15 Jul 2016

Putting the karearea among the pigeons

12:49 pm on 15 July 2016

A karearea, or native New Zealand Falcon, has chased away more than half of the pigeons at the University of Canterbury.

A New Zealand native falcon (karearea)

A karearea, or New Zealand native falcon. Photo: Supplied

The karearea, called Tapuae, was hatched in captivity and hand-raised by the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust.

It's the first time a university has used a trained bird to scare pests away from its campus.

Tapuae's handler Rob Lawry said pigeons were a huge problem for the university and the city.

He said he was talking to the university about continuing the programme because it had been so successful.