Stories
Protect our Petrels – New website
Introducing a new website www.protectourpetrels.com coordinated by BirdCare Aotearoa team member and University of Auckland PhD student Ariel-Micaiah Heswall along with other passionate individuals, with the goal of promoting the conservation of Aotearoa’s native seabirds. About Driven by a passion to conserve seabirds, Protect Our Petrels began in 2022 when Auckland community members decided that enough ...
Tabletop exercise was a success
Wildlife Welfare – Creating Preparedness for a Potential Catastrophic Weather Event. Wildlife welfare is now incorporated in the Civil Defence ‘Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS)’. BirdCare Aotearoa recently coordinated a Tabletop exercise to build preparedness for a catastrophic weather event impacting wildlife. Delegates from various organisations worked together during a simulated exercise to develop a ...
Botulism
Botulism is a natural toxin produced by a bacterium (Clostridium botulinum) commonly found in soil. There are several types of botulism toxin, some of which can affect humans. Birds get their own kind of botulism (Type C). Botulism Type C is concentrated in aquatic invertebrates that filter feed sediments or water. When birds eat the ...
2021-2022 Nursery Review
A day in the nursery goes a little something like this: arrive at 6.30-7.00am. Warm up syringe feeding mixes for each species in care. Feed the babies. Administer medications. Feed the babies. Clean out housing. Feed the babies. Set up housing with fresh branches and appropriate food. Feed the babies. Administer fluid therapy. Feed the ...
Parapara, the bird catcher tree
Parapara, also known as the bird catcher tree, is native to New Zealand. It typically grows on islands and coastal areas of the North Island, and is present in Auckland. In spring-summer, parapara seeds develop a glue-like coating which is designed to help with seed dispersal. This coating remains sticky for months, and traps birds ...
The very hungry oystercatcher
Waitā the oystercatcher arrived depressed, severely underweight, with suspected head trauma, damaged flight feathers, and some bald patches. After fluid therapy, he spent the night in the ICU on oxygen. The team then began to tube feed him to try and put some weight back on. After a week, Waitā moved to an aviary, where ...
A successful fundraiser!
Thanks to the support of the community, BirdCare’s recent annual Theatre Evening at Titirangi Theatre successfully raised the funds to purchase a much needed infusion pump. An infusion pump is a device which controls the administration of small amounts of fluid to help a bird recover from injury. The usual drip hook-up you ...
National Volunteer Week…
A big thank you to the UoA Alumni volunteers who helped tackle the climbing asparagus ‘plantation’ last week. This involved some tough and precarious walking through the many hectares of bush on our BirdCare Aotearoa property which backs onto the Manukau Harbour. The climbing asparagus is a difficult weed to work with but the ...
Board Members needed
BirdCare Aotearoa (formerly NZ Bird Rescue) provides professional care for rescued wild birds – both native and non native. As well as running a hospital in Green Bay, Auckland, we provide education and training for volunteers, professionals and the wider community. The organisation has undergone significant improvements over the past 3 years. We have an ...
A BIG thank you on behalf of our little blue penguins…
In March this year, hundreds of bird lovers like yourself gave generously to our matched giving campaign. Thanks to YOU, we raised over $13,800 to build a dedicated, predator-free waterbird enclosure for our little blue penguins, to give them the best chance of survival in a stress free environment. We are so grateful for the ...