BirdingNZ.net

Saw a group of 6 rooks yesterday on a trip from napier to wairoa,they were at the end of the new matahoura gorge bypass and there were some large walnut trees which may have been the reason they were there?the nuts have just started dropping and rooks have a penchant for them.Not a big deal to me to see a rook but thinking about it afterwards its the first ones I have seen for quite a while and living in Hawkesbay it used to be a common thing to see these birds all around here.

That's cool you got to see some as I think not alot of them around any more.very cool looking bird.

Hi Les
The reason they are so few and far between in HB is that the HBRC have culled a lot of them.
here is a link to their page
https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/environment/pe ... sts/rooks/
Cheryl

saw one on the road to Lake Ferry this weekend.

I saw over 100 at Matahoura Gorge Bypass. They are feeding on the same tree as seen this time last year. Very flighty when I got out of the car

That's not good! I was wondering whether COVID-19 would interfere with eradication efforts.

Exterminating corvid during covid

thats about where I was seeing them,not having travelled that way for a year or so interesting that they have increased so fast?The HBRC will have the rookery earmarked for poisoning next spring?

I saw 6 flying across highway 2 a few kilometres north of the boundary road turnoff with the cafe on the corner. They flew into a stand of non-native-looking trees on the west of the highway. This was Friday 1st April.

It is a pity that people post these sightings which give regional councils info. to target a very intelligent, mainly harmless species that doesn't warrant such eradication. Magpies are also introduced and in large numbers in some areas where they have a nasty effect on native birds, but because they don't affect crops we don't eradicate them. I think this is entirely wrong.