Bellbird Translocation to Motuihe Island

Chelsea Sugar supports the Tiritiri Matangi and Motuihe Island birdlife

Posted: 22 July 2010

The translocation of the Bellbirds was the first attempt to re-establish this iconic song bird back onto Motuihe Island. It was part of a wider programme involving Waiheke Island and Hamilton Botanic Gardens. Bellbird were once prolific throughout New Zealand and have suffered from rat and stoat predation. The program is an experiment to see whether they can be reintroduced into predator free areas.

Around 200 birds were captured, half from Tiritiri Matangi island and half from Tawharanui. The birds were taken to each site and will be monitored by radio tracking and feeder station observation. The feeder stations are based on the ones used on Tiritiri Matangi and provide a sugar water supplement to assist the birds in their new home as well as a central place to monitor health and the activity of the birds.

Every year Chelsea Sugar supports the Tiritiri Matangi island birdlife with sugar for the bird feeder stations and now we are proud to also support Motuihe Island.

For more information visit: www.motuihe.org.nz

Photographs: Bellbird eating Kohekohe flowers - the colour bands on the legs are used to identify and trace individual birds and their movements.
Photos courtesy of Adrien Lambrechts.