trialling a new type of harness. No, not so they can be taken for walks, but to test how comfortable a new style of radio transmitter harness might be for the wild takahē roaming ‘round the Murchison Mountains.

When the harness was fitted to Kawa the rangers had difficulty finding her keel, or breastbone. Usually this would stick out, but in Kawa’s case there is a little extra padding, so a considerably smaller harness than the one Kawa wears will have to be used on the wild birds!

Tumbles the takahē puffing up his feathers.

Kawa’s partner in Te Anau, Tumbles

From Kapiti Island girl to foster mother and harness model in Te Anau – we’re proud of you, Kawa!

In Native animals, Takahē Birds, kapiti island, takahe, Te Anau

Jobs at DOC: Catherine Brimecombe, Biodiversity Ranger

Department of Conservation — 30/05/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Catherine Brimecombe, Biodiversity Ranger at the Te Anau Wildlife Park…

At work

Some things I do in my job include:

Cleaning aviaries, preparing bird food, arranging ‘enrichment’ for kea and kaka, guiding groups for daily takahē feeding and weekly ‘Breakfast with the Birds’ events through summer.

Catherine sitting with a group of children from a local school.

At work with a group of children from one of our local schools

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:

Helping people meet birds! People get to come into the takahē enclosure and spend time watching Tumbles, Kawa, Hebe and Monty. Judging by the wonder that people express, I am confident these encounters won’t be forgotten. When something stirs your heart, there’s no limit to the possibilities. Our ambassador birds are inspiring!

The funniest (retrospectively) DOC moment I’ve had so far was:

Arriving at work one morning to find the kea cage wide open. The lack of a note from the Animal Liberation Front told me that I had failed to padlock the outer door correctly. The birds had opened the inner door and enjoyed a night of freedom. Now they were sitting on top of the aviary eyeing me smugly. I remember the sensation of my blood running cold, I was so horrified (I was pretty new in the job). Luckily three of the four birds simply returned to their favourite perches when they were due for a sleep and the fourth was caught a day or two later without having come to harm.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is:

I am surrounded by extraordinarily hard working and committed people, I couldn’t pick one.

On a personal note…

Most people don’t know that:

I am Australian by birth.

My stomping ground is:

My childhood stomping ground was the Tukituki River in Hawkes Bay. The river is part of me. A few years ago I took my daughter back to swim where I swam during those endless summers of childhood, and we found a sign warning the public to avoid contact with the water.

Catherine holding a kiwi at Lake Manapouri.

Volunteering for the Pomona Island Charitable Trust on one of Lake Manapouri’s kiwi crèche islands

If I could trade places with any other person for a week—famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional—it would be:

Tank Girl. If you don’t know who she is, best you don’t look her up.

My best ever holiday was:

Tonga, last winter, because I had never snorkelled before. No matter how many fantastic reef life documentaries you watch, nothing can prepare you for seeing the real thing. That’s why my job, helping people to meet birds, matters.

In my spare time:

I weed bust and bird watch.

If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be:

Mohua, because they are so absolutely engaged in everything they do, and I love the way they use their whole bodies when they are fossicking for insects.

NOT a natural redhead!

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is:

‘We judge ourselves by our intentions, others judge us by our actions’.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:

’Your body is not a temple, it is an adventure playground’ (Oh, wait, that was the worst advice…)

In work and life I am motivated by:

The conviction that today is special and I need to wring as much pleasure and productivity out of it as I can!

The crowds at Te Anau Wildlife Park watching the takahē and duck.

Tarks (and duck!) in action, wowing the crowds

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:

Conservation goes well with company. Find out if there is a local weed busting, community nursery or predator control group in your area, they’ll welcome your help.

Question of the week…

My favourite planet? Earth. Unless Planet Takahē is found to exist I am definitely picking Earth, only known home to takahē, and, of course, chocolate.

In Jobs at DOC Biodiversity, ranger, takahe, Te Anau, Wildlife Park

Takahē mission in the Murchison Mountains

Department of Conservation — 17/04/2014

By Helen Dodson, Takahē Engagement Ranger

What do an All Black and a DOC takahē ranger have in common? Tricky footwork and some good catching skills!

Nifty cornering and tackling are a pre-requisite for catching a takahē in a small pen, but substitute that pen with a 50,000 hectare mountain range and you really have your work cut out for you!

DOC rangers banding a takahē in the Murchison Mountains.

Banding takahē in the Murchison Mountains

In early autumn the ‘Tark Team’ (DOC takahē programme rangers based in Fiordland) headed off into the Murchison Mountains to catch takahē. We wanted to get an idea of how many chicks had successfully hatched over the summer, fit them with identifying leg bands and transmitters and change some transmitters on adult birds. It was also a good chance to get a rough census of the wild takahē population too.

