Bring Back Bellbirds

Korimako / Bellbird Photo Credit: Tonia Kraakman@tototosia

Native birds, such as tūī and korimako/bellbirds, were once abundant in Tamahere and the wider Waikato but suffered a significant decline due to predators like rats, stoats, and possums, as well as habitat loss and food source depletion.

Although progress has been made in enabling tūī to return by controlling predators and restoring vegetation, korimako sightings in Tamahere are still rare.

Our ambitious goal is to create a predator-free Tamahere where korimako and other native birds and wildlife can really thrive and become abundant again, especially in our gullies, reserves and along the bush-clad edges of the Waikato river. We can’t do this alone but, as a community, anything is possible!

The korimako/bellbirds’ call, reminiscent of delicate whistles and chimes, evokes a sense of wonder. Its singing is like listening to a tiny piece of magic.

The Māori saying “he rite ki te kopara e ko nei te ata” means “like a bellbird pealing at daybreak” and is used to describe an impressive speaker or singer.

But the korimako's appeal goes beyond its song. With its yellow green plumage, it is a strikingly beautiful bird and also plays an important role in the ecosystem as a pollinator and seed disperser in our native forests (ngahere) and bush-clad areas.

Join our efforts and help bring back an abundance of beautiful korimako / bellbirds and other native species to Tamahere!