Second kiwi found sitting on egg in Whangārei's Pukenui Forest

Transmitters attached to kiwi released in Pukenui Western Hills Forest show their movements. Photo / Supplied

The news for a newly released Northland kiwi population keeps on getting better with confirmation of a second male sitting on an egg.

The birds were in a tribe of 12 adult kiwi, with transmitters attached, that were released into the Pukenui Forest, near Whangārei, in March this year and are being monitored for 12 months.

Those keeping a close eye on the birds confirmed Chuckles had been incubating an egg for about two weeks with fellow male kiwi Waimarie sitting on another for at least a month. It takes 11 weeks incubation before a kiwi egg hatches. Kiwi males do the majority of sitting on the eggs.

A ranger's map of kiwi movements shows the big distances the small birds have travelled since making the forest their home.

TeKamo, Pukenui and K47 seem to be settling in near Lake Ora and Whau Valley Dam.
Chuckles, Roha, Waimarie, Lovie and Fanton appear to be happy in an area close together.

Matarau went on an excursion to Woods Rd quarry before being brought back to Pukenui and Wracky seems to be running around like a headless chook for some reason. He went from Forest View Rd to near Lake Ora in a matter of a few days.

Pukenui Western Hills Forest Trust chairman Max Hutchings was delighted with the news a second egg had been laid and was under the wing of a male kiwi.

"It's all good news and we are still tracking all of the birds. Apart from one bird it seems they have all settled," Hutchings said.

He reiterated how important it was for dog owners to keep their dogs out of the forest and cat owners to lock their feline pets up at night.

"It now becomes more important for people living on the fringes of the forest to lock up their cats at night and keep their dogs out. When the chicks hatch they don't stay with their father very long, a few days up to a couple of weeks at most. Then they are on their own."

People with dogs, even if they were on a leash, were breaking a Whangārei District Council bylaw if the entered the forest.

Hutchings said when the birds were released it was hard to determine what sex they were but there were seven of one and five of the other.

He was hopeful there would be more eggs, but the birds were relatively young.

The transmitters were able to monitor the movements and also indicated how active the birds were at night, when they were generally feeding. Less movement at night could mean they were sitting on an egg.

In April one of the birds, K59, now named Manuhiri, made a visit to a Maunu home in Ngahere Dr.

Manuhiri, wandered into the house on Ngahere Dr in Maunu, about 500m outside Pukenui Forest, about 2pm on Easter Monday. The adventurous bird had to cross busy Maunu Rd (State Highway 14) to get to the Greenaways' home.

Manuhiri strolled through to a second lounge room area and the couple closed the sliding glass doors to keep it in.

A series of phone calls by the home owners lead them to Pukenui Western Hills Forest
Charitable Trust ranger Bevan Cramp who responded to the call for help immediately.

When Cramp arrived the bird was fast asleep.

If you see or hear a kiwi near the edge or outside the forest contact Bevan Cramp immediately at pukenuiranger@gmail.com