1Nov 29, 2017
Our Seabird Conservation Advocate, Karen Baird, was in Blenheim and Kaikoura running an international seabird identification course for BirdLife International. Better collection and sharing of information can help us reduce fishing bycatch to zero. It is essential to know what seabird species are being caught, where, and how many, to be able to take international […]
2Jun 14, 2017
Standing as tall as a school ruler and weighing about the same as a bottle of milk is the worlds’ smallest penguin, the Little Penguin or Eudyptula minor, more commonly known as Korora in New Zealand and Fairy penguin in Australia. In New Zealand we recognise four variants – the Northern, Southern, White-flippered and Chatham […]
3Jun 14, 2017
Fiordland crested penguins, or Tawaki are about to arrive on New Zealand’s West Coast beaches, locate their nests, woo their mates and prepare to breed. Weird, but they lay two eggs, one big and one small, however usually only the second larger egg and chick will succeed. If it’s not predated. And if the parents […]
4May 1, 2017
Did you know that New Zealand is the penguin capital of the world, with more than half the species breeding in our territory? There are 18 species of penguins in the world, ten of which are at risk of extinction. Half of those threatened species live and breed close by in New Zealand and on […]
5Feb 8, 2017
Great Barrier Island’s Mount Hobson (Hirakimata) stands 621 metres tall and is home to the largest breeding colony of black petrel (taiko) in the world. Ecologist Rachel Hufton shares her experience monitoring their populations. The slopes of Mt Hobson are covered in semi-mature forest, with the remnants of precious ancient conifer forests. The forest is […]
6Feb 4, 2016
This post contains graphic images that some readers may find disturbing. Photos of a shag that was snagged in a tree after it became tangled in recreational fishing line are a shocking reminder to make an effort to minimise seabird by-catch when you’re out fishing this summer. Shags are undoubtedly the most persistent and frustrating birds when you […]
7Dec 21, 2015
A walk along New Zealand’s coast over 800 years ago would have been very risky. You were highly likely to break your ankle as you collapsed one (or more) seabird burrows honeycombing the countryside. There were literally billions of seabirds inhabiting not only the coast but also far inland, breeding successfully on virgin land in […]
8Nov 2, 2015
An incredible 600 delegates from 52 countries have come together for the 2nd World Seabird Conference in Cape Town. They will share insights and research on the conservation of the world’s seabirds. According to BirdLife International, seabirds are our most at-risk group of birds in the world. The global nature of seabirds means they know no […]
9Nov 6, 2014
Albatrosses are one of the most inspiring of marine creatures, gliding effortlessly on huge broad wings across the oceans. They have the longest wingspan of any bird. Perhaps we humans envy them, just a bit, for their apparent freedom to fly across the oceans anywhere that takes their fancy, only returning to land every two […]