New Zealand's smallest endemic bird is back on Cape Sanctuary thanks to the work of volunteers.
About 130 rifleman, or titipounamu, which weigh just five grams, now live in the predator-free sanctuary, including 51 transferred last month.
The birds were caught over a week using mesh nets and recorded bird songs.
Rifleman are territorial so would investigate the sound of other rifleman in the area.
Cape Sanctuary manager Tamsin Ward-Smith said the birds were "high maintenance" and required special care.
"They're busy little birds and they need to eat quite frequently, so we can't hold them for any length of time," she said. "We make sure they have three hours of daylight after they're released to forage and find food."
Because of their high stress levels the rifleman were held only for a maximum of five hours from capture until their release, including the two-hour drive to the Cape Sanctuary.
"It's always a relief to open the small transfer boxes at the sanctuary and see them bounce out at their new home," Ms Ward-Smith said.
Before the Cape Sanctuary restoration project began in 2007 rifleman had not been present in the area for many years.
The nearest remnant population to the Cape Kidnappers peninsula is 25 km away at Mohi Bush and rifleman are not known to travel far.
This was the last top-up of the population, which they hoped would be able to maintain itself.
New home for Hawke's Bay rifleman
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