A little bird now on the brink

RARE SIGHT: Two of the handful of New Zealand fairy terns that carry the hopes of the species.

The Department of Conservation holds grave fears for the safety of New Zealand's most endangered indigenous breeding bird, the New Zealand fairy tern (tara-iti), and is warning Northlanders and visitors to be mindful of laws designed to protect them.

Only 39 of the birds, including 12 breeding pairs, remain, all of them living and nesting in wildlife refuges in Northland (Waipu, Mangawhai and Pakiri, Papakanui Spit).

"The all-important breeding season has just started, and runs until February," DOC conservation services ranger Vivienne Lepper said.

"This is a particularly vulnerable time for the birds, and we are asking locals to remind visitors of the laws, which include no dogs, cats or vehicles on the wildlife refuges and for people to keep their distance from the birds, their nests and their eggs."

Dedicated DOC fairy tern wardens Paulla-Jean Pridham (Waipu) and Rangi Zimmerman (Mangawhai) have been fencing nesting sites and preparing nest sites by laying down shell, which the birds like to nest on. The birds then construct nests on exposed, low-lying areas of shell-covered sand. The nests are a simple scrape in the sand, set amidst the shells.

Last year 10 fairy tern chicks fledged, and similar success is hoped for this year.

Paulla-Jean and Rangi work a seven-day roster, monitoring breeding attempts, maintaining fences around nesting sites, helping with public education, trapping predators and enforcing the laws. Volunteers also play a big part in monitoring, trapping and surveillance to assist the wardens.

DOC works closely with the NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, About Tern, the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, the Waipu Trapping Group and Te Uri o Hau to help protect the birds.

The laws that protect fairy terns and other shorebirds include a ban on dogs and vehicles in wildlife refuges and reserves, and make any disturbing of wildlife an offence.

Northlanders can help the fairy tern and other shorebirds by reminding visitors about the by-laws, reporting offenders (on 0800 DOC HOT - 0800 362-468 - or to the local wardens), and volunteering to help monitor nests and assist with trapping (phone (09) 470-3300).