Two New Kiwi Join our ‘Follow a Kiwi’ Sponsorship Progam!

Terry and Graham are both wild, male Northland brown kiwi that hail from the Far North. They live within the Mahinepua – Radar Hill Landcare pest control area and both sound like real characters – it’s going to be interesting to follow their antics, adventures and explorations.

They bring the number of monitored kiwi in the Follow a Kiwi program to eight – which is great news for sponsors. It’s also great news for Kiwi Coast because it means we now have data coming in from monitored kiwi across the region.

This gives us great insights into how wild kiwi may be faring in different locations and in response to different conditions. This may be crucial over the upcoming months. After a very wet winter, there are suggestions that we could be heading into a very dry summer which is often tough on kiwi. The more info we have, the more we will be able to help.

We are currently following:

• Tawhiti Rahi and Te Ao Tahi – Tutukaka Coast
• Chookie – Whangarei
• Agent 07 – West Coast
• The “Puketotara Pair” Harry and Meghan – Bay of Islands
• Terry and Graham – Mahinepua, Far North

Apart from Harry and Meghan, each of the kiwi followed has a transmitter on it’s leg so we can track them from a distance using remote telemetry monitoring equipment. The transmitter sends out data that lets us know where the kiwi is located and things like how long s/he is active each night. We can also use this information to tell when a kiwi is nesting. Except for a six monthly health check and battery change, they are left free to roam. The information received from their transmitters gives amazing insights into their behaviour, lifestyles and activity.

Terry is a wild young male Northland brown kiwi. He is in great shape for his age, weighing in at 1630g  – still some growing to do, he’s just a teenager really!

Too young to breed yet, it will be interesting to follow Terry’s explorations, attempts to find a mate and establish his own territory.

Recently, Terry has been emerging from his burrow right on sunset, and just like a typical teenager often doesn’t head back to bed until 4am!

Find out more about Terry here

Northland brown kiwi often mate for life, and Graham is one such faithful kiwi. He and his mate Matahua (meaning fertile) have stuck together through thick and thin. Monitoring shows that while Matahua produces healthy, fertile eggs,  Graham is not so great at picking wise nest sites – and he’s done it again!

Graham is currently nesting right on the edge of someone’s lawn, close to humans and dogs.

At his last transmitter change in May 2023, Graham was in good condition weighing in at 2025g. He’d lost a little weight since his previous weigh-in – perhaps it was the stress of Matahua nagging him about choosing a better nesting spot?

You can become a kiwi sponsor and follow the lives and adventures of wild Northland kiwi, by signing up to the Kiwi Coast ‘Follow a Kiwi’ Program for $10 per month.

What will they get up to next…? Who will hatch the next chick? Or who seems content, enjoying a bachelor lifestyle ignoring all the females calling through the night to get his attention …? As a Follow the Kiwi Sponsor you will receive news, updates, photos and event invites FIRST!