Breeding victory at Mt Bruce

HELLO: Pukaha Mt Bruce's captive breeding ranger Darren Page holds the first whio (blue duck) to be hatched in captivity there in 15 years.PHOTO / LYNDA FERINGA WTA251013LFBLUE05

Nationwide 26 whio ducklings were raised in the past year

Staff at Pukaha Mt Bruce are celebrating the arrival of a rare little chick, the first whio duck to be hatched in captivity there in 15 years.

More commonly known as the blue duck the little whio chick is a member of a very endangered species whose population has suffered greatly since the introduction of predators such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats, hedgehogs and harrier hawks.

The only one of four eggs to hatch the little whio is not yet named and it's far too early to know whether it is male or female.

Pukaha general-manager Helen Tickner said it would be about six months before the sex of the chick can be determined and that would be by a most unusual method.

A male chick of that age whistles when picked up and a female one grunts.

Mrs Tickner said the little duckling is being raised along with three other "exotic" ducklings.

"The duckling's mother is now sitting on another clutch of eggs and we are hoping for a better hatch rate from the second clutch," she said.

The arrival of the whio chick at Pukaha Mt Bruce has been welcomed by Carterton duck expert and conservationist Neil Hayes.

Mr Hayes said whio were a unique species which was heavily endangered even though several recovery programmes were under way around the country.

"Any chick is worth its weight in gold and this is a good effort on behalf of Pukaha," Mr Hayes said.

Ducks Unlimited started recovery programmes breeding whio in captivity and using, whenever possible, a natural pairing technique in which the male duck is able to choose his mate, or vice versa.

In the past year 26 ducklings were reared and released back into the wild.

This was achieved by three pairs with an Auckland pair producing 11, a pair at Peacock Springs having 10 chicks and a pair at Orana, five.

Mr Hayes said it was not possible to accurately estimate New Zealand's whio population but he believed there would be no more than 2000.