Kiwi, especially young ones, suffer during hot, dry weather when hard ground makes for difficult foraging.
Motorists need to be on extra high alert for kiwi on Northland roads this summer as hot, dry, weather conditions continue to bring the normally nocturnal birds out in daylight hours.
The hard, dry, ground caused by drought-like conditions made foraging for food more difficult for the birds, especially for chicks whose bills were softer than those of adult kiwi, care group organisation Save the Kiwi NZ (SKNZ) said.
Food was also the main source of moisture for kiwi so in hot conditions they not only needed to forage longer and further for food but to stay hydrated.
The birds’ earlier emergence during the day put them at greater risk of being hit by cars or coming into contact with other dangers, such as dogs. Kiwi could also become dehydrated and overheat while out during the day and could drown in water sources like cattle troughs, fish ponds, and swimming pools. SKNZ said.
People with kiwi in their area could help protect the birds by putting out shallow dishes of drinking water, ensuring swimming pools were inaccessible to them, and by putting rocks or planks in any low-sided bodies of water so that kiwi could get out if they fell in.
It was also important to keep on top of predator control as hot conditions often meant kiwi were competing with predators for the same limited water sources, SKNZ said.
On Whangārei Heads, kiwi numbers have swelled from 80 to 1300 in the past 20 years thanks to predator control work. Local kiwi expert and Backyard Kiwi project manager Todd Hamilton said that population expansion also came with the “collateral damage” that some kiwi would inevitably die from misadventures on roads. Nonetheless, motorists should take more care.
“After dog attacks, road kill is the second highest cause of death for adult kiwi in the Whangārei Heads,” Hamilton said.
Three kiwi were known to have been killed on roads at Whangārei Heads in the 12 months to November and another two were run down during December.
One of the birds was an adult male, killed on a Friday night in December - possibly hit by one of a group of “petrol heads” hooning there at the time or perhaps intentionally hit by someone who might have mistaken the bird for a possum, he said.
“We all know that killing possums on the road is practically considered a time-honoured tradition, but at Whangārei Heads, we’re leaving possum control to the traps,” Hamilton said.
Also during December, a third kiwi died from suspected heat exhaustion.
Heads resident Amanda Cartright said the area where she lived - a straight stretch of road before McLeod Bay - sadly, had the highest number of road-killed records on the Heads. Backyard Kiwi data showed 10 kiwi had been killed there since 2017.
Cartright noted traffic on the Heads Rd “doubled, if not tripled” in the summer months, making the risks to kiwi even greater.
There were kiwi warning signs at either end of the straight but motorists sped through the area regardless, Cartright said.
She hoped her recent post to social media about one of the kiwi run down in December might remind drivers why they needed to slow down.
Emphasising that dogs were still the biggest killer of kiwi on the Heads, Hamilton said people needed to ensure they kept their canine mates tied up or on a lead at all times.
Kiwi could live for 50 years, paired for life, and raised up to 150 chicks in their lifetime.
The presence of an uncontrolled dog in a kiwi breeding area would be devastating, Hamilton said.
“Remember, kiwi don’t just live in the bush. They are in paddocks, gorse, pampas grass and, inevitably, in the road verges,” Hamilton said.
To report kiwi that appear to be in trouble, contact your local Department of Conservation branch or 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). Stray dogs should be reported to the dog control officers of Environmental Northland on 09 438 7513.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference