DOC's work with the black robin

DOC's Claire Miller with
Chatham Island black robin

In 1972 wildlife officers could find only 18 black robins living on Little Mangere Island.

In 1976 there were a mere seven birds left. These were all moved to Mangere Island where 120,000 trees had been planted to provide better shelter. By 1980 a further two birds had died, and none had bred.

The outlook was bleak, but a dedicated team of New Zealand Wildlife Service staff took the daring step of cross-fostering eggs and young to another species to boost productivity.

The last breeding pair, named Old Blue and Old Yellow, and a foster species, the Chatham Island tits, ended up saving the black robin from extinction.

The fostering programme used to save the black robin was such a fantastic success that it has been used as a case model on how to save endangered birds around the world.

With the black robin population now well-established on Mangere and South East Islands, the Department of Conservation is attempting to establish a third population in a predator-free area on Pitt Island.

There are even hopes that the black robin may one day be returned to its ancestral home, Little Mangere, where the vegetation is slowly regenerating.