Takahe arrive on Motutapu

Nine new Aucklanders arrived in the city on Sunday. They are takahe - one of New Zealand's rarest native birds - and were released on Motutapu, the safe pest-free island half an hour by ferry from downtown Auckland.

Takahe were once widespread throughout New Zealand but the flightless birds have been brought to the brink of extinction by predators, particularly stoats, and destruction of their habitat. Only 260 survive.

The takahe's journey began early on Sunday, November 4, at the Burwood Bush Takahe Rearing Unit near Te Anau, when the birds were loaded into boxes and driven to Queenstown by DOC rangers.

They joined an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland, were driven to the city and taken by DOC boat to Motutapu to be released into native forest planted by volunteers from the Motutapu Restoration Trust.

Takahe were thought extinct until discovered by Dr Geoffrey Orbell deep in the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland National Park, on November 20, 1948.

The work to save them has involved gathering 'excess' eggs from the Murchison Mountains and hatching them at the Burwood Bush unit. Chicks reared at the unit are released onto pest-free islands where they have been safe from stoats. This has led to an increase in numbers.

Pest-free islands where takahe have been released - Kapiti, Mana, Maud and Tiritiri Matangi - are now running out of room for the birds. A new site, free of predators and with a suitable habitat, is needed.

Motutapu fits the bill perfectly. It and neighbouring Rangitoto - the two islands are joined by a short causeway - were declared pest-free on August 27 last year. Four takahe were released on Motutapu to mark the declaration.

Motutapu's grass and native forest provide a good home for takahe and the island is big enough to hold up to 20 breeding pairs. This will create the largest takahe population outside Fiordland.

Mitre 10 and DOC have worked together to save takahe since 2005, with the company donating $500,000. This year they signed a new partnership agreement that runs until 2015 and will see Mitre 10 more than double its financial contribution to the recovery programme.

Takahe Fact File

An adult takahe is about the size of a hen - 50cm high - and weighs three kilograms.

Their shelter is also their food. Takahe eat mostly tussock.

The closest relative of the takahe is the pukeko. Takahe are stouter with stubbier legs, have a bigger beak and unlike pukeko have no ability to fly.

A takahe is far more colourful than a pukeko with its feathers ranging from deep blue through turquoise to olive green. Pukeko are mainly black and blue

Takahe have wings which are no good for flying but are used for courting and showing their dominance.

Takahe lay their eggs on a raised nest made of tussock grass making the eggs and chicks highly vulnerable to stoats.

Mating pairs of takahe produce one to three eggs each season. Of these 80% hatch.

Both parents incubate the eggs for 30 days and feed the chicks until they are three months old.

Takahe chicks stay with their parents until they are a year or sometimes two years old.

Naturally occurring takahe populations are only found in the Murchison Mountains in the Fiordland National Park.

With such a small population takahe are vulnerable to extinction particularly if there is a disease outbreak or an increase in predator numbers.