Date:  12 April 2018

Kiwi call counts will be happening in June and July and, in the lead-up to this, local community conservation groups are on the lookout for potential kiwi listeners.  

The annual kiwi call count helps estimate the kiwi population in an area and provide baseline data to the DOC. When calls are monitored in the same place over several years, it helps build a picture of what is happening with kiwi numbers and distribution.

Five community conservation groups will be having stalls in markets across the area. At their stalls, Bay Bush Action, Russell Landcare Trust, Mahinepua/Radar Hill Landcare Trust, Puketotara Landcare Trust and Hupara Landcare Trust will be giving the public the chance to find out what a kiwi looks and sounds like.

Visitors will also have the chance to take a listening quiz to see how well they can identify kiwi calls from other night-calling animals and birds.

People wanting to take the next step to becoming trained kiwi listeners are welcome to go to one of three kiwi listening workshops which will be held in the last two weeks of May in Russell, Waimate North and Totara North/Whangaroa.

Helen Ough Dealy, DOC Community Ranger, Pewhairangi/Bay of Islands Office says, “Come to the pop-up listening stalls and find out what male and female kiwi sound like. You could be surprised – that noise in the night might actually be a kiwi in your backyard!”

Anyone interested in kiwi call listening and the kiwi listening workshops but unable to get to the market stalls can ring DOC on +64 9 407 0300.

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