Document library

Annual bird monitoring is carried out throughout the network of Wellington City parks and reserves with the aim of monitoring changes in the diversity, abundance and distribution of native birds in these reserves over time. This report compares the results of the 2011 and 2012 surveys and finds that on average, bird species diversity is lower in Wellington City reserves than in Upper Hutt City reserves. Encounter rates for tui declined significantly between 2011 and 2012, likely caused by local movements of tui in response to changes in food supply. North Island saddleback detection rates also declined significantly between 2011 and 2012, representing a decline in saddleback numbers in the reserves adjacent to Zealandia. Bird distributions in Wellington City are strongly influenced by the dispersal of birds from the predator-free Zealandia sanctuary. North Island robin, saddleback, whitehead and kaka all currently have distributions that radiate out varying distances from Zealandia’s predator-proof fence.