Penguin rescue - is there a way for birders to have a say?

[sav]

Hi all,

The recent removal of the Adelie Penguin from Birdlings Flat raises some questions for me. We have birders, scientists, conservationists, animal rescuers and all sorts of people reading this forum, so I wonder if others have the answers?

I understand the predicament of the bird's finder - he didn't know what to do and looked for expert advice. A couple of my problems/questions concern that advice. It did not come from DOC since he was apparently unable to contact them, so why was that not possible? I also wonder what DOC advice would have been.

When he did make contact with "expert" penguin rescue people, they made a decision to collect the bird. My simple question here is: Why?

If fact, did they even have any authority to take an apparently healthy bird away? Was this a lawful action? I really don't know.

Once the bird had been taken and was found to be effectively in good shape it was released, under the guidance of DOC.

Another set of questions arise. Why would DOC and/or the rescuers want to keep the release a secret? Why prevent those that would wish to see the bird from doing so? It surely isn't too hard to arrange the circumstances so that there is no extra stress for the bird and birders can also see it. (and I have no personal axe to grind here, because I would not travel to see a released bird, but I know that several others have a different opinion).

I wonder if Birds NZ, or some other group, (or maybe it just has to be individuals ?), could have some sway over the way that penguins are treated when they decide to take a rest on a beach. At the moment the default setting is to capture the penguin, remove it from it's chosen surroundings and "rehabilitate" it, regardless of the circumstances.

Finally, on a related but slightly different topic - is it good to feed moulting penguins? They are clearly evolved to fast while moulting, so what effect does feeding have on feather development and their general health? Does anyone know?

I am honestly not having a go at anyone in particular - I believe that all concerned acted in what they believed to be the correct way. It's just that I, personally, don't think they all thought it through.

What do you all think?

cheers

[Michael Szabo]

I've answered these questions elsewhere but since you've started a third thread here will repeat the answers. The Adelie Penguin found at Birdling Flats last Wednesday was described by the observer as eating small stones. After being taken into care the vet who assessed the bird reportedly found that it was slightly underweight/dehydrated so they gave it fluids and electrolytes etc, and did a blood test for signs of infection. After a day in care they assessed it as ready for release, which then happened on the Friday morning.

The second bird photographed on the beach at Scotts Landing on the north side of the Rangitikei River mouth last Friday afternoon was reported to the DOC Manawatu office. Since it was not reported as sick or in distress they did not take any further action.

[sav]

I've answered these questions elsewhere but since you've started a third thread here will repeat the answers. The Adelie Penguin found at Birdling Flats last Wednesday was described by the observer as eating small stones. After being taken into care the vet who assessed the bird reportedly found that it was slightly underweight/dehydrated so they gave it fluids and electrolytes etc, and did a blood test for signs of infection. After a day in care they assessed it as ready for release, which then happened on the Friday morning.

The second bird photographed on the beach at Scotts Landing on the north side of the Rangitikei River mouth last Friday afternoon was reported to the DOC Manawatu office. Since it was not reported as sick or in distress they did not take any further action.

Hi Michael,

With respect, I don't see any answers to my questions in your reply. Unless you are saying that "eating small stones" is sufficient grounds to assume the bird is sick or in distress - in which case you may have answered one.

I'm delighted that DOC actually advised no action over the Scott's Ferry penguin - to my mind that is the correct response. Which begs the question : Is there a coordinated DOC policy about penguins on beaches? DOC Canterbury and DOC Manawatu may have differing views?

regards

[Jan]

This is difficult. On the whole penguins standing around on public beaches are thought to be at risk of attack by dogs, morons throwing stones etc. So no wonder they are often picked up and rehabed in better environments. Most of the birds picked up in Canterbury are usually moulting so they can't travel under their own steam to better, isolated spots.
The recent Adelie bird at Birdlings Flat was first thought to be a Little Penguin as the finders didn't quite know their penguins. Hence the unpleasant caging here.

The problem arises in that places where penguins hang around to moult or haul out for a rest, are now so inhabited by people , dogs, vehicles and the rest; the birds don't stand a chance.
I guess if the site is fairly remote or the bird seems healthy and wellfed, then leaving it alone might be advisable. The same applies to Cormorants and other birds standing around looking vunerable. Or does Sav think that these birds should be left for natural selection to kick in? That is one view that might be applicable, I don't know which way i would vote.

[SomesBirder]

Dog attacks are my biggest concern. It is virtually impossible that dogs and their owners are properly dealt with whenever a dog kills a protected bird species, so in effect, no deterrent to letting dogs run loose on beaches exists.

