Special robin spotted in Puketī Forest Trust count

The 'Granddaddy of Puketi,' defying the rules on longevity.

The discovery of a North Island robin that has reached the grand old age of at least 10 years — more than three times the species' standard life expectancy — has caused great excitement among members of the Puketi Forest Trust.

The trust has been working to eliminate pests and return native wildlife in the forest, midway between the Bay of Islands and Hokianga, since 2003, a restoration process that involves re-introducing birds such as the small but sociable North Island robin.

Every August trust members survey robin numbers and health, and this year trustee Tricia Hodgson was very excited to see one of the original birds, nicknamed Yob (short for Yellow Over Blue, a reference to the identification bands on its legs, and the slang term for a noisy, aggressive young man).

"In the first year he was always about, and often followed you to get more meal worms," she said.

"Unlike other robins Yob was always very noisy, especially if you didn't notice him.

"And if we went along the track into another robin's territory he would follow. He still wanted some mealworms, so he would try and fight the other robin off.

"Seeing him was a real thrill for me, as I was part of the capture team in 2009 and carried out the monitoring after they were released into Puketi Forest.

"He is now at least 10 years old."

Despite his advanced age Yob is apparently still doing his bit to boost the forest's robin population, given that he was accompanied by his mate, an unbanded female. A lack of leg bands means she was hatched in Puketi.

The annual surveys show the Puketi robins are healthy and increasing in number, which suggests they have plenty of food and pest control is working.