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.
Pirongia kokako
- Neil Fitzgerald
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3637
- Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 10:20 am
- Location: Hamilton, New Zealand
- Contact:
- RussCannings
- Posts: 1216
- Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:23 am
Re: Pirongia kokako
Completely anecdotal Neil but LTC numbers in the north block of Pureora seem to be lower than usual this year.
Russ
Russ
-
- Posts: 699
- Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:04 pm
Re: Pirongia kokako
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
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
-
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:29 pm
Re: Pirongia kokako
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?
-
- Posts: 1871
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:43 am
- Location: Christchurch
Re: Pirongia kokako
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.