Black-billed gulls/tarāpuka have taken up residence in Tūrangi's CBD.
Black-billed gulls/tarāpuka have taken up residence in Tūrangi's CBD.
Tūrangi residents and visitors are being asked to be more selfish with their pies and hot chips this summer, rather than sharing them with a group of newly-arrived gulls.
A breeding colony of threatened black-billed gulls/tarāpuka have taken up residence on roofs in the Tūrangi CBD, putting themselves in the middle of the town’s cafe and takeaway scene.
The temptation to feed them can be strong, especially when the gulls loudly encourage it, but people aren’t doing the birds a favour by splitting their lunch said Department of Conservation Central Plateau operations manager Dave Lumley.
“Even though they might look like they want your potato chip, it’s really not good for the birds or their chicks. Please resist the urge to feed them.
“Human food can cause gut issues for all our native birds, so we encourage people to watch birds, not feed them.
“As much as we are excited to see the gulls in the town centre, we don’t want them to decide this is the place they will always nest because people feed them.”
Coastal habitats are where black-billed gulls/tarāpuka are more typically found.
The birds’ natural diet at this time of year is mostly made up of invertebrates like insects, which provide them and their chicks with the nutrition they need to stay healthy.
Lumley said the birds’ sudden appearance in Tūrangi’s CBD was a surprise to DoC staff.
“Our staff were out combing the lake edges trying to find the gulls after they were disturbed from a previous location at Motuoapa – then one day they looked up and they’re right outside our office!”
Their timing is convenient for the team, however, as DoC is taking a national census of black-billed gulls this summer to help understand how the species is doing.
“It’s exciting to have a population on our doorstep during this census year.
“We anticipate the birds will be around the town centre until mid-January, and hope the Tūrangi community and visitors join us in celebrating these unique gulls – and enjoy them from a safe distance.”
Black-billed gulls are endemic to New Zealand, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth.
Locals and visitors to the Taupō District would be forgiven for thinking the birds were relatively common, as they’re frequently seen around the lake shore.
However, their numbers are declining nationally, said Lumley.
“A very small proportion of the black-billed gull population resides around Lake Taupō – we think there’s about 200 individual birds – but with their national population declining dramatically, they are an important flock.”
Tarāpuka are classed as ‘absolutely protected’ under the Wildlife Act 1953, meaning it is an offence to catch, hunt, kill or possess them.
