Takahē conservation

18 takahē (9 breeding pairs) were returned to the Greenstone and Caples areas in August 2023.

While the releases were mainly on Greenstone Station, takahē are known to range widely. You may see takahē as you walk, on bush edges and over time, they may disperse into other areas such as hunting blocks.

At a glance, people may mistake the takahē for a pūkeko. Takahē are a large bird with deep blue and green colouring, sturdy red legs and beak. The chicks are black and small, as they grow, they will grey out. The juveniles will go from grey and muted blue and green, to the striking colours as they mature. For more information, visit Takahē Recovery

If you see a takahē 

To keep takahē safe in their new home:

• keep a respectful distance to reduce stress on the birds
• don't share any food with takahē as human food can make them sick
• report any sightings (particularly outside the Greenstone Valley) at birdbanding.doc.govt.nz/sightings. Try to note details such as location, number of birds and leg band colours.