Four birds from a critically endangered species have been killed within a wildlife sanctuary on Motutapu by hunters who thought they were culling pukeko.
The Department of Conservation confirmed volunteers from the Deerstalkers Association had shot four takahe while carrying out a cull of 600 pukeko on Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf, which is a protected, pest-free haven for endangered bird species.
The embarrassing mistake has angered iwi who approved the transfer of the rare birds from the South Island to the sanctuary.
The takahe were killed by experienced members of the local deerstalkers group, which DoC depends on for some conservation initiatives.
DoC's northern conservation services director Andrew Baucke said pukeko had "very similar colouring" to the flightless takahe and the volunteers may have mixed up the two species.
