Critically endangered New Zealand fairy tern lays egg in Northland

Thursday, 31 October 2019

One of New Zealand's rarest birds has laid an egg.

The tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern is on the brink of extinction with fewer than 40 birds alive.

So there was much celebration about the first egg of the season, laid at Waipu by birds known as Mr and Mrs Red due to the red identification bands on their legs.

Two fairy tern eggs in a nest show just how hard the eggs are to spot.

'The nest is in a relatively safe location away from potential high tides and Mr and Mrs Red are proven 'good' parents, having raised and fledged chicks in the past years,' said DOC fairy tern team ranger Ayla Wiles.

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In previous years, there has been much celebration when tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern chicks hatch.

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There are less than 40 tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern alive and beach-goers are encouraged to observe bylaws to ensure they can successfully breed.

'We are hopeful this nest – and more nests to come – will be successful, and the chicks will fledge some time in the New Year.'

Tara iti/fairy terns nest on shell and sand banks just above high tide, which leaves them vulnerable to predators, disturbance by people, four-wheel-drive vehicles and dogs. They are also at risk from stormy weather and very high tides, Wiles said.

Fairy terns Mr and Mrs Red mate at Waipu, the first success of the season.

'The parents take turns sitting on the egg for about an hour at a time and will do this 24/7 until the chick hatches.'

Once widespread around the North Island and the eastern South Island, the fairy tern now breeds at only four main nesting sites in north Auckland and southern Northland: Papakanui Spit, Pakiri Beach, and Waipu and Mangawhai sandspits.

Tara iti/fairy terns have teetered on the brink of extinction since the 1970s, despite intensive management.

Since September, a dedicated team of six DOC rangers and numerous community volunteers have been trapping predators near nesting sites, fencing off nesting sites and preventing nesting birds from being disturbed by humans.

They will continue to monitor the birds and nests during the breeding season.

Wiles said people can help the fairy tern around nesting sites by using designated walkways and staying out of fenced areas, following dog and vehicle bylaws, and removing rat-attracting rubbish and bait from the beach.

The tara iti/ fairy tern is also in the running once again for the Bird of the Year Competition, run by Forest & Bird to raise awareness of dwindling bird numbers.

Organisations working closely with DOC to help protect the fairy tern are Patuharakeke, Ngāti Whāuta o Kaipara, Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Uri O Hau, Te Arai and Mangawhai Shorebirds Trust, The NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, About Tern, Birds NZ, Armourguard and the Waipu Trapping Group.