Town falcons blamed for deaths of birds

HUNTER: A karearea, or falcon, with the remains of an ornamental dove in Alf Stanley's garden. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Local bird enthusiasts say the karearea living at Government Gardens are killing their pet birds.

They say the karearea (New Zealand falcons) might be contributing to the biodiversity of Rotorua, but belong in the bush - their natural habitat - rather than in the Government Gardens, where three are living as part of a conservation project by Wingspan.

But Wingspan say the falcons are not responsible for all the deaths and only kill what they need to eat.

Alf Stanley, who was a member of the now defunct Rotorua Pigeon Club, told the Rotorua Daily Post 25 of his ornamental pigeons and doves had been killed by falcons at Lynmore over the past 18 months.

He said he had witnessed, and photographed, the attacks.

Lifelong Rotorua Bird Club member Lorraine Carmichael said many members had expressed concern over falcons attacking birds in their aviaries.

"Some people spend three or four thousand dollars on birds, they are their pets.

"Another person with a big bird aviary in town, the falcons were trying to pull the birds out. It's okay to have the falcons, but in town is not the right place to have them go ... it's not just one person but a lot of people in the bird club are having the same problem. It's not new. But I just think it's a stupid thing letting them go right in town and feeding them."

Wingspan director Debbie Stewart said karearea would not have been behind all of the bird deaths.

"Falcons are part of the biodiversity of our country. It's sad that perhaps many of the losses are attributed to falcons when it is not, it's the pests we are all trying to control.

"Of course we can appreciate their concerns. We are able to give them advice on how they might be able to protect their birds from falcons."

She said the falcons only killed what they needed to eat.

Mr Stanley was also concerned the falcons may be contributing to declining kereru numbers.

"They [karearea] are at the top of the predator chain.

"When I moved down to Tarawera, there were eight I saw in the Redwoods. That went down to five, this year it went down to three . . . In February I photographed one bird."

In a statement, the Department of Conservation said both kereru and karearea were protected species with special status, but karearea was more endangered.

"More than 80 per cent of prey for the New Zealand falcon is introduced species such as sparrow and starlings, particularly in an urban environment. Falcon do prey on kereru - they're a natural food source for them. This is a natural process and part of the natural functioning of New Zealand's ecosystem. A much more likely source of proven kereru decline is predation by mammalian predators such as rats, possums and stoats."

Mr Stanley said the falcons played a large role in the disestablishment of the Rotorua Pigeon Club.

"The problem with the Rotorua Pigeon Club, when they race the pigeons they race them from south to north, so when they fly up the side of the Mamaku Ranges it's all up hill so by the time they have got to the top they are knackered. The falcons would just pick them off."