Chicks on patrol

Two New Zealand falcon chicks have been taken from the wild and installed in nesting boxes at a secret location somewhere in the Wairau Plains as the controversial Falcons for Grapes project gets underway.

Project leader Nick Fox said the location of the native falcons, or kararea, would remain under wraps.

"We really want to protect them and avoid them becoming the focus of negative attention," he said.

Falcons for Grapes aims to train native falcons to scare foraging birds from vineyards.

The female falcon chicks, aged between 25 and 28 days, were taken from Department of Conservation land in the upper Awatere Valley.

- NZPA