The robins return — to Waikato

Forest and Bird, Issue 295, 1 February 2000, Page 9

The robins return — to Waikato

Kingsley Field

ative North Island robins, reintroduced last winter to forest on Mt Kakepuku, in the southern Waikato, have begun to breed. In mid-November, searchers on the mountain saw two wellgrown fledglings with their parent birds, and two other adult female robins which were obviously nesting. Thirty robins, brought from the Waipapa Ecological Reserve in the Pureora Forest last June, have now spread right through the remnants of native forest still standing on Kakepuku. There are about 200 hectares of reserve land on the mountain, some of it in mature forest, with other parts in scrub which is acting as a nursery for the regenerating bush. The birds, known as toutouwai or pitoitoi, had disappeared from the area, near TeAwamutu, several decades ago. Local residents, helped by the Department of Conservation and with financial backing from the Waipa District Council, have spent almost six years clearing the forest of rodents, wild cats and stoats. More than 200 people, including Forest and Bird members, took part in the pest and vermin-clearing programme. For three weeks before the Pureora birds were trapped and brought to

Kakepuku, they were fed in their native forest by a team of up to 60 volunteers, working in shifts. One of the main organisers and local resident, Mrs Jan Hoverd, said that a team of 13 searchers had combed the mountain in November, locating 18 adult birds and the two fledglings. ‘That’s very encouraging, she said, ‘because we knew we weren't going to see all the birds. We hope there are other adult females we didn’t see because they were busy sitting on eggs. ‘All the birds are in good shape. On previous occasions when we’ve been up to feed them we’ve often seen them stopping to feed on their way in to us. That means there’s plenty of food available up there for them. Jan Hoverd said volunteers keeping an eye on the birds over the past few months have been able to identify at least 25 of the individuals released. Kakepuku mountain is of considerable cultural and spiritual significance to Waikato Maori, and several pa sites are known on its slopes. The remains of a major pa, complete with trenches and terraces, are still visible on the summit. The mountain, recognised as

a major landmark in the region, already has resident populations of pigeon, tui and several other native bird species, but the nearest native robins were in the Pureora Forest. Tony Roxburgh, Hamilton field centre manager for the Department of Conservation, says that while the release of the robins on Kakepuku is not a current business-plan priority for DoC, the department was glad to assist local people where it could. ‘This is a good example of a local group of private residents doing something positive to

improve their community, he says "We’re more than happy to assist in situations like this. It was an ambitious project, and obviously, it’s been a success. The track to the summit of Kakepuku is one of the mostused walks in the Waikato, with up to 5000 visitors a year climbing the mountain.