NZFT Trust

Most young Tara iti have taken to the skies. The Mangawhai fledglings have been seen exploring the estuary with parents, Waipu chicks are exploring the wider area and the Papakanui family were seen at a roost further away from their nest site. The Pakiri pair have gone back to Pakiri after hatching their chicks at … Read moreTara Iti Tales – January 2025

Waipu’s 2 chicks are growing fast, while Mangawhai currently has 10 chicks from 6 nests with maybe 3 to come. Papakanui has 1 chick with another due shortly. Total eggs laid 27, a record! The older captive reared chicks in the aviary have been taking surprisingly long flights recorded by their tracking devices. They have … Read moreTara Iti Tales – December 2024 (2)

Two tiny chicks have hatched at Waipu keeping the parents busy. At Papakanui the nesting pair are patiently incubating their eggs, while at Mangawhai things are amazing with 9 chicks hatched with more to come. At the captive aviary the chicks are sporting their tiny fancy satellite or radio backpacks and new banding bracelets so … Read moreTara Iti Tales – December 2024

The male at Waipu has got the hang of sitting on 2 eggs so is taking his turn! The 8 nests at Mangawhai are all being well cared for. The pair at Papakanui have relaid after recently abandoning their egg which is incubating at Auckland Zoo. 2 more eggs from Mangawhai will join it to … Read moreTara Iti Tales – November 2024

With fewer than 40 Fairy Terns left, new ideas have been tried to increase numbers of this precious taonga. Eggs recently laid at Mangawhai are at the zoo and the parents are expected to lay again. Hatched chicks will be raised for a short time and transferred to a special aviary. Last season 4 chicks … Read moreTara Iti Tales – October 2024

Papakanui The one chick is taking short flights and being fed many fish by both parents. Mangawhai The 3 latest chicks have been seen at Te Arai so the Rangers are starting to pack up. A family was entertained for 20 min. while picnicking one evening at Pearson St Reserve with an adult fairy tern … Read more8 February 2024

Mangawhai Now has a total of 7 FT chicks! 2 have fledged, 2 more have been banded. Waipu The FT chick has been banded and ready to learn to fly. Papakanui Their FT chick is doing well. Pakiri No FT chicks this season, but a Birdwatching/Advocacy event is being planned for 27th/28th January – All … Read more18 January 2024

Waipu There is a one egg nest with Rangers  keeping a good eye on it.  Trapping has been stepped up. Mangawhai Now 2 new little fluff balls to join the other 2 older chicks and Rangers have candled the remaining eggs with strong lights to check they are fertile. Many other species have chicks too. … Read more21 December

Mangawhai: Volunteers were lucky to see 1 of the 3 freshly hatched chicks on the spit last weekend.  Still wet, tiny spiky fluff balls.  There are also 3 other nests being well cared for by the parents. Papakanui: Unfortunately the nest was predated, probably by black backed gulls but there are signs that the birds … Read more14 December 2023