Listen out for tuneful forest calls
Whanganui’s predator-fenced forest sanctuary Bushy Park Tarapuruhi could have a new species “waking up the forest” from the end of summer.
The species is po¯pokatea, also known as whitehead, a forest bird that would have been in the 95ha sanctuary in the past, and is still at nearby Waitahinga.
Po¯pokatea are common in North Island forests but they are declining, due to forest clearance.
Nicknamed “bush canaries”, they move around in little flocks, high in the forest canopy. DoC says “their clear tuneful calls fill the forest with a pleasant cacophony of sound”.
The small birds don’t fly far across open ground and would be unlikely to move from Waitahinga to Bushy Park Tarapuruhi on their own.
Po¯pokatea and t¯ıtitipounamu (rifleman) are at the top of a list of birds that could be moved into the sanctuary, Bushy Park manager Mandy Brooke said.
Efforts to add po¯ pokatea were derailed by Covid-19 last year.
Brooke is hopeful the transfer might happen after summer.
Existing po¯pokatea populations will be surveyed, in November, to ensure they can sustain the removal of birds. The work will be done by translocation consultant Kevin Parker, who managed the move of toutouwai/North Island robin and hihi/stitchbirds to the sanctuary.
The process to re-introduce t¯ıtitipounamu, New Zealand’s smallest bird, and a species of wren, to Bushy Park is further behind that for po¯pokatea, Brooke said.
The Bushy Park forest and homestead were closed during level 3 lockdown, with essential work continued by managers and volunteers.
Under level 2 the forest will be open, Brooke said, with people expected to maintain 2m distance from those not in their bubble and to wash or sanitise their hands after pushing the buttons at the gates or using the toilets.
The homestead will be closed to all but house guests under level 2, lessee Dale Pullen said.