Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust staff in Rotorua revel in rare moment

Staff at Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust in Rotorua are revelling at witnessing and recording a rarely seen moment in nature; a native owl, the morepork or ruru, laying an egg.

A nocturnal species, and notoriously secretive, the ruru/morepork remains a curiosity and understanding of the species is still limited.

While Wingspan has held captive breeding pairs and hand-raised moreporks in the past, this is the first time they have witnessed egg laying and caught it on camera.

The ruru, named Nox, arrived at Wingspan last year as a rescued chick.

As she is not paired with another bird, the eggs were infertile, but this did not lessen the excitement for Wingspan executive director Debbie Stewart.

"We are still learning about the species – we will always have more to learn – and so it is wonderful to gain some insight and peer behind the curtain," she said.

Shannon Campion, Nox's trainer, felt privileged to have witnessed the moment and described it as an incredible stroke of luck.

"There had been signs she was due to lay for a few days and so I knew it was coming, but I was feeling a bit anxious that particular morning and stopped what I was doing to check in on her.

"Imagine my surprise when I found her mid-lay! I was stunned. I hand-raised Nox, so I also feel a bit like a proud mum."

The team at Wingspan are currently fundraising for their new development, a conservation, education and research facility where visitors can experience these birds up close.

"A huge part of Wingspan's ethos is wildlife engagement so New Zealanders will feel empathy for the birds and look out for them into the future," Campion said.

"Nox is a wonderful advocate for her species."

If you would like to find out how to visit Wingspan or how you can support them on their journey, check out their website, www.wingspan.co.nz.