Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves

Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves

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Birds identified in the Tawa Reserves

Some 27 species of bird have been identified in vicinity of the Tawa bush reserves.

The following list of bird species occurring in the Tawa reserves is compiled from observations of members of the Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves.

Restoring the Dawn Chorus

“This morn I was awaked by the singing of the birds ashore from whence we were distant not a quarter of a mile, the numbers of them were certainly very great who seemed to strain their throats with emulation, perhaps; their voices were certainly the [most] melodious wild musick I have ever heard, almost imitating small bells but with the most tuneable silver sound imaginable.”   (Joseph Banks, February 1770 while anchored in Cook Strait)*.

Sadly, this glorious riot of sound has been largely stilled by the impacts of humans and the raft of pest species they brought with them such as rats, possums, and old mans beard.   Native bird populations have declined, and continue to decline, due to loss of habitat and predation by introduced pests.

Once common, the kereru is now a threatened species, also fortunately still regularly seen in the Tawa are.
Please visit the Kereru Discovery web site to learn more about the kereru and why its populations are declining .

Help us protect and restore the natural areas of bush around Tawa by becoming a member of the Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves.   For other areas also see the Dawn Chorus pages of the Forest and Bird web site.

* REF: From the vision of the Greater Wellington "Regional Pest Management Strategy".
REF: Thanks to the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi web site for the links to further information for the birds listed above.

Occurrence
c = commonly found in the vicinity of the Tawa bush reserves and locally breading
o = occasionally sited in the vicinity of the Tawa bush reserves
f = The black form of the Fantail is occasionally sighted in Redwood Bush.
k = Kereru are commonly seen in Tawa with populations of up to 13 kereu occasionally seen in the vicinity of Redwood Bush and Larsen Crescent Reserve but are not known to be locally breading
m = Morepork are regularly heard at night in local area but the population is unknown.   In 2005 a nesting pair has been noticed in Redwood Bush.
p = A single pair of Pukeko known to reside in Stebbings Valley bush, and there are others along the Takapu Stream.
r = A single pair of kakariki sighted around Larsen Crescent Reserve early November 2007 - do not appear to be resident.
Status in NZ
NATIVE = Naturalised and breading in NZ prior to European settlement
EXOTIC = Introduced since European settlement and now fully naturalised and breading in NZ
e = Endemic - only found in NZ
E = Endangered
N = Not Threatened