Fairy tern on the brink

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
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TheBirderman
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby TheBirderman » Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:10 pm

I think they should create another breeding colony like they did with the Kaki/Black Stilt - In a protected area with no predators and intensive management, in order to raise numbers. I’m surprised they haven’t done this already.
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Adam C
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby Adam C » Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:30 pm

Id say it's a lot more difficult with Terns to establish. I'd imagine DOC have weighed up all the options and the people on the ground know the birds. Things aren't often as simple as they seem.

Whatever the answer I'm sure those working with the Terns will be putting in some serious applications for funding and doing whatever they can. What would be helpful would be to hear from someone on the ground there who knows them inside out to see if its a question of funding or difficulty in 'next steps'
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

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boneywhitefoot
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby boneywhitefoot » Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:39 pm

Jim, it has worked on other birds it may work on terns.
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tim
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby tim » Thu Jan 17, 2019 2:03 pm

just a few points
- Auckland Zoo currently does take in fairy tern egg's hatches them and then swaps them back to the parents with a egg swap, but I don't think tern's are a bird that you can farm or breed.
- Fences wont really work because what do you do fence off the whole spit or location and then there is issues with tides, and easy predator re-introduction due to spit access etc.
- Also keep in mind they have tried re-locating birds and starting a new colony out at the Kaipara so they are trying in area's where there is less people.
- One answer that could be the key is to bring in other Fairy tern eggs from Australia and create another sub-species like what was done with the Morepork on Northfork Island and placing them into host nests like white fronted terns etc.

I think the bottom option could be worth thinking about when fairy terns in the low level and if there is only 5 breeding pairs around they could be options but research would have to be done to see if there could be some form of cross breeding.
Tim Rumble
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boneywhitefoot
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby boneywhitefoot » Thu Jan 17, 2019 2:13 pm

I would think much smaller fences around the nests but big enough to let the birds fly in and out.
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:40 pm

Disturbance, especially from dogs, happens from a considerable distance, a hundred m or more. People resent the tiny patches of roped off beach to protect dotterels on many of our beaches. There would be an outcry if a 2m high excluder was built over a hectare of someone's favourite beach.
If we were serious we would see security /police guards 24/7 keeping people and pets right away from breeding beeches. Then the are still the problems in the marine environment. What does coastal development, mangrove removal, nutrient and sediment runoff do to their prey?
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby Jim_j » Thu Jan 17, 2019 4:48 pm

Thanks Tim - I wasn't aware of the Auckland Zoo fostering programme.
I suspect Neil is right - there are likely other environmental issues at play as well.
Does anyone know how the population in Australia is doing?
Cheers Jim
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boneywhitefoot
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby boneywhitefoot » Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:36 pm

no dogs during the breeding season and educate
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Mig
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby Mig » Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:42 pm

WA is having their worse year but the Fairy Tern there are heavily supported by councils and are well aware of their decline even hiring a security guard overnight to try and prevent the cat strikes which wiped out all the chicks.
.
https://www.watoday.com.au/national/wes ... cu-dUG13xo

Auckland Zoo will hold and incubate Fairy Tern eggs when there are abandoned nests or tidal surges but they havnt had a lot of luck at bring up chicks.
Hoping to see some change this year .
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Mig
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Re: Fairy tern on the brink

Postby Mig » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:18 am

Shameless plug but I don’t care
Hey Fairy Tern lovers
it’s our fishing survey this coming Sunday with Fairy Tern researcher Ian Southey and New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust
We look forward to seeing you there to continue with this important research funded by NZFTCT and yourselves <3
We will meet at Alamar Crescent carpark Mangawhai at 11.15am to survey four Fairy Tern foraging areas.
Bring water, sunscreen, hats and a bite for smoko.
You will get your feet wet and if there’s enough people we maybe able to deploy two nets.
ps we will have the last of our calendars with us in case you wanted to grab one.;)

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