Backyard Kiwi October 2025 update

Whangarei Heads combined Conservation Christmas do

Friday the 28 November from 5pm at McLeods Bay Hall for our annual BBQ get together to celebrate all the great community work going on in the Whangarei Heads and wider area. It is always a great occasion. Please rsvp to this year’s hosts Bream Head Conservation Trust:  info@breamheadtrust.nz

Bring a plate to share, drink of choice, plate, cutlery and a chair or picnic blanket.

Northland Kiwi Hui

Thank you Ngaire of Kiwi Coast for working with co-hosts Nga Hapū o te Rawhiti and Massey University to bring over 100 kiwi folk together for two days of the latest Northland brown kiwi news, research and updates (see pic).

A highlight was to have Dr Hugh Robertson from DoC present on over 30 years of successful kiwi recovery research in Northland. Without these studies, led by Hugh, we would not have the knowledge and skills to look after and grow our kiwi population:

• Quality stoat trapping networks to protect kiwi chicks and to remove ferrets
• Controlled baitstation pulses of kiwi saver/1080 at least every 3 years to remove trap shy stoats
• Above all else the need to control our dogs

It was an honour to be able to thank Hugh for all that he has done for Northland kiwi and his ongoing support of community driven kiwi recovery.

Monitored Kiwi on the move – Kiwi Link in action- an update

Last month we managed to locate “Ping” and “Kim” who had both gone on big walkabouts away from Parua Bay, where they were previously settled. Ping 5km north to the Whanui pine block and Kim 5km SW to Tamaterau (see last month’s report for the details). Here is this month’s update:

“Kim” has continued her walk another 3 km westward to the valley up behind Waikaraka – this is the first confirmed kiwi in that area for many years, we would love her to find a male and settle!  I caught up with her in the pampas for her transmitter band change – no mate. She is now a very healthy 2500g, so has bounced back fully from being a very skinny 1150g in the drought conditions on Limestone Island back in March. Not only has she put on weight but her bill has grown from 125 mm to 130.9 mm (see pic).

“Ping” has stayed in the Manulife Whanui Pine Block at the end of Tauranui road.  Carl from Pataua North Landcare monitors kiwi in that area and he took me into the block to locate Ping. We caught up with her for a transmitter change. She has also regained plenty of weight since being down to a skinny 1550g back in March and is now 2350g. Her bill has also grown from 125 mm to 133.2 mm. She is in a good spot – but poachers’ pig dogs have been a problem here in the past, with several kiwi killed – Manulife Forestry and Carl are working hard to keep them out.  Carl will monitor Ping’s signal and it will be interesting if she finds a mate and settles down there (see pic).

The travels of these radio transmitted kiwi are an indication of the expanding kiwi population from the stronghold of Whangarei Heads and the growing kiwi population in the “Kiwi Link” area.

Two Kiwi Deaths

• The body of a very skinny kiwi was found on a track at McKenzie Bay. It was only 1000g and had very worn claws. It has been sent to Massey for autopsy.
• What looks like a dog killed kiwi was found at Rarangi Heights, off Kerr Road.  It was sampled for dog DNA and we are waiting on the results. There have been a number of dog kills in this area over the past few years.

Neither kiwi had ID chips so were wild hatched and grown.

Backyard Kiwi monitored kiwi update for October 2025

The second round of nesting has started

Whangarei Heads/Parua Bay  Radio monitored kiwi:–

• Chookie–    Was busy feeding up after his recent successful nest but now his activity is dropping so he may be re-nesting at Owhiwa Road.
• Teina– In his usual valley of pampas and pines at the north end of Martins’ pine block, Owhiwa Road. 9.5 hours of activity.
• Beach Girl –In the pampas and pines on Martin’s Northern boundary.  10 hours of activity.
• Murdoch  –His radio datastream showed a nest failure (high activity) in early September but he remained in the nest burrow under a big pine tree, in the native on Deb’s block, at the end of Owhiwha Road. This month I checked the nest when he finally moved on and found one very rotten egg. He had moved 100m north into what looked like a nest burrow so left him be.  (data stream 2/11/25 confirms nesting).
• Humphries –   Nested in a pampas bush in pines. On the north side of Martins’ block, Owhiwa Road.   The nest failed after 93 days- one rotten egg (see pic). Did his transmitter band change with Kerry and Jess Ogle (in training- see pic).  He was 1650g and poor condition after nesting.
• Wally –In his usual area of gums and pines at the end of Campbell road.   Feeding up after his recent successful nest.  9.5 hours activity.
• Myra–  Still settled in the middle of the Martins’ block Owhiwa Road. 11.5 hours of nightly activity.

Kiwi that have walked to other areas:

• Whareora Landcare area/NRC pines:  Te Motu Manu Hine –  She is still settled in her usual area of the NRC pines behind the Money Factory.  10.5 hours activity. Great that the NRC have done a kiwi saver pulse there this year.
• Tamaterau/Waikaraka: Kim – see above.
• Whanui Pine Block:  Ping – see above.

Purua Operation Nest Chick dads

First round of nesting finishing up, 6 chicks transferred to date:

• Moondust – 10.5 hours activity.  Usual area behind Lovell’s Irvine road woolshed. I have had 5 attempts since early May to remove his tx and have failed – he has been hiding in dead burrows, deep hollow trees, and the last attempt he beat me through a 3 wire electric fence on the edge of a raupo roost into a huge tangle of supplejack (see pic).
• Buddha – His nest in the paddock north of McGraths’ quarry failed – 2 rotten eggs – 1 developed , 1 undeveloped.  He is now in his usual gut in the paddock, 9 hours activity.
• Macio – South Purua reserve. Feeding up after his successful nest. 10.5 hours activity.
• 64 – Nested 141 days on 20/10/25. The second egg must have come very late (1st egg went rotten and was removed from nest after 89 days).  After a long dedicated incubation his activity finally increased so I checked the nest – definite evidence of a hatch (shell and membrane) but no chick . There hadn’t been a hatch 10 days previous so any chick was 10 days or younger. Possibly predated? The nest was on a very steep slope so the chick may have left the nest but was unable to return?  Hopefully he has survived after dad’s huge effort to hatch him. Dad was a skinny 2000g.
• Tahi– Back of Alisons’ farm. Feeding up after his successful nest. 11.5 hours nightly activity.
• Sam –  SW  Purua reserve.  Approximately 50m in from Hawkins’ fenceline. Feeding up after his successful nest. 10.5 hours activity.
• Derek – Nesting on “Stump” Ridge, South-East Purua reserve.  81 days as of 30/10/25 and  3.5 hours activity.
• Fletcher –  He is finally nesting! 46 days in on 30/10/25, up behind the airstrip. 6 hours activity which is a bit high.
• Rua – Back of Alisons’ farm. Feeding up after his successful nest. 9 hours activity.
• Erima – In native, in the paddock, on Hawkins’ hill.   10 hours activity
• Prime – Near the top of Hawkins’ hill.   Feeding up after his successful nest. 10 hours nightly activity.
• Purua– txed north of Hawkins’ hill, 11 hours activity.

Trapping/ toxin pulses

October catches: Stoats 3, Weasels 2, Cats 1, rats 93, hedgehogs 11, possums 3.  Kiwi saver pulses are still underway in some places.

 See you at the xmas bbq

Cheers Todd

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum