Four adult kiwi have made a planned escape from their managed isolation on an island in the Whangarei harbour to a luxurious lifestyle on the Tutukaka Coast. The lucky birds were welcomed to Tawapou farm on Sunday by nearly 300 visitors who had a chance to see the birds close up before they were released into the wild. They are now part of … [Read more...]
News & Events
Click on the titles below to read the latest news and events from the Kiwi Coast community.
Teina Tries to Hatch “Rocky”
Teina the kiwi's first nesting attempt, has not quite gone to plan! Initial news of Teina's nesting was met with much joy, as it was the first known kiwi nest in decades for the Owhiwa Landcare Group who are working hard to clear out the pests, keep dogs well controlled and help their small wild kiwi population flourish again. Unfortunately, … [Read more...]
Freemasons Sponsor Kiwi Coast AT220 Field Trial
Thanks to sponsorship from the Freemasons, Kiwi Coast is running a field trial of NZ Autotraps AT220 mechanically re-setting NAWAC approved possum and rat trap with three Northland community-led projects in 2021. Kiwi Coast is keen to support the development of new pest control technology and tools that will help Northland projects find … [Read more...]
Good News and Bad News for Owhiwa Kiwi
Which do you want first? The good news or bad news for Owhiwa kiwi? The good news, is that today the first kiwi chick in decades has been found in the Owhiwa Landcare area. At just 577g, the chick was at it's most vulnerable - especially to predators such as stoats, that kill 95% of kiwi chicks before their first birthday. Once over 1kg, kiwi … [Read more...]
How Kiwi are Like Elephants!
The closest relative to the kiwi has been found, by DNA analysis, to be the extinct Madagascan Elephant bird. These birds were huge and no doubt called the Elephant bird due to their size. However the kiwi possibly has more in common with an elephant! The extra long bill of the kiwi could be seen as similar to an elephant’s trunk. In both the … [Read more...]
Back-To-Back Kiwi Releases Bring 19 Kiwi To Whangārei
Whangārei’s wild kiwi population has been enriched with a further 19 birds at two back-to-back kiwi releases held in one weekend. More than 450 people took the opportunity to meet the wild kiwi up close before they were released and hear how they can help keep them safe. The first release was held on Saturday (February 13th) by the Pukenui … [Read more...]
Project Island Song Reintroduce Wētāpunga to Northland
One of the world’s heaviest insects, wētāpunga or giant weta, have been reintroduced to Northland by Project Island Song after at least a 180-year absence. Article by Project Island Song. An exciting three-year re-introduction programme through a partnership between Project Island Song and Auckland Zoo has seen the first 100+ … [Read more...]
Second Kiwi Coast Kaka & Bellbird Survey Underway!
Every five years, the Kiwi Coast Trust conducts a Kaka and Bellbird Survey in partnership with NorthTec. These birds are currently rare in Northland, but it is hoped that over time they will become more common in response to the significant amount of pest control being carried out by groups and projects linked in to Kiwi Coast. The survey … [Read more...]
Russell Kiwi Protection: 2020 Highlights
2020 was a challenging year for some, but Russell Landcare stalwarts refused to be daunted and still achieved amazing results! Project Coordinator Eion Harwood, reflects on the achievements to date and highlights of 2020: Russell Landcare Trust’s “Russell Kiwi Protection” project has come a long way since starting in 2016. Over the last … [Read more...]
Xmas Retirement Present for Whitu
Whitu the wild Whangarei Heads kiwi has well and truly earned his transmitter-retirement after 15 years! Article by Todd Hamilton, Backyard Kiwi Project Manager We have been radio monitoring Whitu for 15 years now. He has been a fantastic ambassador for the kiwi at the Heads. Monitoring his movements and following his life has … [Read more...]