Threats to tūī
Tūī at nest with chicks
Protective of their living space, tūī have been known to defend themselves against magpies and even “mob” harriers. The tūī has suffered in the past with the introduction of predators such as possums, feral cats, rats, stoats, and ferrets, and the destruction of habitat. Effective predator control methods have been put in place in various regions around New Zealand resulting in a dramatic increase in tūī numbers.