Predator Free funding backs Waipu plan to restore bellbird song to gardens

Native bellbirds (korimako) were once common in Northland.

A new backyard trapping initiative in Waipu aims to bring back the native bellbird (korimako), renowned for its melodic song.

The birds were once common in Northland but are now rarely heard in Waipu.

Conservationists are keen to try to entice some out of the nearby Brynderwyn Hills, where flocks have established themselves in recent years.

Project Bellbird, an initiative launched by the Piroa Conservation Trust, has just received funding from the Predator Free New Zealand Trust - in partnership with the Simplicity Foundation - to supply traps and gear to residents. The goal was to have one trap in every five Waipu backyards, project lead Graeme Giles said.

Predator Free NZ Trust funding adviser Janine Hearn said, “Project Bellbird really stood out in the funding round. Their vision wasn’t just about reducing predator numbers - it was about hearing korimako singing in gardens again. That’s a powerful and tangible goal.”

Waipu residents keen to participate in Project Bellbird will be given traps, bait, and instructions on how to catch predators and log their numbers.

The Predator Free - Simplicity Foundation partnership for this funding round would help kick-start or expand backyard predator control efforts across the country, Hearn said. The support was especially welcome at a time when funding for community conservation was becoming harder to secure.

The initiative is part of the greater nationwide Predator Free 2050 goal to eradicate rats, stoats and possums by mid-century. Hearn said that, while backyard groups alone would not achieve that target, they played a vital role in building momentum and public engagement.

The Piroa Trust said it had already removed more than 6700 pests in the past year and expanded predator control across 15,000ha, from the Piroa hills to Bream Bay.

Project Bellbird would focus on the 219ha urban area of Waipu, with plans to create an ecological corridor from the Waionehu Stream catchment to the village.

Giles said Waipu’s unique ecology made it an ideal place for community-led conservation.

“Waipu is such a special place, with its mix of habitats and rare species. Intensive predator control has already seen bellbirds return to parts of the Brynderwyns. With a bit more encouragement, they might venture down to the village.”

Residents will be provided with rat traps, bait and instructions, and are encouraged to log their catches to help track progress. Possum traps will also be supplied and serviced where needed.

Locals keen to get involved can email: projectbellbird@piroaconservationtrust.org.nz

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, most of which she spent reporting on the courts in Gisborne and the East Coast.