A fine day in the Murchison Mountains

Luckily for us, about half the birds in the Murchison Mountains are fitted with transmitters which helps narrow the search considerably. We also had our team supplemented with some specially trained DOC species dogs, including takahē tracker extraordinaire “Yuki”. But it still didn’t all go our way.

Looking for takahē

We used the radio signals emitted by the transmitters to locate the takahē in the large alpine basins. Alternatively the dogs would signal the presence of birds without transmitters.

Then, hunkered down behind tussocks, we played recordings of takahē calling to coax birds toward us, or at least get them to call back and reveal their exact location.

Takahē are territorial and will often reply to the call and even move to intercept an interloper. Our strategy seemed sound, and it worked… mostly…sort of.. except for those birds in Takahē Valley who consistently evaded us.

If you’ve ever seen a takahē, they look large and slow and act quite casual and relaxed. But be aware that it’s all a front. They are fast on their feet and amazingly skilled at ducking and dodging. Our best hope of catching them was when they froze under a tussock thinking we couldn’t see them. The trouble is quite often we couldn’t… and once we could they were gone!

Here’s where I admit I’m not an experienced takahē catcher. Scrambling through and over thick scrub is not a problem and launching into a dive tackle is okay, but the speed that the birds can change directions and appear somewhere completely different to where they were the moment before, is mind boggling.

Thankfully we do have some experienced folk so, if the All Blacks coach is looking for a new wing, I can recommend ranger Glen. Second five eight call ranger Martin and for an open-side flanker you just couldn’t bypass ranger Phil!

Caught! A young takahē

The good news is we’re fairly confident that this season we’ve got 8-10 new takahē chicks in our wild population in the Murchison Mountains. The other news is sometime soon we’ll be spending a few more days trying to catch those birds that outsmarted and evaded us in Takahē Valley.

In Fiordland, Native animals Banding, Murchison Mountains, species dog, takahe, transmitters

A year in the life of Pitt the takahē

Department of Conservation — 02/01/2014

Takahē live interesting lives and, thanks to Biodiversity Ranger, Chris Birmingham, we’ve got our hands on the 2013 diary of one of the Maud Island locals. So, for your reading pleasure, may we present to you… A year in the life of Pitt, the matriarchal takahē’:

January

It’s January 2013. I feel it’s time to leave Roy. He’s a nice guy but I don’t think he’s fatherhood material.

We’ve been out here on the Peninsula now for a while, and he didn’t do a great job of incubating our eggs last year, and they failed to hatch. I can’t describe my disappointment when the rangers came and told me my egg had failed, and that I wouldn’t be a mother this year. Again! Poor genetics they said! Pffft! There is nothing wrong with my genes, it’s these men they keep trying to pair me up with! I have great Fiordland takahē genes!

Time to go. And besides, I miss the fig tree at the ranger’s house. Roy never really did like figs.

Pitt the takahē carry a fig in her beak.

I love pinching figs from the ranger’s tree

February

Dear diary, now it’s February, I packed my bags under my wing and left Roy and moved back to Home Bay. When I got here I discovered a new pair of takahē had taken over my old stomping ground.

No, no, no, no, no this is not good enough! Don’t they understand the pecking order here? You can’t just arrive and expect to take up the best territory! It doesn’t work like that.

But wait….that Kowhai is quite a handsome bird isn’t he? Strong looking, cute, and from Burwood Bush too—my old home. He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but you can’t have it all I guess. Can’t say I like his girlfriend Harper much though, too clingy, he’d be much better off without her.

March

Dear diary, now it’s’ March. I knew it wouldn’t be hard to woo Kowhai away from Harper. She clearly underestimated the power and charm of an older woman. I saw her off with the help of my old nemeses from up the hill, The Captain and Rangi. Rangi might be in her twilight years now, but she still loves a good fracas! And they know me well enough to stay up the hill too! Now to make Kowhai mine for good!

Couple months later

Dear diary, it’s been a couple of months now since I lassoed Kowhai. I have taught him in the ways of the fig and the feijoa, and showed him how to get the most out of the rangers here on Maud. People are easy to train, takahē not so!

Winter’s coming, time to batten down the hatches and hunker down.

Pitt the takahē with ruffled feathers on her head.

What do you think of my new hairstyle?

Several months later

Dear diary, it’s several months since my last entry. Things were so great for so long, now Kowhai is gone! Oh, woe is me! That strumpet Pango from over the hill came and stole him from me. Is this karma coming to burn me for taking him from Harper? Now she has paired up with Roy, and I am alone again. A girl could just cry. If takahē cried, of course.