[Michael Szabo]

You'd have to take up the matter of the Adelie Penguin eating small stones at Birdlings Flat with the people involved in its care, Sav, as I've only relayed here what was reported.

As I recall, in the case of the Emperor Penguin that came ashore at Pekapeka beach in 2011, the bird was taken into care after it started eating sand and then after a blood test the sand was pumped out of its stomach and it was given fluids, electrolytes, and antibiotics.

[rowey]

Possibly an answer is to move the penguin and release immediately at a "safer" location. Especially if the location puts the bird at risk of dog attack. It was late evening so the chances of dog attack were probably slim, and it may well have saved itself from the stress of a plastic box by leaving during the night. This bird could have been moved to the relative safety of where they released the bird, which in this case was less than half an hour away. Internet searches reveal several estimates of population for these birds, which some say 8 million birds. So certainly not an "essential" rescue to ensure species survival.

Most of us are aware of a perfectly healthy EC Penguin that moulted on Jimmy Armour beach in Kaikoura 5-6 years ago, and was left alone on a busy beach for 2 weeks. Possibly this individual should have been moved?? But, wasn't...

I am sure there would be members of local bird groups who could also coordinate short term protection for individuals, by arranging a roster for watching over the bird and advising public who might be there and educating them as well. I am sure a lot of people would have loved to have observed this individual, from a stressfree distance of course..

[Jan]

We are missing the purpose of Sav's question. He wants to know why these occasions can't be a possibility for birders to see a rare bird that has turned up, rather than to have it hoiked away before anyone knows it's there. In the case of the Birdlings Flat bird the penguin rescue people do work for DOC and are licenced to do penguin rescues; as they assumed it was a Little Penguin in distress on the beach, they took it into care and it was released pronto. I don't think a bird in danger of being attacked or terrorised by people, dogs, etc. should be left to get ticked by birders. There must be a boundary somewhere. DOC area offices are a little different from each other and maybe some tweaking is needed?

[Ian McLean]

Hello Sav

I can report that there has been proactive work on some of the aspects that you mention. Birds New Zealand has taken action to encourage co-operation with wildlife rehabilitators.

During the month of May, I attended the biennial conference of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Network New Zealand (WReNNZ) here in Auckland as the representative from Birds New Zealand. The conference discussed the latest developments in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release. The focus was largely on birdlife, with the conference being well attended with over 80 delegates from bird rescue and wildlife veterinary practices throughout the country. Speakers from DOC also attended the conference.

I provided a presentation on behalf of Birds New Zealand. My presentation was titled “An Introduction to Birds New Zealand", which firstly gave an explanation about who we are & what we do. I also spoke on how Birds New Zealand and the rehabilitators could co-operate on the following issues.

- Birds New Zealand could assist with bird identification, we had members who could provide advice on specific species and could help in the release of birds.
- The importance of recording Unusual Bird Reports (UBRs) for rare and vagrant birds. This added to our birding knowledge, whilst it was also important to provide deceased birds to museums for use as specimens. (Submitting UBRs was important, as occasionally species were going unreported).
- We could share common messaging in our media releases and social media for the benefit of our birdlife. Examples included: discouraging the unhealthy practice of feeding birds bread, the problem of discarded fishing gear entangling birds and the need to record the instances and locations of where seabirds are being disoriented by bright lights.

I received very positive comments regarding the presentation. I especially hoped that with increased co-operation we should receive greater reporting of rare and vagrant birds when they are taken into care.

As an example, here in Auckland, we have a very good relationship with rehabilitators such as BirdCare Aotearoa, Native Bird Rescue on Waiheke Island & Kuaotunu Bird Rescue Trust in the Coromandel Peninsula in addition to the Auckland DOC Office. We regulary co-operate & within the last week I have helped Native Bird Rescue find banders for Pied Shags & helped identify a seabird chick provided to BirdCare Aotearoa.

The co-operation that we have instigated has so far had a positive response & we will be looking to develop this further.

Sav, the above will not answer your questions, but it will provide you with some insights into improvements that are being made.

Cheers
Ian McLean

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Ian, good to hear of this initiative and positive response. That might answer part of Sav's question, but I guess the title question remains, "is there a way for birders to have a say?". There are at least a few people here who would like to contribute to to the discussions. We all concerned primarily about the what's in the best interests of the birds, and both sides here could learn from the other. Maybe a private group to discuss perceived issues might work, but a public fora like this are not the place. We get over 3000 'users' a month and can be seen by anyone with an internet connection. There is a risk of offhand comments reflecting badly on birders as a group. Please remember the rules and keep it friendly.