Kākā Sightings

Kākā, Photo Credit Tomas Sobek @tomas_nz

Kākā have been seen flying around Tamahere in the last 2-3 weeks, which is unusual for this time of year. Typically, these extroverted and noisy forest-dwelling native parrots are regular Tamahere visitors for winter food, returning to their nesting areas by summer. The recent sightings raise the exciting possibility of breeding activity in the area.

Once as common as sparrows, kākā numbers in New Zealand declined significantly due to deforestation and predation, especially by stoats and cats that pose a threat to nesting females and their young. After being scarce for many decades, there has been a growing number of sightings of this endangered species because of increasing predator control. Kākā flourish in predator-free offshore islands and ecosanctuaries, with their large flight range allowing them to extend into neighbouring areas. They have become a familiar sight in Wellington city, originating from Zealandia/Karori Sanctuary, and there are increasing reported sightings in Auckland from the Barrier Islands, as well as in the Waikato from the Maungatautari Ecosanctuary, Hunua ranges, and beyond.

The latest kākā sightings in Tamahere might be adventurous pre-breeding youngsters simply exploring before becoming nesting adults next summer. Although kākā can start breeding from 1 year old, they typically begin in their third year. That said, with increasing local predator control, we’ve got high hopes that these lively birds might move back to our local forest remnants.

If you see any local kākā, please report your sightings to the Waikato kākā project via iNaturalist or contact us, and we'll pass on the details. If you're unsure about identifying them (they look a bit like kea), you can check nzbirdsonline. The project team has tagged a few Waikato birds for monitoring, so noting the colour combinations of any leg bands, such as white over red on the left leg or pink over shiny metal on the right, can be especially helpful.

Thanks!