The holiday season is fast approaching and we have some fantastic gift ideas that our native species will enjoy too! Essential gifts for the backyard Buy a bird feeder Attract native birds to your garden with this New Zealand designed bird feeder kit. Nectar-eating birds such as tūī, bellbird, silvereye, kākā and hihi can drink … Continue reading Our 2021 holiday feel-good gift guide
Things you should know
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Get your family excited about helping our native species with these easy, practical activities. Whether you’re having a quiet rainy day or you’re looking for an outdoor project to spruce up your garden, we have 5 fun activities that will help the birds, bugs and lizards in your backyard. We hope you find something you want … Continue reading 5 fun conservation activities for the family
We may be a nation of bird nerds but our native geckos are noteworthy too! There are at least 44 species of native geckos, and more continue to be discovered. From mountain ranges to a messy backyard, geckos inhabit a variety of New Zealand habitats. All of our native lizards, both geckos and skinks, are … Continue reading 5 NZ geckos found nowhere else in the world
New Zealanders join trapping groups for a number of reasons. They may want to protect our native species, leave our country in a better state for future generations or they may feel a strong sense of personal responsibility. Beyond the selfless motivations, joining a trapping group can be of great personal benefit. There are hundreds … Continue reading 5 reasons why it’s time to join your local trapping group
It’s warming up. Our days are getting longer. Many of us are keen to get out and enjoy the outdoors, even if it’s in our own backyards. A lot of our native birds are busy at this time building nests, incubating eggs and getting extra food for hungry chicks. Introduced predators like possums and rats … Continue reading Our top tips for Springtime
In the 1830s rabbits were brought to New Zealand, and within a few decades, their population had ballooned. By 1870 they were considered an agricultural pest and farmers were desperate for a way to control their numbers. Many saw the solution to introduce ferrets, the natural predators of rabbits in England, even though some naturalists … Continue reading 5 Surprising Ferret Facts
We’ve pulled together some tips to make your trap more effective. 1. Know your rat To trap rats successfully you need to know more about them, specifically their behaviours and what motivates them. Here are some interesting facts you should know about them: Rats thrive around humans Humans provide lots of food sources for rats … Continue reading Troubleshooting tips: What to do when your rat trap isn’t catching any rats
New Zealand’s most commonly encountered reptile is the skink. You may have even spotted one in your garden. It is estimated we have around 60 native species of skinks that are widely distributed across the country and some have only been discovered in the last decade. None of our native lizards (both geckos and skinks) … Continue reading 5 NZ skinks found nowhere else in the world
Love the idea of attracting native wildlife into your backyard? Here are 5 ways to make your garden a safe haven. 1. Trap rats Attracting native species to your backyard is great but make sure it’s a safe place for the birds, bugs and lizards that visit. Rats prey upon native birds, chicks and eggs, … Continue reading 5 ways to make your garden a safe haven for native species
The possum was introduced three years before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and can now be found throughout the country, all the way from Rakiura Stewart Island to Cape Reinga. It has taken us more than a hundred years from when possums were first introduced here to understand the gravity of the damage they … Continue reading 7 surprising facts you should know about possums
It hasn’t got the huge international fanbase of the kākāpō, the show-stopper song of a tūī, bellbird or kōkako or the national icon status of kiwi. Ngutuparore – the wrybill – is a modest little river plover that no-one takes much notice of. But the wrybill’s got something that’s not found in any other bird … Continue reading Little bird has bend in beak
Have you ever wondered what kind of wildlife hang out in your garden? There are sure to be birds, but are there weta in your woodpile? Do geckos lurk in your trees and bushes? Are skinks secretly sunbathing on big warm stones or in the longer grass? Skinks and geckos can be secretive. They scuttle … Continue reading Going on a Backyard Safari
The mohua, or yellowhead, is a small bird with a bright yellow head and breast. Early settlers called it the ‘bush canary’ because of its colour and beautiful song. The mohua’s story is a familiar one, of population decline since the 1800s. In the 1800s, the mohua was one of the most common birds in … Continue reading Mohua facts