First pukunui chicks of breeding season hatch

The first pukunui/southern New Zealand dotterel chicks of the breeding season have hatched on Stewart Island.

Nest surveying began in September and so far, the Department of Conservation's Pukunui Recovery Team have found 12 nests, 35 eggs and five chicks.

In a statement, Doc Rakiura operations manager Jennifer Ross said it was a promising start to the season and potentially a big boost for pukunui recovery efforts, as there are only an estimated 105 of the birds left (not including the new chicks) — making them the rarest and most threatened wading bird in the world.

"To see these little chicks emerge brings hope that we can save them from extinction."

However, there is no guarantee all eggs will hatch or that the chicks and their parents will survive, as they are extremely vulnerable to predation by feral cats.

"In previous years, we’ve lost around 40-50 adult birds to predation, and last year, we lost around 20 adults but gained about 24 chicks," she said.

It is hoped more birds will survive as feral cat numbers were heavily reduced in an aerial 1080 predator control operation in August that covered 40,000ha of Rakiura National Park. This included vital pukunui breeding habitat along the Tin Range.

"The main measure of success will be the pukunui flock count in April, and also the long-term population trends. Our aim is to grow the population to at least 300 birds by 2035," Ms Ross said.

"This season, the team have been excited to find a few mystery male birds that we’ve banded at flocking sites but hadn’t seen at breeding sites. This is particularly critical as we estimate there are less than 30 males left. The males play an important role in incubating eggs at night, while females incubate during the day."

From January onwards, the survivors will journey off the mountains to Rakiura beaches and Awarua Bay to gather and forage in groups. New birds will then be banded so their survival can be monitored.

"For birds that have fledged, it’s a rite of passage to make their way down and a bit of a test run for their flying abilities," Ms Ross said. — Allied Media