Home Improvement Project for the Tara Iti - 2019 shell enhancement

You know what they say is most important when looking at real estate, “Location, location, location”! New Zealand’s most critically threatened bird, the tara iti (Maori name for NZ Fairy Tern) found three new home sites in Waipu, created with 130 tons of locally sourced shell transported by helicopter. The Shorebirds Trust funded the operation with support of the local hapu Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust, Refining NZ and Skyworks Helicopters.

Photo by Melody Tito, Mangawhai Focus

The new shell patches provided three safer places for the tara iti to nest, protecting them from tidal inundation and sand blow. In the past, nests on the east facing beachfront have been impacted by high winds and king tides, often washing the nests away. The new sites have been created in the rear dunes, providing more protection for the chicks and their parents. 

 In the press release announcing the Waipu habitat enhancement, Lou Sanson, Director General of the Department of Conservation said:

 “Support for our most endangered bird by community groups, local hapu and iwi is essential for their survival. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Shorebirds Trust to get these new shell nests created and the ongoing work of the Recovery Group”.

According to the Recovery Group, predator control and habitat enhancement are the most important current actions that can be taken to ensure the survival of the tara iti. The Trust is supporting both priority management strategies and believe these will have the most immediate and positive impact on breeding success of the tara iti population. The creation of new shell patch breeding sites in Waipu is part of a wider 3-year plan developed by the Tara Iti Recovery Group which was formed in 2019. The plan includes the development of further shell patches across all tara iti breeding sites, with Mangawhai designated as the priority site for 2020. Lessons learned will inform operational decisions for succession plans.