One week later

Dear diary, it’s one week since Kowhai left. I am hoarse from calling for him, but I get no reply. He must have gone off to the other side of the island. I can’t even find consolation in food anymore.

Two weeks later

Dear diary, week two of flying solo. I was just about to steel myself and head over the hill to get Kowhai back from that wanton harlot, when who should turn up? Kowhai!

Seems Pango wasn’t half the woman I am! I was so pleased so to see him again, but I didn’t let on…too much. I let him know in no uncertain terms that if he did that again, the welcome mat wouldn’t be so welcoming next time. In fact, don’t bother coming back! But I love the way he grooms me, and runs around like a fool sometimes when he gets startled. This must be love?

Spring

Dear diary, we made it through winter and now it is spring. I am starting to feel ‘clucky’. Kowhai and I are taking turns chasing each other round the Lodge lawn. Spring is definitely in the air! I think it’s time to show Kowhai how to build a nest.

Late October

Dear diary, it’s late October now, we’ve been busy. Building a good nest takes time. Kowhai isn’t the most technically apt nest builder, but he more than makes up for lack of skill with enthusiasm!

And now, guess what!? I am sitting on an egg! A creamy little speckled orb of joy! I am so excited, and so is Kowhai. It’s his second go at incubating—he tells me had a go at Burwood but it didn’t work. Never mind, with some careful guidance from an old hand like me, we’ll get there! I have a good feeling about this year. It’s hard to believe I have been in this position many times before, but never enjoyed the thrill of raising my own chick.

A Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue box on Maud Island.

Maud Island, the perfect place to be a takahē

Early November

Dear diary, It’s early November and today the ranger came and “candled” my egg. I hate this part, though I accept it’s all part of the process. I trust them implicitly with my egg so I stand up and let them take it out. I know they want it to hatch as badly as I do. They shine a torch through it and check for development in the embryo. I hear excited murmurs from them and soon my egg is placed carefully back under me. They know what I already do, it’s fertile! A mother always knows. I tuck the egg back under me and smugly drift off to sleep in my warm nest. Kowhai isn’t so sure and paces about outside. I reassure him with a few soft “narks”.

Mid November

Dear diary, it’s mid November now, and today my egg internally pipped! My little chick has broken out if its internal membrane and is ready to start pecking its way out of the outer egg shell!

I call Kowhai over, this is the most exciting part of the whole process. I talk to it, encouraging it out of its dark calcium cocoon, it talks back, peeping away and struggling to break the outer shell with its’ cute little “egg tooth” on the end of its beak.

Over the next few hours it chips away until suddenly it breaks the whole end of the egg off and rolls out, a delicate little wet bundle of joy!

24 hours later

Dear diary, it’s been 24 hours now since our baby hatched. Kowhai and I are beside ourselves with happiness. I know the rangers are too, they knew when it would hatch and have come to listen for it. I can hear their joy when they hear it chirping away to me! I have kept it warm under me, letting it dry out and now it is a little ball of black fluff, squeaking away like crazy, so hungry, so curious to get out of the nest. Don’t be in such a hurry little one, the world will wait for you! Now the mammoth task of raising our chick begins, are you ready, Kowhai?

December

Dear Diary, I’ve been too busy raising my precious new chick to find time for my diary. Kowhai is coping being a new dad and our crazy, hungry, and now rather loud chick is getting big—I know what they mean now when they say they grow up so fast.

It has been a rough year of highs and lows, but having our new wee chick has bought a stunning end to 2013.

A new takahē chick to end 2013!

In Native animals Awareness Month, Maud Island, ranger, takahe, Takahe Rescue

Photo of the week: Takahē Expedition

Department of Conservation — 20/11/2013

If you’re a regular reader of the blog then you’d be aware that this month we’re giving special attention to the critically endangered takahē. Today, however, is extra special because on 20 November 1948 — exactly 65 years ago — takahē were rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains in Fiordland.

“It’s either a damned big swampy [swamp hen, or pukeko], or it’s it,” whispered Dr Geoffrey Orbell to his companions, when they spotted the first bird.

Today’s photo of the week shows Dr Robert Falla (left) holding a takahē chick and Dr Geoffrey Orbell (right), in Takahe Valley, Fiordland.

To celebrate takahē, and to highlight their plight, Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue are running events throughout November, including the chance to win the Ultimate Takahē Experience in the Murchison Mountains.

Learn more about Takahē Awareness Month on the DOC website.

In Fiordland, Native animals Falla, Orbell, takahe, Takahe Awareness Month