Korimako (NZ Bellbird) Sighted in Central Auckland Suburb
In mid-November 2021 a Korimako was sighted in a central Auckland reserve and reported by “Stuff” and “One News”. The story illustrates the success of suburban trappers in controlling predator species within the city.
“We were really excited when we saw Rosie’s footage,” her supervisor and conservation biologist James Russell said.
“It shows that bellbirds are penetrating right into the heart of Auckland City, and I think this just represents five years of Predator Free New Zealand really starting to gel-in and we’re really starting to see the benefits of where rare birds such as bellbirds are coming back to places that they haven’t been for hundreds of years.”
“With so many New Zealand birds that are threatened with extinction, or what we call range-restricted – only found in a small area – I think we have a lot of opportunity to see more and more of these birds returning across our urban landscapes and our entire country.”
The Korimako, or bellbird, has not been seen or heard in the greater Auckland area for over a hundred years, though they are a common sight in the South Island and Northland. Over the weekend, the bellbird was also heard several times around the Ōrākei Basin, which suggests to Gerolemou there may be several around the city. The bird’s presence is evidence that conservation efforts are working to bring the bellbird’s 100-year absence to an end, “A lot of the people are involved in trapping rats and replanting native plants, this is one of the key species they look for to show their efforts are paying off,” she said.
According to the Department of Conversation, research has proven that keeping rats and stoats away helps grow korimako populations. Possums don’t kill them, but they compete for the same food.
Korimako are small olive-green birds with darker, bluish wings, usually no more than 20 centimetres long. They were named after their distinct song. Because Gerolemou had never seen one before, she had to send the photo out far and wide to confirm which bird was photographed, starting with sharing to the iNaturalist app and then academic colleagues. “It went sort of viral around a small number of conservationists,” she said.
The closest they have been to Auckland was a decade ago, when the treasured songbirds returned to Motutapu Island after intensive pest control efforts.
Gerolemou’s research is ongoing, and people who live in parts of eastern Auckland can sign up to participate. Her researched is funded by Pest Free Auckland (Auckland Council).