Predators
Nest monitoring has shown that predation is the main cause of nest failure for birds that breed in braided rivers. An infra-red video study in the Tekapo, Ohau and Pukaki riverbeds found the main predators in these river systems to be cats, ferrets and hedgehogs. Stoats are important predators in more forested catchments. Australasian harriers/kāhu and Australasian magpies have also been filmed preying on eggs and chicks.
Introduced predators also eat native invertebrates and lizards.
Infra-red cameras captured these images of predators at banded dotterel/turiwhatu nests:
Cat with banded dotterel in mouth Hedgehog at nest
Contacts
|
Twizel Area Office
|
|
Phone:
|
+64 3 435 0802
|
|
Fax:
|
+64 3 435 0852
|
|
Email:
|
TwizelAO@doc.govt.nz
|
|
Address:
|
Wairepo Road
Twizel 7901
|
|
Postal Address:
|
Private Bag
Twizel 7944
|