Birds
Our Changing World - The problem at Rotopiko
Hundreds of thousands of sparrows and swallows have set up roosts in the Rotopiko wetlands, and their poo is threatening to destroy this unique ecosystem. Claire Concannon investigates. Audio
Science: Deciphering smell, stresses plants, toxic birds
Science commentator Dr Allan Blackman joins Kathryn to talk about a breakthrough in our understanding of olfaction, how stressed plants "cry" and the discovery of birds with neurotoxin-laden feathers… Audio
Bird monitoring on the Noises Islands
Claire Concannon joins a research team on the Noises Islands in the Hauraki Gulf to check up on its bird residents. How are the birds faring on these predator-free havens? Audio
From 'functionally extinct' to thriving: How the South Island kākā made a comeback in Abel Tasman National Park
Conservationists are celebrating the success of a wild kākā breeding programme at the top of the South Island. Audio
On the road with DOC veteran Herb Christophers
We're in the car with Herb Christophers who has just retired from the Department of Conservation after a 30-year career. Herb is a walking encyclopaedia on everything you need to know about our native… Audio
How to support native birds in your backyard
Around half of New Zealand households feed birds in their backyard. But mostly with bread and seeds, which won't attract our native manu. Dr Margaret Stanley shares tips for safely feeding… Audio
Second rare bird killed in six months on Taranaki roads
The large stocky herons - one of the rarest wetland birds in the world - are notoriously secretive and deemed nationally critical in New Zealand.
Kaka numbers growing in south Waikato
There's positive news from the Pureora Forest Park in the Waikato about it's kāka population. Terry Greene's research has just been published. He talks to Jesse. Audio
Rhapsody for a Rock Wren
Rhapsody for a Rock Wren is a 14-minute film about the endangered bird known in te reo Māori as pīwauwau. It was recorded in Mount Aspiring National Park by University of Otago science student Lauren… Video, Audio, Gallery
Aotearoa's 'ugly' endangered species need love too
"We love you, even if you're ugly". That's the message from the Endangered Species Foundation as it tries to encourage New Zealanders to sponsors some of Aoetearoa's rare but less cute creatures.
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Conservation successes in the Cook Islands
The kākerōri or Rarotongan flycatcher is a South Pacific conservation success story. Once reduced to just 29 birds, it has been rescued from the brink of extinction by a rat control programme managed… Audio
A good news bird story from Rarotonga
Alison Ballance brings us the conservation success story of the kākerōri, or Rarotongan flycatcher. Once reduced to just 29 birds, it was rescued from the brink of extinction by a rat control… Audio
Sophie Fern: Are New Zealand's cute and cuddly native species being favoured over those less charismatic?
Are we ignoring some of our most critically endangered species because they're not cute and charismatic enough?
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Avian botulism
Aucklanders are being called on to keep an eye out for sick birds. BirdCare Aotearoa wild bird hospital says avian botulism is affecting birdlife earlier than usual this year, due to unseasonably warm… Audio
Palmerston North authorities weigh up options to curb bird poo problem
Palmerston North has a poo problem thanks to the spectacular daily flight of thousands of starlings, which swoop on the inner city to spend the night.
Palmerston North battling bird poo problem
Palmerston North has a poo problem. Every evening thousands of birds fly into the centre of the city to sleep for the night, and their droppings fall on unsuspecting parked cars and pedestrians.
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DNA reveals history of Aotearoa’s manu
We've got new knowledge about the whakapapa of kokako, huia, and tieke saddlebacks. They're all part of the Wattle bird family, unique to Aotearoa. Audio
Helping seabirds return to Karioi
Working with the community and local schools, the Karioi Project aims to turn the tide on biodiversity loss in their area. In recent years they've rallied around the grey-faced petrel, or Ōi, who they… Audio
The couple protecting Kaikōura's precious banded dotterels
A couple with a shared love of conservation have devoted the last seven years to protecting the banded dotterel living on the shores of Kaikōura . The birds nest on the sand, making them particularly… Audio, Gallery
Our Changing World - 2022 a boomer season for kākāpō
Alison Ballance joins the kākāpō recovery team on Pukenui Anchor Island to hear how the 2021/2022 kākāpō breeding season is going. Audio