Another 26 spotted kiwi to island

Twenty-six little spotted kiwi have been moved from Kapiti Island to the Hauraki Gulf in a programme to boost the endangered native bird's population.

The joint Conservation Department-Motuihe Trust initiative flew the birds last week, care of Air New Zealand, to their new home on Motuihe Island, which, like Kapiti Island, is predator-free.

Trust volunteer Steve Nelson said the birds were captured, measured and inspected, placed in travelling boxes, ferried to the mainland, driven to Wellington Airport and flown to Auckland before being ferried to Motuihe Island and placed in burrows by nightfall.

In the first stage of the project, 14 little spotted kiwi made the day-long trip from Kapiti to Motuihe Island last year and with 40 now residing in the reserve, their numbers are expected to increase.

"Hopefully they are establishing themselves now and breeding," Mr Nelson said.

There are about 1600 little spotted kiwi nationwide, of which 1200 are on Kapiti Island.

The trust had also transferred native parrots and saddlebacks to the 180-hectare Motuihe Island.

In May, bellbirds from the Auckland region will join the island's native bird population.

Motuihe is a recreational reserve and is open to the public.

"It is predator-free and a good environment for re-establishing populations of endangered native birds," Mr Nelson said.

- © Fairfax NZ News