Pirongia kokako

Bird sighting information. Use this forum to report bird sightings (especially rare and unusual birds), census and field count results, and trip reports. Messages posted to this forum will also be sent as a plain text email to the BIRDING-NZ newsgroup.
User avatar
Neil Fitzgerald
Site Admin
Posts: 3637
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand
Contact:

Pirongia kokako

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Wed Dec 04, 2019 8:43 am

Pirongia must still be the easiest spot to see kokako in the wild. A pair is again nesting near the carpark at the end of Grey Road and I've been seeing them there regularly. You could sit at one of the picnic tables and have a very good chance of seeing one. Several more territories along the Mahaukura track offer a chance to hear or maybe catch a glimpse.
Early last week I also heard a kaka from the carpark, which seems quite late in the year for the usual winter visitors. Pirongia also offers loads of rifleman, tomtits and other common forest birds, and a few robins. Whiteheads are mostly up higher, but I haven't heard a single long-tailed cuckoo this year. Anyone else notice possible change in LTC numbers? Falcons seem to be breeding to the south of the Mahaukura track. Lots of calling, including begging. Best sighting I had recently was one that flew past a few metres from me (and mistnet), about a metre off the ground, through supplejack and other understory. It had the sun to its back and presumably looking to flush something.
Well worth a visit, especially with the weather we've been having lately.
User avatar
RussCannings
Posts: 1216
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:23 am

Re: Pirongia kokako

Postby RussCannings » Thu Dec 05, 2019 1:34 pm

Completely anecdotal Neil but LTC numbers in the north block of Pureora seem to be lower than usual this year.

Russ
Jim_j
Posts: 699
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: Pirongia kokako

Postby Jim_j » Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:51 pm

Seemed to be good numbers through Greenstone valley & Mavora Lakes - staying at KiwiBurn Hut on Mararoa river had several round the hut and saw them flying across the open areas
Not many brown creeper heard however...
Small bush birds are another matter only 2 Rifleman seen over a week and few tomtit around- quite a few parakeet heard but not the sort of numbers you'd expect after a massive beech mast.
Lots of mice as has been reported I suspect the are big enough to predate Rifleman nests...?
The birdlife through the bush is now mainly made up of chaffinch, redpoll, thrush, blackbirds and starlings... the forest of the future...
Cheers Jim
Roblyn
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:29 pm

Re: Pirongia kokako

Postby Roblyn » Fri Dec 06, 2019 7:54 am

So what is it about these introduced species that allows them to thrive in our native forests? Surely they are as open to predation as our native species?
Jan
Posts: 1871
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:43 am
Location: Christchurch

Re: Pirongia kokako

Postby Jan » Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:57 am

Introduced birds have avoidance of mammalian predators in their DNA whereas native birds are still unaware of the danger. And introduced birds are bigger individuals and don't breed in holes, like riflemen and parakeets do. They tend to have bigger broods as well, I think. More control of rats and mice in forests is essential.

Return to “Bird Sightings and Alerts”