As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday 9 November 2015

'This is a rapid collapse': Catastrophe for native bird

3:00 PM Thursday Nov 5, 2015

Kakariki2 cropped.jpgPoor or non-existent pest control has caused a catastrophe for one of New Zealand's beloved native bird species, conservationists say.

Dr Luis Ortiz-Catedral of Massey University said a lack of pest control in Northland was largely to blame for the disappearance of kakariki, the native red-crowned parakeet.

Last week, Forest and Bird released drone footage of decimated native Northland forests, also blaming inadequate pest control for the destruction of many native trees.

Forest and Bird said possums and other pests were running rampant in northern forests. This week, Dr Ortiz-Catedral said rats, possums, and other pests were killing off kakariki.

"This is a rapid collapse," he said.

Dr Ortiz-Catedral, a conservation biology lecturer and parakeet expert, said the kakariki had almost certainly become extinct in all areas north of Kawakawa.

"As recently as 25 years ago there were anecdotal records of kakariki scattered across Northland from Cape Reinga down to forest patches near Paparoa.


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