University of Auckland researchers, James Brock and Kathleen Collier, have discovered yet another reason why we really should appreciate our native bat species. It seems short-tailed bats have a role to play in spreading fern spores throughout the forest, helping the spores to spread a greater … [Read more...] about Native bats may have fern dispersal role
Native wildlife
Study compares beetle and wētā responses to mammal eradication
Wētā are one of our most studied insects and are regarded as ‘bioindicators’ of the health of forest ecosystems. So when introduced predators – including mice – were removed from Maungatautari, the response of the local wētā population was followed closely by researchers. Female Auckland tree … [Read more...] about Study compares beetle and wētā responses to mammal eradication
Putting the case for using Māori bird names
Should we be making a greater effort to use Māori bird names in science communication and environmental reporting – promoting their wider everyday use in the community? The answer seems an obvious yes! If fact we already have tūī, kea and kākā, for example. So what’s stopping us? Priscilla … [Read more...] about Putting the case for using Māori bird names
Little penguin breeding success includes ‘triple brooding’
Little penguins in Kaikōura have been doing their bit to try and keep species numbers buoyant – with multiple nesting per breeding season and some birds even resorting to a bit of partner-swapping. It all helped bring successful fledgling numbers up to 1.66 chicks per pair, according to researchers, … [Read more...] about Little penguin breeding success includes ‘triple brooding’
Kingfisher cashes in on bird feeder
Feeding backyard birds is popular in New Zealand – one recent study revealed up to half of us feed the birds in our gardens. It’s usually the seed-eaters and sugar-water sippers that benefit. No-one seems to have invented a feeder for birds that catch their food on the wing – the insectivores like … [Read more...] about Kingfisher cashes in on bird feeder
Kea demonstrate their maths skills
Kea are known to be smart and the more we learn about them, the smarter we realise they are. But did you know kea can do maths? Female kea. Photo: Herb Christophers, Department of Conservation. Yes - it turns out that kea are pretty good at basic mathematical statistics – especially when it … [Read more...] about Kea demonstrate their maths skills
Otago researchers look at uptake of wildlife gardening
Home gardens collectively make up a big chunk of the total green space in our cities, which means they have huge potential to support urban diversity. So how do we encourage more people to become wildlife gardeners? An insect hotel. Photo @ Wildlife Trust. University of Otago researchers … [Read more...] about Otago researchers look at uptake of wildlife gardening
Checking up on the other yellow-eyed penguins
Yellow-eyed penguins (YEPs) are endemic and endangered and the Otago population is declining with poor breeding seasons and high adult mortality. But YEPs live in the sub-Antarctic too. Somewhere between 37% and 49% of the total YEP breeding population are thought to breed in the Auckland Islands … [Read more...] about Checking up on the other yellow-eyed penguins
Oystercatcher on Mokau Estuary reaches venerable old age
How old can an old bird get? It depends on the species of course and the risks of predation and starvation and all the other hazards of a life lived wild. But assuming a bird lives to its ‘full term’ potential, what is ‘old’ in bird lifespans? K-7446 was identified and photographed in 2019 by … [Read more...] about Oystercatcher on Mokau Estuary reaches venerable old age
Human impact on NZ birds measured in millions of years
The conservation decisions we make today will have an impact for millions of years! That’s the conclusion of authors Luis Valente, Rampal Etienne and Juan Garcia, who use New Zealand’s unique bird species as an example of the macroevolutionary impact of humans, in an article recently published in … [Read more...] about Human impact on NZ birds measured in millions of years