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Apple, wine grape, berry and plum orchards in Palmerston North, Levin and Ohau are in a pilot study of native birds that begins in November.
Scientists will catch and release native birds such as tui, korimako (bellbird), piwakawaka (fantail), riro riro (grey warbler) and tauhou (silvereye).
A team led by Plant & Food Research will undertake the study this summer to determine if native birds can potentially function as nature's pest control.
The team will use next-generation sequencing (NGS), a DNA-based method, to identify insect DNA from collected avian faeces, which will allow them to understand which insects the birds favour in their diet.