In an upcoming public talk Dr Mike Dickison, Whanganui Regional Museum Curator of Natural History, will argue that deciding which birds are natives isn't as simple as you might think.
In New Zealand we distinguish between native birds, which are legally protected and often under threat, and introduced birds, which
have almost no legal protection and often hunted or eradicated. But this distinction collapses when we look at the archaeological and fossil record, Dr Dickison says. "Some of our birds are self-introduced, some arrived after Polynesians but before Pakeha, and others have ancient roots," he says.
"New Zealanders are constantly making the native/introduced distinction. "But our intuition, and what we've been taught, are often wrong," says Dr Dickison.
"Native good, foreign bad," is too simple a rule for managing our biodiversity. He said his arguments may well change the way people view nature and conservation in New Zealand.
The museum will provide a thematic supper, and a koha is appreciated.
The lecture will be held at the Davis Theatre, Watt St, Whanganui on Thursday, March 30 at 7pm.
For all enquiries please phone 06 349 1110 or email riahk@wrm.org.nz
