Bird Sightings
Have you seen or heard a taonga like kōkako or toutouwai in or near the Ark? Or a pest like a raucous cockatoo or 20? Please let us know below. We always appreciate any photos or audio that you have to share as well – get in touch.
Native manu
There are many birds to be seen at the Ark, some of which have been reintroduced to the Waitākere Ranges as a result of successful pest control. We monitor the populations of some species to celebrate their successes, and learn where to target pest control efforts. We encourage our Ark volunteers and neighbours to report sightings of the birds listed below, to contribute to the Ark in the Park’s biodiversity monitoring programme.
The following information will help us target our conservation efforts:
- Date of observation
- Name of observer
- Number of birds
- Whether the birds are banded
- Description of behaviour (eg. calling to unseen bird, carrying nest material, feeding)
- Location (eg. nearest bait station, or street address if outside Ark)
- Any leg bands identified (left/right legs, lists of band combinations can be found below for each species)
Species
Toutouwai Robin
Kōkako (NI)
Intruders
While they may have once been intentionally let loose in our beautiful forests, there are some species that aren’t compatible with healthy native ecosystems. We work alongside others to learn more about them, so we can suppress or eradicate their populations to keep our forests safer for our native species (like those above).
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos
These iconic parrots have caused enough issues for farmers and native wildlife that they’ve made it into Auckland’s Regional Pest Management Plan. Their screeching is regularly heard from the Ark office, with a huge flock visiting a nearby roost site.
Please help us to support Auckland Council’s work to better understand their population and spread throughout all of Tāmaki Makaurau. We’d love to know where they’re foraging, their flight paths, and where they’re roosting.
Photo: Tiaki Tāmaki website