Kiwi Coast Northland Project

Supporting and connecting community-led kiwi recovery along the east coast of Northland.

  • About
    • Kiwi Coast Project
    • Kiwi Coast Area
    • Organisations Involved
  • Get Involved
    • How to Get Involved
    • Follow Kiwi
    • List Your Group or Project
    • Kiwi Listening App
    • Sponsorship
  • Community
    • Kiwi Coast Map
    • Groups/Projects Involved
    • Kiwi Coast Events
    • Annual Pest Control Results
    • Contribute News, Events & Photos
  • Results
    • Kiwi Coast Annual Report 2022
    • Pateke (Brown Teal) Ducks
    • Pest Control Results
    • REPORT KIWI
    • Draft Kiwi Call Count Report 2021
  • News
  • Photos
    • Kiwi Photos
    • Kiwi Videos
    • Media Library
  • Education
  • Resources
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • LOGIN
You are here: Home / Kiwi Coast News / Rare Pateke Flourishing on Kiwi Coast

Rare Pateke Flourishing on Kiwi Coast

Analysis of the 2020 Annual Pateke Flock Count data has confirmed that rare pateke are flourishing on the Kiwi Coast.

Pateke (brown teal) are New Zealand’s rarest mainland duck. Kiwi Coast works with community groups, specialist staff at the Department of Conservation (DOC) and NorthTec to assist with the Annual Northland Pateke Flock Counts. Monitoring special native wildlife other than kiwi as part of the Kiwi Coast Indicator Species Monitoring Program, helps to demonstrate the widespread benefits of pest control and community stewardship.

Article by Mike Camm, Tutukaka Landcare Coalition Coordinator.


Pateke at Woolley’s Bay, February 2020. Photo: Malcolm Pullman

In 2005 a fledgling Tutukaka Landcare group was asked to consider a  translocation of pateke to this part of the Northland’s east coast.

Historically it was a stronghold for the species, but at the time their range was confined to Mimiwhangata, Helena Bay and Whananaki.    Thanks to amazing support from the Pateke Recovery group, in particular Dr Ray Pierce, Nigel Miller, and Kevin Evans,  we were able to meet the requirements for a species translocation.

In short, with most of our ducks in a row, trapping, funding,  translocation guide, and iwi approval, we were ready to go.

To spare a few gory details (nothing ever works to plan) between 2007 and 2011, 186 captive bred birds were released into the headwaters of the Te Wairoa stream which drains to the northern end of Matapouri Bay.

All of them were leg banded and some 60 odd fitted with transmitters and followed for 12/18 months.  The transmitters were fitted like mini back packs, with straps designed to disintegrate within this period to protect the birds, and regular checks enabled us to determine the cause of any deaths.

Overall the release was successful, and given that the average life of pateke in the wild is approx 6/7 years, and that now we have no reported sightings of banded birds, its safe to assume that all birds in the district are truly local native born and  bred.

As one would expect not all are content to stay in “lockdown”, and many have flown away to colonise other areas, as indicated by the flock count this year at Dr John Craig’s wonderful wetlands within the Pataua North Landcare area, of 92 birds!

 This years Pateke Flock Count Survey recorded the third highest flock count on record  and birds counted at new sites shows that their distribution continues to expand.

Northland Pateke Flock Count Data, 2020

Nigel Miller, Head of the Pateke Recovery Group, noted:

“Pateke numbers remain stable across Northland, despite the extremely dry conditions.

Notable increases have occurred at the margins of the regional distribution where good predator control is in place such as the Purerua Peninsula and Pataua North.

The combination of good pateke habitat and extensive predator control continue to be the recipe that will return pateke to Taitokerau”.

Also note that the flock sites are not a true indication of the total population –  there could easily be double these numbers spread round the district.

While Tutukaka Landare has been at the pointy end of the stick of this project, it’s essential to remember that we are but a small part of a large collaborative effort including DOC, The Pateke Recovery Group, DOC Biodiversity Condition Funding, Ducks Unlimited, World Wildlife fund, Northland Regional Council, Kiwi Coast  and many of our local Tutukaka businesses.

Not to mention the 12 or more captive breeders round NZ who produce the birds for release, and the Issac Wetland trust near Christchurch who prepared the birds prior to release. Also, lets not forget Air NZ  who fly them round the country free (You’d think they would fly them selves?).

Just think what we can do with a Predator Free NZ!


 

 

Kiwi Coast Events

  • 15/04/2023 - Broadwood - Kohukohu Trapping Day
    • 29/04/2023 - Puke Kopipi Autumn Working Bee
      • 20/05/2023 - Puke Kopipi Working Bee
        • 28/05/2023 - Northland Pest Control Workshop
          • 17/06/2023 - Puke Kopipi Working Bee

            Cart

            Get Kiwi Updates!

            Partners, Funders & Organisations Involved

            Northland Regional Council
            Foundation North
            NZ Department of Conservation
            Hancock Forest Management
            Kiwis for Kiwi Trust
            Ngatiwai Trust Board
            QEII National Trust
            Whangarei District Council

            View all organisations...

            Groups/Projects Involved

            View Groups Directory…
            View Kiwi Coast Map
            Pest Control Results = 591,584

            Quick Links

            List your landcare or community group
            Send us your news, events and photos
            Report kiwi you've seen or heard in your area
            Send us your annual pest control results
            Order Kiwi Coast signs for your group
            View a map of the Kiwi Coast

            Kiwi Resources

            How to Trap Safely in Kiwi Areas
            First Five Years Report - 2018
            Kiwi Coast Strategic Plan
            Northland Pest Control Guidelines
            Kiwi and Dogs brochure
            Where you can exercise your dog
            Download the Kiwi Listening App

            The Kiwi Coast Shop

            Sponsorship Programs
            Make a donation | Kiwi Coast Merchandise
            Shopping Cart | My Account

            Copyright © 2023 Kiwi Coast · Log in