One of the young New Zealand falcons (karearea) released at Martinborough as part of a conservation project to see the birds re-established in Wairarapa has been slaughtered by a "killing machine".
A female falcon, Hohoro, was blown across a valley onto a farm and was killed by a stoat last weekend.
Hohoro was one of three of the raptors born in captivity at Rotorua's Wingspan Birds of Prey and put into a hack box at Escarpment Vineyard as part of a conservation project between the raptor sanctuary, DoC and Martinborough vineyard owners to bring the wild birds back to the district and as part of pest control for vineyards.
Within two weeks the birds were ready for flight. The hack box was opened and they could fly at will.
Project organiser Jane Lenting who is Palliser Estate Wine Cellar sales manager said the birds were a bit clumsy as they took to the sky at first.