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.

Thursday, 11 April 2013

No Kakapo breeding this year due to cold weather


There will be no new kakapo this year due to the failure of the rimu crop
Hopes dashed for Anchor Island kākāpō breeding

April 2013. Hopes for a successful breeding season for kakapo on Anchor Island were dashed prior to Christmas, following the discovery that, due to a particularly cold southern spring (Sounds familiar), the rimu fruit crop had been hit hard.

Codfish Island
With a similar scene playing out on Codfish Island - home to the main breeding population - there will be no additions to the current population of 125 kākāpō. Females need to know there will be enough rimu fruit available to feed their chicks before they will mate - this year they showed very little interest at all.

New Zealand Department of Conservation staff and volunteers spent the summer season monitoring birds and identifying their territories, maintaining the trapping network on the island and surrounding islands, and working on infrastructure in preparation for future seasons when rimu does ripen and breeding occurs.


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