T¯ane’s tiny messengers return
New Zealand’s smallest bird has been returned to Wellington city after disappearing from the capital several decades ago.
Last week 59 tı¯tipounamu, commonly known as the rifleman, which had been captured from Wainuiomata Mainland Island, were released into the Zealandia ecosanctuary.
The tiny birds weigh in at about
6 grams each – less than a $1 coin.
The plan to release the birds into the predator-free grounds was due to begin in 2017 but was delayed after concerns the birds’ numbers in Wainuiomata were not strong enough after seasonal booms in rat populations.
A large number of the birds remain in Wainuiomata, where the population has increased in the past 15 years.
Zealandia director Danielle Shanahan said the bird’s return to the city was an important step in the conservation of the species and the park’s 500-year restoration plan and the translocation also gave experts the chance to learn about the endemic species.
‘‘We weren’t happy to take more birds from what was a suffering population [in 2017]. Greater Wellington Regional Council has done an awful lot of work in the last couple of years to bring that population up again. They are so tiny. When you have them in your hand, it’s mind-blowing how little they are.’’
She said the translocation was a relatively complicated task which had to run
to a particular time schedule, ensuring the birds were healthy and not stressed throughout the process.
They had an ‘‘in-transit flight snack’’ of grapes and mealworms to keep their strength up and were released into Zealandia the same day they were captured. Many of the birds were juveniles, and at the perfect age to find their own territories within the park and thrive.
‘‘They are a sensitive species. We were very lucky having a site that close. It gives them the best chance of survival.
‘‘We hope that the birds here will quickly flourish, and later disperse successfully beyond the fence as predatorcontrol across the region gets better and better.’’
The name tı¯tipounamu loosely translates to a mirage of greenstone, referring to the bird’s green plumage and fastmoving nature. The birds, which included a mix of male and female birds, were captured, processed and transported by more than 60 people from Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council, Taranaki Wha¯ nui, Department of Conservation, and Nga¯ti Toa Rangatira over the week.