Studying species & population dynamics

Using telemetry equipment and a trained sniffer dog to track kiwi in the bush, and, Sue Bell doing a health check and study on a kiwi

Understanding kiwi’s social systems means we can be more effective in helping populations grow.

An example is the discovery that Stewart Island tokoeka and rowi form family groups. This information can help identify breeding problems because if we repeatedly find these birds just as pairs, it would mean that they have not bred successfully, or their chicks have died.

On the other hand, an increase in the size of family groups will show we are managing the populations effectively.

Knowing about family ties also increases the likelihood that releases of Operation Nest Egg subadults will be successful. For example, because rowi family groups are exceptionally territorial, we now know to release subadults well away from occupied territories.

Family intrigue

The role of family groups continues to intrigue kiwi researchers – they have been recorded for some taxa but not others. There are even variations within what is currently considered a single species – the tokoeka. While there is no suggestion of family groups in Haast tokoeka, they are found in the other three tokoeka taxa.

It seems that great spotted kiwi may also have some family groups going on. While this species’ family ties appear to be much weaker than in Stewart Island tokoeka or rowi, great spotted kiwi chicks do seem to stay within the territory they were born in and are occasionally found with their parents. One possibility is that family groups may last longer in high-density populations because birds get beaten up if they leave the parental territory. It is better to stay at home with mum and dad until a gap appears in a nearby territory.

Future research priorities

Among priorities for research into species and population dynamics are:

gathering more information about great spotted kiwi and tokoeka in Fiordland so that accurate population modelling can be done
finding out about the ecology and behaviour of all kiwi species, but particularly South Island species
establishing why Haast tokoeka and rowi have low breeding outputs (low fecundity) and small populations, and coming up with ways to overcome these obstacles.

Low fecundity can be linked to several things – including few adults actually attempting to breed, low fertility among those that do breed, and low hatching rates of fertile eggs. It is also linked to low fertility soil, inbreeding depression, and birds becoming unproductive because of old age.

Dogs and Cats

Dogs and cats are a significant problem for kiwi. Find out why, and what you can do.

Kiwi Sanctuaries

Five Department of Conservation sanctuaries help ensure the survival of kiwi.

Advocacy

To help save kiwi, people need to understand the problem, and care enough to do something to help.

Did You Know?

Listening at night for kiwi calls is the best way to monitor a population’s health from year-to-year. Call monitoring usually happens from May-to-June. Contact your local DOC office if you’d like to help.