Rotary wings to the rescue of their feathered friends

When you are a little fairy tern with only 40 of you in the world, you will take any help you can get to survive!

“The new shell patch breeding sites have created safer places for tara iti to nest on, protecting them from tidal inundation and sand blow.” – Ayla Wiles, Doc Biodiversity Ranger

Luckily for the fairy tern/tara iti, help came in the form of assistance from Air Force’s rotary wing force and personnel.

The New Zealand tara iti is the country’s most endangered bird with only 12 breeding pairs in the world. They are found in the lower half of Northland making homes in Mangawhai, Northland and Papakanui, Kaipara. Due to their breeding habitats, using shallow unprotected nests, the tara iti are easy prey to predators, people, four wheel drive vehicles and dogs.

Early last month an NH90 and Seasprite joined forces to transport 50 tonnes of locally sourced shell and other materials to breeding sites for the construction of man-made breeding houses for the bird.

Due to the dedication of a number of Department of Conservation (DoC) staff, with funding from The Shorebirds Trust and support from the Tara Iti Golf Club, local iwi Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Te Uri o Hau and Ngāti Manuhiri, along with the NZDF, their upcoming breeding season has been given a boost.

This is not the first time the NZDF has helped out the rare bird. The Papakanui site is at the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour on Defence Force land.

Last year defence assets assisted in building two large nesting mounds and enlarging seven other mounds that were built in 2018.

DoC biodiversity ranger Ayla Wiles said they created new shell nests for the birds last year and had success with one pair laying an egg.

“When you are talking small numbers of birds, one success, like using a safer nest to breed, is a huge step forward. Other than predator control, habitat enhancement is the most important action that can be taken to ensure tara iti survival.

“In the past we’ve had nests impacted by high winds, which meant parent birds couldn’t find their eggs and king tides wash nests away. The new sites are placed in the rear of the dunes, providing more protection for chicks and their parents.”