A Coromandel conservation group has deployed thermal-imaging drones to survey populations of the threatened wetland bird matuku-hūrepo /Australasian bittern.
Matuku or bitterns are classified as ‘Threatened - Nationally Critical’ with fewer than 1000 birds left nationwide. Mana Manu Trust volunteers are on a mission to bring back native birds, such as the matuku, to the Whangapoua area. ‘Mana Manu’ is roughly translated as the ‘power of birds’ in te reo Māori.
The Trust recently participated in a survey of matuku populations around the Coromandel peninsula as part of a nationwide Department of Conservation survey. More than 60 volunteers from around the Coromandel listened for the matuku’s signature ‘booming’ call and heard the bird at five different sites around Whangapoua Harbour. Trust member and drone pilot Hamish Kendal also flew a thermal-imaging drone over the Whangapoua wetland. The drone footage revealed seven bitterns, which the Trust says is an excellent sign of a growing matuku population in the area.
WWF-NZ’s Community Conservation Fund is supporting the Trust to increase the breeding success of the local matuku population. That involves expanding trapping in the matuku’s wetland habitat within the Trust’s area. Volunteers have cut tracks around the edge of the wetland and have set up a network of traps that are regularly checked. The Trust is also hosting a trapping workshop in December for volunteers to learn best practices from trapping experts to keep this special bird safer from predators such as mustelids, cats, rats, and possums.
Trust spokesperson Penny Ridings says the next three months will be crucial to ensure that the matuku populations nest and their chicks survive to adulthood.
“Matuku are very shy birds. They are known to depart the area if they are disturbed by people. They are also slow, lumbering fliers, which make them vulnerable to being hit by speeding cars,” she says.
“The assistance of WWF-New Zealand has been instrumental in providing us with the resources we need to enhance the long-term sustainability of a significant matuku population at Whangapoua.”
The Project is one of 19 initiatives WWF-New Zealand, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is supporting this year through its Community Conservation Fund. WWF-New Zealand’s Fund supports communities to run projects that conserve and restore Aotearoa’s natural environment, while also educating New Zealanders about its importance.