Rare fairy tern gets 20% population boost with birth of seven chicks

Thursday, 13 February 2020

The birth of seven new fairy terns has boosted the population of one of New Zealand's rarest birds.

The birds, also called the tara-iti, have 'teetered' on the brink of extinction since 1970, the Department of Conservation said.

There are fewer than 40 adult fairy terns and they continue to be critically endangered despite intensive management.

However, the latest breeding season has boosted the population by about 20 per cent.

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'Seven chicks is a great season – last year (2018-2019 season) we only had two chicks fledge, so this is a big improvement,' biodiversity ranger Ayla Wiles said.

'The settled weather during the season resulted in fewer nest loses than last season and overall the birds finished laying earlier.'

Challenges faced during the season included the loss of at least one parent of two chicks at Te Arai, near Wellsford in north Auckland.

That also resulted in the loss of one of those chicks.

A fertile egg was also attacked by a rat and a chick was deserted by its parents in Northland's Mangawhai.

'We have also had higher incidences of compliance issues causing disturbance to the birds,' Wiles said.

'Common problems have been dogs in DOC-administered reserves, wildlife refuges and Auckland Council land where they are not allowed by law.'

Horses have also been in places they shouldn't be and drones, jet skis, aircrafts and small fire have also threatened nests.

A team of fairy tern DOC rangers and a number of volunteers have been busy trapping predators near nesting sites since September.

They also fence off sites to prevent the nests being disturbed by humans.