Kaka chicks at risk as people feed them fatal foods

Monday, 16 January 2017

Wellington City Council urban ecology team leader Myfanwy Emeny with a kaka chick made sick by the public feeding its parents.

A pair of Wellington kaka chicks may have to be put down if well-meaning residents don't get the message to stop feeding them fatal foods.

Wellington City Council urban ecology team leader Myfanwy Emeny implored the public to stop feeding the baby birds' parents - who regurgitated their food and - as there was still time to save the chicks from being euthanised.

The fledglings' fate will be decided in three weeks if they are healthy enough to leave the nest.

The Crofton Downs kaka are part of a network of 12 nest boxes in native forest reserves around the city monitored by the council and the Department of Conservation.

Emeny said while symptoms were not obvious blood tests had found the chicks had metabolic bone disease, caused by people feeding them food such as chocolate, cheese, cake and biscuits.

Provided with artificial food and nest boxes, the capital's kaka population has grown to over 500 birds.

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'It's like trying to raise a child on a diet of sugar and lollies, they can end up with quite severe deformities,' Emeny said.

Emeny said the public should not feed the birds at all but to leave them to their natural diet of grubs, berries, seeds, and the nectar of kowhai, rata and flax.

The chicks are due to leave the nest in three weeks, when their fate will be decided.

'We'll find out closer to the fledge – they'll either be well and healthy or have so many issues they won't be able to leave the nest.'

Kaka had been extinct in Wellington for over 100 years. They were restored in 2002 when six captive-raised kaka were released into the Zealandia ecosanctuary.

Provided with artificial food and nest boxes, the capital's population has grown to more than 500 birds today.

There are between 1000 and 5000 of the nationally vulnerable threatened species. Kaka are so rare in lowland forest it is considered vital to have self-sustaining populations within cities.

We have had some sad news, kākā chicks have been found in Crofton Downs with signs of metabolic bone disease which is caused by people feeding nuts to adult kākā who regurgitate them for their chicks. If people continue to feed the adult kākā these chicks may not have a chance as their bones won't develop properly. So please, don't feed the kākā.

A photo posted by Wellington City Council (@wgtncc) on Jan 15, 2017 at 1:44pm PST