Welcome to the Midnight Collective Broadsheet 105
Actively
supporting NZ’s endangered wetland birds
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| Hihi male en-song - courtesy DoC |
The hihi or stitchbird is one of our
most delightful birds but also one
of our most endangered. Originally found throughout the North Island, including
on Kapiti Island, they dramatically reduced with the arrival of Europeans in 1840, until
by 1885 only a small remnant population was surviving on Little Barrier Island-Te Hauturu-o-Toi.
Little Barrier was our first protected wildlife sanctuary (1897) and from here both
saddlebacks and hihi have been re-released to Kapiti.
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| Kapiti Island - male hihi |
A number of re-introductions of hihi to
Kapiti Island have been sanctioned because they have a chequered history of
survival. An original 200 were introduced but there numbers fell rapidly. There
were limited nectar and fruit producing plants on the island and the hihi face
stiff competition from honey-eating rivals, tui and bellbirds, so feeders were set up to supplement
their diet. These grew the population, though in early 2000 a decision was
taken to discontinue feeding which led to a catastrophic fall in numbers to 7
breeding pairs. With the feeding programme reinstated, numbers have climbed
back up to around 120.
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| Hihi feeder - Wikinson Track Kapiti Island |
They are very difficult to photograph and
film because they are constantly on the move, while lighting in forest is
marginal at best. It is the male who carries the colour and we only caught one
rare glimpse of a female, though this is a good sign because they must have
been nest sitting. You will see her towards the end of this collage of footage.
Though honeyeaters, hihi, like tui and
bellbirds, also eat fruit and insects. (We’ve seen a bellbird doing the
rounds of the plums in a plum tree. She moved from plum to plum, plunging her beak into the ripe fruit
and sucking out the juice.) The feeding programme has led to an unexpected explosion in
the bellbird population on the island because, while the feeders keep tui at bay, the bellbirds have the run of the roost because hihi maintain a wary
distance from both.
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| Caught in the act - a bellbird in the hihi feeder |
One of the long time rangers on the
island Pete Daniels, had a way with animals and knew these birds well. In his
day (1980 and 90’s) a feeder was installed out on the red house verandah, The
hihi could never get a look in because the kaka, tui and bellbird would keep
them out. He set up an alternative food source on his kitchen table and they
would come through the open window to feed; then fly off to bathe in the nearby
creek. One good news story that came at the end of our trip was the first
sighting of hihi up at the northern Iwi end of the island.
These birds are in good hands with the
current ranger Gena and partner Nick, who makes the laborious treks up the Trig
and Wilkinson tracks each day to renew the nectar supply.
Bit of a shock to wake this morning and find David Bowie so sudddenly having left the planet....so we were back some time ago with Rebel Rebel while posting this...
Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress
Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess
Rebel Rebel, how could they know?
Hot tramp, I love you so!
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