First kaka chick of breeding season banded

ROBERT KITCHIN/ The Dominion Post

BRAVE FRONTRUNNER: A kaka chick named Yellow Mauve Lime gets the once-over from Matu Booth at Karori's wildlife sanctuary.

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Just minutes out of the nest and the terrified chick found himself having two feathers pulled out, a microchip inserted and numerous measurements taken.

Yellow Mauve Lime, named after his leg band colours, was the first kaka chick of this year's breeding season to be banded at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary in Karori on Thursday.

The 538-gram native was a "brave frontrunner" which underwent the experience calmly, Conservation officer Matu Booth said.

As Mr Booth inserted almost his whole arm into the heart of Yellow Mauve Lime's nest, the mother bird and five other kaka squawked overhead but eventually calmed down.

The chick also settled down, and Mr Booth said banding kaka was much more enjoyable than banding other birds, partly because kaka chicks were relatively big and easier to handle.

"Other birds are petrified through the whole process, but a kaka chick invests more energy into taking its surroundings in, even though it's scared stiff."

At the start of each breeding seasons, kaka chicks at the sanctuary are measured, weighed and given a unique combination of coloured bands to identify them when they are about 40 days old.

Last year's chicks all have names that start with "blue" and were the first to be microchipped.

The birds also have two feathers pulled out so their DNA can be extracted and they can be checked for disease.

Mr Booth banded five chicks, all of which were taken from a natural nest, unlike in previous years.

That their mother, Pink Yellow Red, had raised them in a natural nest within the Karori sanctuary was a sign that the birds were thriving in that environment, he said.

Conservation manager Raewyn Empson said more than 150 chicks had already been banded within the safe haven, and those that hatched within the sanctuary had an excellent chance of survival compared with those that faced a tougher future outside.

It was estimated that about 100 kaka lived in the 225-hectare sanctuary, after six birds reared in captivity were set free in the area in 2002.

Kaka had not been seen in the city since the late 19th century, but were now becoming an increasingly common sight around Wellington, she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News