Map of Monitored Kiwi

Another Kiwi Killed by Dog

“Sprat” – Wild-hatched Kiwi

Unfortunately, when checking Sprat’s monthly location for July, the signal from his transmitter was a “mortality signal” – meaning either he was dead or he had dropped his transmitter. When located, all that was left of Sprat was a pile of bones and a few feathers. The bones showed evidence of a dog kill (broken ribs and a puncture wound to the skull). The data from the transmitter gave his date of death as around the 24 June 2010. We have been checking with locals at the Nook for any sightings of uncontrolled dogs around that (or any other) time. Sprat was a wild hatched kiwi who had become “Jackie’s” partner last season and we had put a transmitter on him to monitor nesting (the dad’s sit on the eggs). Unfortunately 50 years of potential breeding by Sprat has been lost.

Here’s the July update for monitored kiwi in the Whangarei Heads, as reported by Todd Hamilton, WHLF kiwi ranger:

Dallas is in the pines north of the Whangarei Heads School and is coming up on 2 years old so had his transmitter upgraded to a “Chick Timer” transmitter to check for any nesting.

Darwin is hanging around the wetlands by Lamb Road and is also sporting a new transmitter. He is in excellent condition and weighting 2425g.

Daniel – is settled in the bush on the north side of Kauri Mt Road .

Xmas is still hanging around the edge of the recently logged horse paddock at Mcleod Bay

Violet is still in the pampas by Bay View road.

Lambert is once again showing himself to be a good breeder and is nesting on the west side of Taurikura Ridgewith chicks due in early October..

Whitu – is also nesting on the face of Mt Aubry above the Reotahi carpark and if successful should produce a chick or chicks around the end of September.

Dog Killed Kiwi Chick
Unfortunately a kiwi chick was killed by a dog in the Bream Head reserve recently. Someone was either illegally walking their dog there or the dog had wandered there the previous night. The 900g chick was found on the walking track on the way to the gun emplacement by locals out for a Sunday morning walk. This chick was a wild hatched chick that was getting close to stoat proof size. DoC have taken saliva samples from the body to DNA test to help identify the dog.
Here’s the May update for monitored kiwi in the Whangarei Heads, as reported by Todd Hamilton, WHLF kiwi ranger:

– Dallas is in a paddock of pampas just west of the Whangarei Heads School

– Jackie and Sprat are hanging out together at the Nook – hopefully getting ready to nest.

– Darwin has moved back to his favourite haunt in a pampas patch at the end of Lamb Road.

– Sleepy – had to catch Sleepy twice this month, once to upgrade his transmitter to a chick timer and then again a week later because the mercury switch in the new transmitter was faulty giving a mortality signal (if the tx does not move for 24 hours it trips a mortality signal). He was 2200g in weight.

– Xmas is still hanging around the edge of the recently logged horse paddock at Mcleod Bay.

– Violet is in the pampas by Bay View road- she had her 6 monthly check and was 2560g in weight and her bill was 132.9mm (she was 2440g and 126.6mm six months ago so she is still growing at coming up to 3 years old).

– Lambert is still playing hard to get in the gorse at the top of Taurikura Ridge.

– King – haven’t managed to get a signal from King this month, this is not uncommon for him as he often tucks himself down on the flax covered coastal cliffs at Kauri Mt.
It is the kiwi breeding season at present so the birds are calling each other regularly in the evening so it is good time to listen for kiwi in your backyard.

Monitored Kiwi Map June 2010

Here’s the April update for monitored kiwi in the Whangarei Heads, as reported by Todd Hamilton, WHLF kiwi ranger:

– Dallas is just west of the Whangarei Heads School

– Jackie has returned from her stint on the Parua Bay side of the Nook and is back with mate Sprat on the western end of the Nook

– Darwin is still in the wetland by Lamb Road looking for some soft ground and any potential mates.

– Sleepy has moved from the Kiteone Road side of Oxborrows’ farm to the Nook road side.

– Xmas is hanging around the edge of the recently logged horse paddock at Mcleod Bay.

– Violet has moved from the upper slopes of Mt Aubry down to the pampas by Bay View road

– Lambert is due his 6 monthly tx band check but is playing hard to get in the gorse at the top of Taurikura Ridge.

– King had his 6 monthly check – he was 1960g, his bill was 100.4 and he is in reasonable condition.

– With the bit of rain we have had the adult kiwi should be starting to feed up well for the imminent breeding season – the birds should be calling each other regularly now in the evening so it is good time to listen for kiwi in your backyard.

What some of our monitored kiwi are up to

Click here for the map of monitored kiwi.

Here’s the March update for monitored kiwi in the Whangarei Heads, as reported by Todd Hamilton:

– All monitored kiwi alive

– Xmas: was nesting near where logging of WDC pines took place in McLeod Bay, but stopped nesting and moved away from logging area. On a side note, the logging crew have been very good- I have monitored birds regularly and kept them updated but geeze logging makes a lot of noise.

– Violet: has moved away from logging area near the Club and settled onto Mt Aubry

– JR: has also moved away from an area of earthworks

– According to our “chick timers” there are no other nesters – all timers are indicating high activity (10 hours)- ie: they are moving, not nesting!

– Performed biometrics update for Dallas and Sleepy

– Performed a transmitter change for Sleepy (finally)

Click here for the map of monitored kiwi.