Toutouwai, Robin's Return FAQ's

Are they a rare species?
If they're not threatened/rare, why are they being transferred?
What sort of diseases do robin's carry?
Where else have they being moved in NZ?
What's to stop the birds flying away once you release them?
What is the sound anchoring research all about?
What chances are there for volunteer involvement in the project?

Banded North Island robin

Are they a rare species?

• Robins are classified as not threatened in the NZ Threat Classification (Hitchmough et al 2007).

If they're not threatened/rare, why are they being transferred?

• Re-introductions of robins are a key component to the restoration of
  ecosystems - they are not considered endangered, and because of this
  they are a low-risk species to establish.

Added benefits are:

• One of the easiest birds in NZ to find, train and capture for release
• Robins are known to be able to 'hang on' and survive in areas where
  others birds have disappeared, so they can be used to 'test' an area
  before other more endangered species are reintroduced.
• They are diurnal and friendly and once released, offer people the
  chance to see and enjoy their presence.

What sort of diseases do robin's carry?

• They're checked for a few things - parasites and Salmonella, as well
  as coccidian, worm eggs and Yersinia.

Where else have they being moved in NZ?

• The first robins were moved in the early 1970's. Research and comparative studies were undertaken on a population of South Island robins at Kowhai Bush near Kaikoura and black robins on the Chatham Islands. These
  trials helped to develop and perfect things like how to catch
  them, how to hold and transport them, and things like that - all the
  stuff that makes transfers successful today.
• In the early 1980's there were transfers in the Bay of Islands, then
  Fiordland, Rotorua and onto Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki
  Gulf.
• Since then, there have been transfers in the Waikato, Hawke's Bay
  and Auckland areas.

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What's to stop the birds flying away once you release them?

Nothing! That's one of the biggest risks the project faces but there are a
number of things we can do to help reduce this risk:

• We're trialling 'sound anchoring', using speakers in the bush playing
  song that was pre-recorded where the robins came from, as a
  technique to help the birds feel more at home.
• We're releasing them as one group.
• We're releasing them in the morning so they have all day to settle in.
• Years of predator control in the area means we know there's plenty
  of food the birds like in the release site areas - such as insects and
  fruit. It also means that robin predators such as possums, rats and
  stoats are low in numbers.
• We've picked 2 sites that physically are very tight, narrow valleys -
  this provides a sort of 'closed' environment.
• The numbers of birds being released at each site (30) should also
  compensate for a small number who do choose to fly away.
• We are prepared to do a follow up release at a later stage if that's
  required.

What is the sound anchoring research all about?

• It's about using pre-recorded robin calls and song and playing them
  through speakers set up in the bush in the areas the birds are being
  released to see if it helps them settle in quicker.
• It's called 'acoustic anchoring' and it's being used successfully with
  other birds like kokako. It hasn't really being trialled in NZ yet so
  hence the research, which is carried out by Waikato University
  students.
• The students are setting up the speakers at the two release sites
  before the birds arrive, and then they will stay on for 20 days after to
  monitor how the released birds respond to the calls.

What chances are there for volunteer involvement in the project?

• Volunteers will be needed for a variety of jobs, including monitoring.
• People interested should contact Letticia Williams from the Moehau Environment Group (http://www.meg.org.nz/)

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