The first generation of mainland* kokako have hatched! Here's word from Andy Warneford, our field contractor out at Ark in the Park -
The kokako that Robbie Havell and I have tracked now for around 12 weeks, now have a nest, and it looks like they've hatched chicks, that are maybe 10 days or so old. The next step now will be to see if we can get access to the nest and band them. The nest is under daily surveilence, has extra protection in place by way of rodent/mustelid traps, and extra rodent bait in the area. The two adults birds are seen visiting the nest at least once per hour, and the female is still doing quite a bit of brooding of the chicks, indicating they are still fairly young, and haven't even grown much warm downy feathers yet. The nest is beautifully positioned amongst adult podocarp forest, not far from large kauris, in fairly thick under canopy, protecting it from winged predators from above, such as the Australasian harrier.
For more information on the release of kokako into the Ark see here -
* Kokako were last seen in the Waitakeres 80 years ago
