Kiwi North's two resident kiwi are on the move to start breeding - though not with each other.
And two new young kiwi will soon take their place in the Maunu institution's nocturnal enclosure.
Kiwi male Kapua and female Puna arrived in 2015, then aged 3 and 5 months respectively, but they are now ready to start breeding so will leave Kiwi North on Monday.
Kapua will be released with other Western brown kiwi to a Taranaki sanctuary while Puna has a male lined up to start getting cosy with at Nga Manu Nature Reserve in Waikanae.
Kiwi North operations director Allie Fry said staff were sad to say goodbye to Puna and Kapua, but it was time they moved on and started adding to the population of the endangered bird.
But at the same time there was excitement at getting two new young kiwi in the nocturnal enclosure.
Kiwi North staff will put the two departing birds into special boxes on Monday to take them to their new homes and will return in the evening with the two new recruits Jockalene and Ben.
Jockalene and Ben will both turn 1 in October, but are not from the same stock.
Ms Fry said they had been together for a while in a nocturnal enclosure and she was sure they would settle into their new home well and could even be on display to the public on Tuesday.
"With the very natural conditions of the Kiwi North nocturnal house and our hands-off husbandry practices, we are confident Kapua will adapt very quickly to his new outdoor environment. Hopefully they will both go on to breed and aid the survival of their species," Ms Fry said.
"As [Jockalene and Ben] are already together, and with the now uniform national diet for captive kiwi, we expect that they will settle quickly. On Monday whilst the enclosure is empty of kiwi, we will be busy preparing the environment for them.
"This involves putting in new burrows that don't smell like the previous occupants, moving the burrow cameras and replacing the leaf litter - a general spring clean. We will be open to visitors as normal. Kiwi have very distinctive, individual personalities and we are looking forward to getting to know our new residents and introducing them to our visitors."