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Kiaora everyone, sure hope you are all well. Last week Michael our ranger came across a kiwi in the middle of the day on the main public track. The kiwi looked sick and was not moving away when Michael got close. Under supervision via phone from me (approved kiwi handler) Michael carefully picked up the kiwi and checked the condition of the kiwi which was very poor indeed. It was decided that Michael should take the kiwi to the bird recovery centre in Maunu which he did and Robert Webb at the centre took good care of this precious manu for a couple of days. Robert later contacted us and said the kiwi had recovered enough to go back to its natural habitat. Back yard kiwi approved handler Todd Hamilton kindly picked up and micro chipped the kiwi and checked other key biometrics of the bird. The kiwi had some damage to the back of its neck, which was conducive to a fight with another kiwi perhaps.This is likely to happen more when food resources are scarce (such as in drought time) and kiwi wander into other bird's territories looking for kai. Because of the bird's malnourished state it was difficult to tell 100% if it was a male or female. After this check Todd took the bird back to Bream Head Scenic Reserve and found a good site with suitable moist habitat that the kiwi should be able to find insects in. Its tough out there for our species still, especially now the weather has shifted back to this dry pattern. The ground lacks any good level of moisture, except for areas immediately adjacent to a couple of northside streams that are just holding water.
Anyway, it was great to see a bird that was dangerously weak recover and be returned to its home, with a good chance of surviving in the area Todd chose. Michael did a great job acting swiftly but under careful instruction. Because the kiwi showed resilience and strength to recover we decided to call it Kaha - meaning brave, strong, resilient! A good news story during this time and perhaps a sign of how we need to be resilient and look to the future with positivity even when it seems difficult to do so.
mauri ora to you all my friends!
The first photo is when Michael found the kiwi, the following two photos are from Todd when he released the manu.
