Visiting researcher exploring bird’s eye view

A visiting Victoria University of Wellington researcher will provide a peep into where birds travel in a new project investigating the activities of young kākāriki.

Ellen Irwin, an ecology student from Dartmouth College in the United States, is in Wellington carrying out a year-long study on the red-crowned parakeet, a New Zealand parakeet now breeding at Zealandia. 

The James B. Reynolds Scholarship winner is interested in where the kākāriki go when they leave the wildlife sanctuary. 

“Kākāriki can and do travel far. Little is known about what they’re doing, what other animals they run into and what they’re eating once they leave the sanctuary,” says Miss Irwin. 

“Up to this point Zealandia has only received scattered information from people in surrounding areas.”

Red-crowned parakeets were first transferred to the sanctuary from Kapiti Island in 2010 as part of the sanctuary’s restoration programme to reintroduce the missing species. Over 500 locally bred birds have been banded at the sanctuary since their release.

With the support of Zealandia, Wellington City Council and Victoria University, Miss Irwin is looking specifically at the activities of juvenile (young) kākāriki.

Some of the juveniles will be attached with transmitters to track their movements, but the project will also rely on observations from the public.

“Once I have a good idea of where they’re going I will look more closely at what they get up to and what they encounter. It would be great if locals could keep an eye out for them—any information is really helpful,” says Miss Irwin.

“If you see someone wandering around with a big blue antenna, don’t be alarmed. I've received some very strange looks and comments over the last few days, including when someone asked if I was tracking aliens, and another person asked if I had lost my television.”

Kākāriki are bright green in colour and the red-crowned parakeet is distinguished by a bright crimson forehead, crown and a streak extending back beyond the eyes. They are usually solitary or found in pairs, although in autumn and winter they may form small flocks.

Miss Irwin hopes results could help the conservation of the species.

“It could give us information about the plants that kākāriki prefer thus encouraging people to grow those in their backyards. Or if we find the birds are caught by predators like stoats or rats, we could encourage extra trapping in those areas to keep them safe,” she says. “The more information we can gather the more we can help them.”

Kākāriki observations can be posted online at Naturewatch.