Cops claim 'owl-ing success' with rescued morepork

Photo / Hamilton Police

A rare native bird has been released back into the wild a month on from a stormy rescue by a Hamilton police officer.

The male morepork, who was found during a storm, has made a good recovery, the bird's recuer Constable Richard Collier said.

"He had a bit of weight to him but at this time of year with all the Christmas cheer, who doesn't?," he said.

"It looks like he'll be able to fend for himself quite well until he needs his next feed and now we'll have some friendly eyes in the sky above Chartwell."

Bill Smith, of Avian Wildlife Rehabilitation Trust, said the bird was expected to do well in the wild.

"He remained pretty feisty throughout his rehabilitation but he fed well dining on a bit of beef and supplements before we changed his diet to his more natural fare of euthanised mice," he said.

"He still had a bit of down when we released him into bush by the Chartwell St John Ambulance station this morning but he has a fair amount of conditioning on him and we're pretty confident he'll do well."