Several bird species under threat

New Zealand is doing a good job of protecting its seriously endangered birds but must do more to protect other species whose numbers are declining, a national conference will be told tonight.

The Australasian Ornithological Conference, which starts tonight in Blenheim, will hear Lincoln University senior lecturer Kerry-Jayne Wilson present new research on endangered birds which she has co-authored and compiled.

Her State of New Zealand's Birds 2005 report highlighted that the Department of Conservation arguably had the best success record of any agency in the world when it came to saving critically endangered species.

"Almost all bird species that are being actively managed are increasing, albeit slowly in the case of very difficult species such as the taiko and kakapo."

However, she said, there were a number of species that were in decline or under threat that were in dire need of assistance.

These included the chatham shag, blue duck, weka, New Zealand dotterel, the mohua (yellowhead) and the hihi (stitchbird).

One quarter of New Zealand's native birds were already extinct and one in five was endangered, she said.

She hoped the report would raise awareness among the public and government of the need to do more to protect our birds whose numbers were declining.

"Almost all of our land birds and almost half of New Zealand's seabirds breed only in New Zealand if we don't save these species, no one else can."

About 220 people, half of whom have travelled from Australia and further afield, are to attend the three-day conference at St Mary's Parish Centre in Blenheim.

Sessions will be held on a range of subjects including conservation, evolution, and birds of specific environments, such as wetlands and developed landscapes.

Blenheim was chosen as a venue over a more traditional university-town setting, for its proximity to bird viewing sites, Ms Wilson said.

Some conference participants were to go out on the Ocean Wings Albatross Encounter in Kaikoura today, and other trips were planned to Pelorus Sounds and Lake Rotoiti.

- nzpa