11 Aug 2021

Our Changing World - Tracking toutouwai

From Afternoons, 3:35 pm on 11 August 2021

Re-introductions of native New Zealand birds to predator free islands has been extremely successful. But what about the mainland? As we move closer to Predator Free 2050 can we look to a near future where some long-missing birds return to our large mainland forests?

Claire visits the Turitea Reserve near Palmerston North to learn from Massey University researchers Doug Armstrong and Zoe Stone about their post-release monitoring of 40 North Island robins or toutouwai.

Toutouwai or North Island Robin. The bird stands on a branch. It is speckled grey with a white patch on its belly. It has bands on both its legs.

Toutouwai or North Island Robin Photo: I, Tony Wills, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons