KOKAKO REPORT Lake Matiri Murchison

Name of Observer: Gordon Appleton Name of reporter (if different): Contact Address: 4/406 Trafalgar St, Nelson. (03) 546 8405 Date Received: first received, July 1 998. Phoned 3 September 1998. Date Observed/Heard: 1990-1991

Location of report (as detailed as possible): Head of Lake Matiri, Murchison district. In forest about 10 minutes walk from head of lake.

Details of Observation: While resting at a site in beech forest above Lake Matiri, Gordon observed two birds that he had never seen previously. The birds hopped out from some trees to a fallen log about 5 m away. They were bluish-grey in colour, and about twice the size of a robin. Upright from the ground they were approximately 8-10', high, and about 5'' broad. One bird appeared a little larger, and a little darker than its mate. Their legs were in proportion with their bodying. relatively long like a ''scaled-up bush robin'' . He thought the bill was slightly curved rather than straight. Both birds had facial wattles - on one bird the color was yellow, and on the other a darker yellow, or orange. Although the birds were not seen flying, he noted that the wings appeared short, and rounded at the tips.

Gordon watched quietly, and made the following observations.

• The birds were not seen flying-their most common form of progression was hopping. They hopped out of a tree on to the log. Gordon estimated the length of hop as about 2-3".

• The birds' main activity during the observation was picking moss off the log. Unlike robin and blackbird, these wattled birds had a peculiar way of dislodging the moss. They probed their bills into the moss, and flicked clumps aside with a sideways action. The clumps of moss dislodged were about the size of a 50 cent piece. They continued with this activity for 5-10 minutes.

• In behaviour the birds were clearly curious, and not afraid of the observer. But Gordon remarked that he was sitting quietly when the birds came to the nearby log to probe moss.

Comments:

My meeting with Gordon was pure coincidence, in a photocopy shop getting my WWF kokako report printed. He spotted the name on the cover and asked me if I believed South Island kokako to exist. Then he told me about his observation at Lake Matiri described above. He said that he didn't know what the birds he saw were at the time, but realized that they were kokako after a trip to Mount Bruce where he saw North Island kokako in captivity.

On further talking with Gordon, and a phone call later. I learned that he was an experienced bushman and very good wildlife observer. Gordon knew the Matiri Valley area very well as he had extensively hunted deer, and trapped possums in that area. He said that possums were particularly numerous in the area (he killed 1 ,500 possums in 5 square miles in 1991 ), as were stoats, and feared the chances of kokako survival because of the numbers of these predators.

I have no doubts as to the accuracy and reliability of his report.

Follow Up Action: Planned for November/December 1998. Gordon is keen to show me the location then.

Rhys Buckingham, Mapua 3 September 1998
South Island Kokako – 1990

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Lake Matiri (Buller)

In 1997, Rhys Buckingham received a phone call from Gordon Appleton (Phone 03-5468405) about two birds he had seen in the bush at the head of Lake Matiri. No date was given for the observation other than the year. Gordon observed 2 birds that hopped from a tree to a nearby log where they began picking at moss. Described as at least twice the size of robins but similar colour and proportions. Estimated 8-10 inches from the top of the head to the ground and around 5 inches in width. They were blue/grey in plumage and the wattles were clearly seen. The colour of the wattles was yellow on one bird and more orange on the other. One seemed to have a larger wattle than the other. He also noted a slight size difference between the two birds. And observed that the wings looked relatively short (didn’t protrude backwards e.g. blackbird) the tip of the wing was rounded, not pointed. Gordon noted that the birds hopped rather than ran along the ground. Hops about 2-3 inches in length. They hopped on to rotten log about 3metres away and picked at moss for about 5-10 minutes. They flicked the moss using a sideways motion of the bill. The bill was inserted vertically into the moss, then the moss prised loose with a sideways flick, and this was very distinct. Each dislodged clump of moss was about 2-3 times the size of a 50-cent coin. Rhys Buckingham surveyed this site in 1999 but recorded no evidence of kokako still being present.

Signs of South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea near Abut Head, South Westland

Barry J Donovan Private Bag 4704 Christchurch

Published by Department of Conservation Head Office, PO Box 10-420 Wellington, New Zealand This report was commissioned by the West Coast Conservancy

ISSN 1171-9834

© 1999 Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 10-420, Wellington, New Zealand

Reference to material in this report should be cited thus:

Donovan, BJ., 1999. Signs of South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea near Abut Head, South Westland Conservation Advisory Science Notes No. 252, Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Keywords: South Island kokako, Callaeas cinerea, Abut Head, Harikari Ecological District Abstract

About 20 years ago a bird that almost certainly was a South Island kokako or orange wattled crow Callaeas cinerea was seen on a branch on the edge of bush near Abut Head, South Westland. On 2 June 1997 in the same place, I saw a dark bird twice and heard two loud wing beats which matched recorded purported South Island kokako wing beats. Since about the late 1980s sev- eral long mournful double notes and one musical organ or flute-like call at- tributed to South Island kokako have been heard on a bushed hillside about 1.06 km further west. On 24 October 1996 in this area and through binocu- lars I saw a blue wattle on the right side of a bird's head, and later a bird was seen and heard "clucking" in the same spot. Also, a blue wattle was glimpsed as a bird flew into the same spot. The size, shape and colour of birds was analogous to that of 18 specimens of South Island kokako in the Canterbury Museum. The observations reported here strongly suggest that the very rare South Island kokako is extant near Abut Head.

1. Introduction

The South Island kokako or orange wattled crow, Callaeas cinerea, was com- mon in at least several areas of the South Island until late last century (Potts 1873, 1882, Reischek 1885, Buller 1888, Smith 1888, Douglas 1899) and Stew- art Island early this century (Cockayne 1909). Thereafter substantive reports of birds have been few (e.g. Chapman 1959, McBride 1981, Buckingham 1987), but have covered a wide geographical range from Stewart Island to North- west Nelson. Where abundant last century, birds were sometimes easily seen and were described as gentle, confident, and with caution, allowing a close approach (Potts 1882), hopping tamely about the tent door (Smith 1888), and extremely tame, hopping to within a few feet of the intruder (Cockayne 1909). However, in contrast Reischek (1885) said that kokako "when disturbed, are adept in the art of hiding, either under a limb in the fork of a tree, or between thick leaves". The Red Data Book (Williams & Given 1981) listed the subspe- cies as extinct, but Tisdall et al. (1994) list South Island kokako under cat- egory X (have not been sighted for a number of years but which may still exist).

Here I describe and discuss various recent signs including observations sug- gestive of the presence of South Island kokako near Abut Head, South West- land.

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2. Locality description

Abut Head is the western extremity of a hilly peninsula about 10 km long and 1-2.5 km wide which lies east-west on the north bank of the Whataroa River in South Westland. The Saltwater Lagoon forms the northern boundary of the eastern half, and the Tasman Sea lies to the north and west of the western half (Fig 1). Geologically the peninsula is Otiran moraine (Warren 1967), with more or less one or two irregular ridges up to 100-200 m high running some- what east-west. The Whataroa River swings away from the morainic wall in three places, leaving extensive river flats. The western flat is mostly swamp which was drained and burnt early this century, but which has reverted to a near-original state. The middle and eastern flats were cleared of all but scat- tered large trees early this century, and have been extensively modified with introduced grasses and herbs, gorse Ulex europaeus, and trees, primarily pine Pinus radiata and eucalyptus Eucalyptus delegatensis. The hilly terrain is clothed in indigenous forest which has a discontinuous, generally open overstorey of rimu Dacrydium cupressinum and miro Prumnopitys furruginea above a main canopy generally dominated by kamahi Weinmannia racemosa with a dense undergrowth of kiekie Freycinetia baueriana, supplejack Ripogonum scandens and tree ferns Cyathea spp. and Dicksonia spp. (Wardle 1985). Swampy areas between river flats and the hilly terrain are fringed with dense forest dominated by white pine Dacrycarpus dacrydioides.The only major man-made modifications to the native forest are a disused pack track that dates from late last century and runs for about 5.5 km along cliff tops from Abut Head to the western end of the Saltwater La- goon, and three transect lines chainsawed across the western half of the pe- ninsula in January 1995. Also, perhaps 2 ha just above the river on the southernmost flank of a steep hill on Section 2464 were cut over around the turn of the century, but the light forest has regenerated.

The western half of the peninsula is surveyed into four blocks. From west to east these blocks and the bush on them are: Abut Head, 99.2 ha, owned by the Department of Conservation; Rural Section 2463, 140.8 ha, owned by Dono- van Family Trusts; Rural Section 2464, 150.9 ha, purchased in May 1997 by the Department of Conservation for a bird reserve; and Rural Section 2465, 277.6 ha, owned by Donovan Family Trusts. There are three huts on the southern edge of Section 2463 and one on the river flat of Section 2465. The Whataroa white heron colony lies 4.7 km to the southwest from the southern hilltop of Section 2464.

3. Methods

Since 1970 my family and friends and I have spent 3-5 days engaged in farm forestry and holidaying, primarily on Section 2465, about six times a year. I first became aware of the possible presence of South Island kokako in the area in May 1996 when reading the February 1996 issue of Forest and Bird, i n

2 which John Kendrick presented Bullers's 1892 description of the sound made by South Island Kokako as "a long plaintive double-note, pitched in a minor key". Since October 1996 I have spent several hours looking for South Island kokako on Section 2465 on about 20 occasions, and on Section 2464 on 28 occasions. All times of day have been covered, from pre-dawn until almost dark. Recorded tape calls of North Island kokako or the blue wattled crow (C. c. wilsoni) were played on both Sections on three different days in October 1996. Tape calls of North Island kokako, and purported South Island kokako calls and wing beats, sent by Rhys Buckingham and John Kendrick, were played in late May/early June 1997, the first tape only on Section 2464 and both tapes on Section 2465. From October 1996 detailed records have been kept in a notebook maintained at my home, and not in the but log book as was implied by Buckingham (1998).

4. Results

Observation 1, possible sighting, Section 2465

About 20 years ago while walking on grassland on the river flat of Section 2465, I saw a dark bird sitting on a branch about five metres above ground level on the edge of native bush. As I approached to almost beneath the tree, the bird looked at me with no apparent apprehension. Unfortunately, the information that I can remember is rather limited, but the bird was dark and a rather patchy grey. It was larger than a blackbird Turdus merula, but smaller than a pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. It was definitely not a black- bird, pigeon, starling Sternus vulgaris, bellbird Anthornis melanura, tui Prosthemandera novaeseelandiae, kaka Nestor meridionalis, falcon Falco novaeseelandiae, or morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae. My impression of its overall appearance was that it looked somewhat bedraggled, but this may have been because of its patchy grey appearance which I had not (and have not) seen in other birds in the area. I do not remember whether wattles were present or not. The bird remained on the branch as I walked away. At the time my knowledge of native birds was limited, so I did no more than briefly wonder if the bird was a rare native or perhaps a rare migrant.

Observation 2, possible sightings and loud wing beats, Section 2465

On 2 June 1997 at 13.30 h I began playing the Buckingham and Kendrick tapes at the area where I had seen the bird described in Observation 1. The weather was cool with traces of frost still in the shadows, the sky was com- pletely clear and there was absolutely no wind.At 13.50 h as I faced the edge of the forest a dark bird flew strongly from my right along to my left and about 20 m into the bush behind the area where I had seen the bird on a branch many years earlier. The bird was in view for about 40 m, and was about 15-20 m from me at its closest approach and about eight metres above the ground.

3 At 14.03 h as I was bending over to rewind a tape, suddenly two loud 'crunchy' wing beats sounded from behind me. I spun around and saw a dark bird flying soundlessly from the origin of the wing beat sounds back towards the origin of the first flight. Both flights were too far from me for features of the birds to be distinguished.

Observation 3, double note, Section 2464

During 1985 two friends and I cut a track across the peninsula on Section 2464. Several times since then - perhaps 4-5 times, and while near the top of the southernmost ridge, I have heard what could be described as a loud, long cry which resembled what could be made by a distressed young boy calling for help, followed immediately by a similar but much shorter call. Unfort- unately, I have only one record of the date the sound has been heard - 8 April 1996, when the sound was heard by both myself and Vaughan Myers. The time was about 16.30 h and light rain was beginning. The sound appeared to be centred perhaps 80-100 metres away along and somewhat down the hill- side on the southeast face towards the Whataroa River. Mr Myers and I have never heard this sound elsewhere.

Observation 4, organ or flute call, Section 2464

On 27 February 1990 or 1 March 1991 (exact date uncertain), Mr Myers and I heard a loud organ or flute-like note(s) in a tree about 8-10 metres directly above us on the track about 10 metres below the ridge on the southeast side. It was difficult to determine if there was just one note, or possibly one note with harmonics. The call was definitely very different to sounds made by tuis and bellbirds which are common in the area.

Observation 5, sighting of blue wattle, Section 2464

On 24 October 1996, while searching for the origin of the bird calls in the same area as observation 4, I noticed a bird noisily fossicking through scrubby growth 6-7 metres from me. I focused my binoculars on the spot, and sud- denly the bird's head popped into clear view. In sharp focus and square on I saw a sky blue wattle on the right side of the bird's head. Only the head of the bird was visible between plant material. The bird remained stationary for j ust 2-3 seconds before flying slightly down and away from me in clear view from a lookout area out over low growth over the hillside for 10-12 metres, before disappearing behind a kamahi tree. I had no opportunity to refocus my binoculars on the flying bird, but it was dark in appearance, and was larger than a tui and much smaller than a pigeon. Its flight appeared strong and the wing beats were continuous.

Observation 6, "clucking", Section 2464

After my sighting of a blue-wattled bird I made three trips to the area at roughly 1-2 monthly intervals with 2-3 visits to the site per trip, without detecting any sign of kokako. One trip later on Friday 7 March 1997, from about seven metres away, I saw a dark bird the size and shape of a kokako among small branches in a shadowed area close to the ground and just a few metres from the position of the blue-wattled bird sighted in October 1996. When it ap-

4 peared to see me the bird sprang up backwards about 300 mm and at an angle of about 45 degrees from the horizontal while remaining facing forward, and landed on a branch before turning to its right and scrabbling away from me through low growth. The whole time it was in view it made loud clucking noises quite similar to those of a domestic hen. The "clucks" were not the rapid alarm calls of a blackbird, they were slow in comparison, and were rather evenly spaced. Because of the shadows and branches I could not see any obvious characters of the bird, except that there was no sign of white throat feathers typical of tui.

Observation 7, glimpse of blue wattle, Section 2464

On 31 May 1997 at about 16.30 h I began playing the Buckingham tape of purported South Island kokako calls. I directed the speakers at the growth within which I had seen the blue-wattled bird the previous October (observa- tion 5). At about 16.40 h towards the end of the third playing of the tape and as 'manufactured' North Island kokako `bong' notes were ringing out, I sud- denly heard a bird flying just behind me and over my right shoulder. I turned quickly to the right, and as a dark bird flew past about 3-4 m away I caught a glimpse of a blue wattle. The bird was in shadow as it flew behind a tree fern into the growth wherein I had seen the blue-wattled bird in October.

5. Discussion

Bird on a branch, Section 2465

A most unusual feature of this sighting was that the bird stayed on the branch, even when I approached to within a few metres of the trunk of the tree, and also as I moved away. Blackbirds, which to me perhaps more closely approach kokako in general appearance than any other birds in the area, would, in my experience, almost certainly have flown off when I first appeared.

The habitat of this bird is consistent with that reported by Potts (1873), who said that the South Island kokako may be found on the outskirts of the bush, in the open glades that fringe some of the large rivers.

Heavy wing beats, Section 2465

The two heavy, `crunchy' wing beats heard on 2 June 1997 sounded just like the wing beats on the Kendrick tape. However, my impression of the size of the bird flying from the source of the wing beats was that it seemed rather small to have made such loud sounds. A search of the trees with binoculars did not disclose any other bird. If indeed the bird was a South Island kokako, its occurrence within a few metres of the bird on the branch about 20 years earlier, would confirm that kokako have inhabited this area for at least 20 years.

5 Double note, Section 2464

Travers (1871) found that the note of kokako at his cattle station at Lake Guyon in the Nelson Province "is wonderfully sweet and plaintive, and during the breeding season, its song is one of the most varied and beautiful of all the New Zealand birds. It appears, however, always to be pitched in a minor key". Buller (1892b) described one of the sounds of a captive male South Island kokako fromWestport as "a long plaintive double-note, pitched in a minor key -". He says it was "in perfect plumage, with bright-orange wattles, dark-blue at the base".The sound might be that described from the same bird by Buller (1892a) as "a melancholy call in a high key, exactly like the Maori words "Kowai- koe?" (who are you?)".

Further, Douglas (1899) when writing about the kokako in South Westland said "The cry of the crow is indiscribably mournfull [sic]. The wail of the wind through a leafless forest is cheerfull [sic] compared to it. Perhaps the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle is the nearest approach to it and is sadly suggestive of departed spirits".

These descriptions fit extremely well the sound heard on 8 April 1996 (obser- vation 3), and on several other occasions dating back to the late 1980s. Ac- cording to Rau Kirikiri of Landcare Research Ltd, the sounds of the words "Ko wai koe" could indeed be similar to my rendition of the double note - but they could also resemble a lot of other sounds. None of the calls on the Bucking- ham and Kendrick tapes in any way resembles the double note reported here.

Organ or flute note(s), Section 2464

Potts (1882) described the notes of South Island kokako as soft and flute- toned, while Buller (1892a) said of his bird from Westport that "occasionally, but not often, (it) sounded the rich organ-note - short, but of surpassing sweet- ness-".

The sound reported in Observation 4 was similar to these reports and to some of the organ or flute notes of North Island kokako on the Kendrick and Buck- ingham tapes.

Both the long mournful double notes and the organ or flute note(s) were heard only after persons crested the ridge from the north and started down the southeast facing slope. This suggests that the sounds were made in re- sponse to the sudden appearance of people crashing along the track and thus disturbing a bird.

Wattle colour, Section 2464

My sighting of a blue wattle rather than an orange wattle on 24 October 1996, is puzzling, as the subspecies has been frequently referred to as the orange wattled crow (e.g. Potts 1873, 1882, Campbell 1879, Reischek 1885, Buller 1892b). However, it has also been called the yellow-wattled crow (Smith 1888), although in the body of the text the wattles are said to be orange-coloured and most conspicuous. Reports of wattle colour of adults have ranged from rich crimson-lake (i.e. reddish purple), the base tinted with violet (Campbell

6 1879), one half of the wattle orange, the other dark blue (Reischek 1885), bright orange, dark blue at the base (Buller 1892b), bright red or blue (Doug- las 1899), and putty coloured, just a light fawn (McBride 1981). There are also two reports of kokako with wattles of two different colours occurring together. Douglas (1899) when describing kokako which were "all about the camp as I write" (in South Westland), said "At the side of the jaws are two bright red wattles, hanging down like those of a domestic fowl, only much smaller. In some birds the wattles are blue". Stidolph (1971) lists birds re- corded at Milford Sound by Mr Sutherland prior to 1918. Included are or- ange-wattled crows and blue-wattled crows.

The wattles of chicks appear to be different again. Those of two nestlings at Milford Sound which were as yet unable to see were reported by Potts (1873) to be rosy pink, like an infant's hand. Campbell (1879) said that the wattles of two nearly fledged birds from a nest near the Hokitika River were of a light rose tint, changing into a violet colour towards the base. Some weeks later after death when their skins were dried the wattles assumed a dull orange tint.

Wattles of North Island kokako also vary in colour. The Hamilton Junior Natu- ralists' Club (1975) in a review of wattle colour reported that wattles of chicks two or three days old were pinkish lavender, which five days later had be- come purple edged with bluish, in seven more days were pale pinky blue, and in five more days were pale blue, rather purplish on the underside. A fledg- ling young had wattles of a brighter blue than those of adults. Further, three reports were detailed of North Island kokako with wattles other than blue: one had orange-yellowish wattles, a second had bright orange wattles, and the third pale orange yellow wattles. Brown (1991) in direct light and at close range saw a kokako with dull orange wattles. He also states that the wattles of (North Island) kokako nestlings are pink, changing to lilac on fledg- ing.

The range of wattle colours reported for both South Island and North Island kokako suggests several possible scenarios that might explain the blue wattle I saw on Section 2464. One is that the wattles of immature South Island kokako are at first lilac which changes to blue as in North Island kokako, but then as the bird further matures orange creeps up from the extremities until only the basal third remains blue. It is also possible that Douglas, Sutherland and I saw only the blue bases of wattles, the remainder of which may have been orange and tucked under the birds' throats. Buller (1892b) reported that the wattles of his captive male kokako from Westport were always carried tightly com- pressed under the chin and meeting at their edges.

If wattles are blue before orange creeps up from the lower margin, and I saw the whole wattle, the bird I saw on 24 October may thus have been an imma- ture one.

The glimpse of a blue wattle on 31 May 1996 on a bird flying into the very spot where I had seen the blue-wattled bird in October 1997 confirmed that the area is frequented by one or more birds with blue wattles.

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Of course there must be a possibility that the blue wattle belonged to a rare vagrant.

"Clucking", Section 2464

The Hamilton Junior Naturalists' Club (1975) reported that a male of a nest- ing pair of North Island kokako "cluck-clucked", and the female was "making clucking noises". Clucking by North Island kokako was also mentioned by Hay et al. (1985). A similar call described as "thucks" was heard and tape recorded on Stewart Island by R. Buckingham in 1984 at a location where South Island kokako were thought to be present (R. Buckingham pers. comm.). The evidence thus suggests that the bird seen on 7 March could have been a kokako. However, blackbirds which can make clucking sounds are common among native trees on the river flat below the hill, and so, although not seen on the hillside, could be there.

5.1 HISTORICAL REPORTS OF SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO ON THE WEST COAST

Hamilton (1878) included kokako (as Glaucopis cinerea) in his list of birds he had seen in the District of Okarito. The northern limit of his District ap- peared to be the Whataroa River (as Wateroa). Reischek (1885) during his research on the West Coast in 1884 saw kokako near the sea shore (and also up in the high ranges) but he did not specify localities. Buller (1888) be- lieved that kokako were very abundant on some of the wooded ranges of Westland. O'Donnell & Dilks (1986) reported evidence that kokako had oc- curred about the Waitaha River and near Mikonui to the north and Glacier reserves to the south.

The next closest records of occurrence to the Abut Head area that I have been able to find are to the north, near the Ko-i-te-rangi hill on the Hokitika River, where two nests were found (Campbell 1879), and to the south, two eggs from near the Paringa river (Potts 1873).

5.2 RECENT BIRD SURVEYS AND OTHER REPORTS ON THE WEST COAST

Kokako were not reported from the Saltwater State Forest (Imboden & Coker 1978) which is adjacent to the east end of the Abut Head peninsula, nor from all of South Westland including the adjacent Saltwater State Forest (Coker & Imboden 1980). A number of possum hunters and poisoners active intermit- tently from about the 1930s have not reported kokako from the Abut Head peninsula. My friends and I have seen no indication of kokako along several other tracks that we have cut through the forest in the western half of the peninsula, nor along the old pack track or all along the river margins, but until recently we were unaware of the characteristics of kokako signs and sounds. Three foresters who chain-sawed one survey line south/north across Section 2463 and two across Section 2465 in 1995 did not report any indica- tions of kokako.

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In response to my reported observations of kokako, several ornithologists surveyed the area in September and November 1997, and a few possible kokako calls were heard during September (Buckingham 1998).

5.3 PROBLEMS FOR RECOGNISING SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO

The paucity of detailed observations of characteristics of South Island kokako from last century when birds were still common, at least locally, and the al- most complete absence of records for this century, mean that apart from the presence of wattles, characters that might allow quick recognition are not well delineated nor well known. Because the South Island kokako and the North Island kokako are classified taxonomically as subspecies, there seems to be an expectation that the South Island kokako must closely resemble the North Island kokako. The body plumage of the North Island subspecies is shown in photographs as medium grey, or even grey-blue, against which the black facial mask stands out most prominently, and the birds often appear to be quite plump. However, the body plumage of 18 authentic specimens of the South Island subspecies held in the Canterbury Museum, and which I have inspected, is best described as very dark grey, or even grey black. When com- pared with a North Island kokako on display in the Canterbury Museum, the plumage of South Island kokako is obviously very much darker. A consequence of this is that the black facial mask is much less obvious than in North Island kokako. All but two of the 18 specimens of South Island kokako are slim, but this could be an artifact of preservation. Their wattle colour ranges from completely yellow, to up to about the basal third blue and the remainder yel- low, orange or dark orange.

The birds I have seen near Abut Head conformed wholly to the body plumage colour and size of the South Island kokako specimens in the Canterbury Mu- seum.

5.4 PERSISTENCE OF KOKAKO

The possible persistence of kokako on the western half of the Abut Head peninsula, when the subspecies is at best very rare elsewhere, is remarkable, given that rats Rattus sp., mice Mus musculus, stoats Mustela erminea, and possums Trichosurus vulpecula, are present, at least on the middle river flat. Possums are known to eat birds' eggs including those of North Island kokako, and have been implicated in predation upon North Island kokako nestlings and an adult (Brown et al. 1993), and ate eggs, chicks and probably an adult North Island kokako in Rotoehu Forest (Innes et al. 1996). On the river flat of Sections 2464/2465 possum numbers were so high during the early 1970s that cabbage tree (Cordyline australis) heads were severely chewed, and sev- eral hunters could each bag 30 or more possums a night with little effort. However, during the late 1980s government agencies began poisoning and trapping possums on the river flat about 50 m back into the bush in an effort to eliminate TB. By this combined with intermittent shooting, possum num- bers have been greatly reduced since the late 1980s; on the night of 2 June

9 1997 a friend and I saw and shot only two on part of the river flat of Section 2465.

6. Conclusions

Most of the observations reported here, such as the bird on the branch, the double notes, the organ or flute note, the clucking bird or the heavy `crunchy' wing beats, do not constitute concrete evidence of the existence of South Island kokako of the type accepted by ornithologists (e.g. a photograph, ma- terials such as a feather or egg shell, or similar reports from two or more knowledgeable ornithologists experiencing the same phenomenon at the same time). However, the blue wattle could not have belonged to any other known endemic bird: of the only two other New Zealand wattle birds, the huia Heteralocha acutirostris was never known from the South Island (except for two unconfirmed sightings near Nelson (Buller 1888)), and both it and the South Island saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus had orange wattles. The possibility that the blue wattle belonged to a rare vagrant seems extremely unlikely. Considering all the evidence presented here, South Is- land kokako can be considered present on the Abut Head peninsula at two sites just over a kilometre apart, and to have been present at one site for at least 20 years and at the other site for about 10 years.

7. Recommendations

Knowledgeable ornithologists should urgently inspect in detail the two sites to seek confirmatory evidence of kokako. If this is obtained, the whole pe- ninsula and adjacent forest should be surveyed to ascertain the numbers of birds and their condition. If a viable population exists, the isolation of the peninsula, with all but the short eastern end bordered by water, and the virtu- ally unmodified state of the native forest, which covers about 2000 ha, predis- pose the area to restoration and management as a'mainland island'refuge for South Island kokako.

8. Acknowledgements

I thank my camping companions, especially Nick Ashby, Vaughan Myers and Dan Pearson, for their companionship and support, and my wife Laura for tolerating my sudden interest in kokako.I also thank Ron Nilsson for his pub- lic presentation in Christchurch on 4 November 1996 on South Island kokako which further stimulated my interest, and John Kendrick and Rhys Bucking- ham for discussions and especially the tapes of South Island kokako calls and

10 wing beats. Thanks to Rau Kirikiri of Landcare Research Ltd. for comments on the sounds of Maori words. I also thank Geoff Tunnicliffe, Curator of Verte- brates at the Canterbury Museum, for allowing me access to kokako speci- mens, and for helpful discussions. Special thanks are extended to Rhys Buck- ingham for numerous helpful suggestions which greatly improved the first draft of this paper.

9. References

Brown, K. 1991. North Island Kokako with orange wattles. Notornis 38: 226. Brown, K., Innes J, Shorten, R. 1993. Evidence that possums prey on and scavenge birds' eggs, birds and mammals. Notornis 40: 169-177. Buckingham, R. 1987. Kokako presence on Stewart Island. Notornis 34: 167. Buckingham, R. 1998. South Island kokako search, Abut Head, South Westland. Conserva- tion Advisory Science Notes No. 198: 10 pp. Department of Conservation, Welling- ton.

Bullet, W.L. 1888. A history of the birds of New Zealand. 2nd ed., vol. l. The Author, Lon- don. 250 pp. Bullet, W L. 1892a. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 25: 56-57. Bullet, W L. 1892b. Further notes on the birds of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceed- ings of the New Zealand Institute 25: 64-65. Campbell, W D. 1879. Notes on the nesting of the orange-wattled crow. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 12: 249-250. Chapman, A. 1959. Kokako reported from Wilkin Valley, Lake Wanaka. Notornis 8: 177-178. Cockayne, L. 1909. Report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. New Zealand Depart- ment of Lands. 68 pp. Coker, P M., Imboden, C. 1980. Wildlife values and wildlife conservation in South West- land. New Zealand Wildlife Service, Fauna Survey Unit Report No. 21. 107 pp. Douglas, C. 1899. Birds of South Westland. pp. 265-266 In Pascoe, .J. (ed.) 1957: Mr. Ex- plorer Douglas . Wellington, A. H. and A. W Reed. 331 pp. Hamilton, A. 1878. The District of Okarito, Westland. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 11: 886-891.

Hamilton Junior Naturalists' Club. 1975. Nesting of kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni) at Te Rauamoa. Notornis 22: 283-290. Hay, J.R., Best, H.A., Powlesland, R G 1985. Kokako. John McIndoe and the New Zealand Wildlife Service, Dunedin, New Zealand. 32 pp. I mboden, C., Coker, PM. 1978. The wildlife values of Saltwater State Forest, South West- land. New Zealand Wildlife Service, Fauna Survey Unit Report No. 12: 9 pp. Innes J, Brown, K., Jansen, P, Shorten, R., Williams, D. 1996. Kokako population studies at Rotoehu Forest and on Little Barrier Island. Science for Conservation 30: 39 pp. McBride, K. 1981. Sightings of South Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea cinerea) i n Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256. O'Donnell, C.F.J., Dilks, P.J. 1986. Forest birds in South Westland - status, distribution and habitat use. New Zealand Wildlife Service Occasional Publication No. 10, Welling- ton, New Zealand. 179 pp.

1 1 Potts,T H. 1873. On the birds of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 6: 145-147. Potts,T.H. 1882. Out in the open: a budget of scraps of natural history gathered to New Zealand. Lyttelton Times. 301 pp. Reischek, A. 1885. Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and Pro- ceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Smith, W W, 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: 205-224. Stidolph, RHD 1971. The Birds Around Us: From a diary of bird observations in New Zealand over a period of 50 years 1921-1971. Hedley's Bookshop Limited, Master- ton. 140 pp. Tisdall, C., Molloy, J., Davis, A. 1994. Setting priorities for the conservation of New Zea- land's tbreatened plants and animals. Second Edition. Department of Conserva- tion, 64 pp.

Travers, WT.L. 1871. Notes on the habits of some of the birds of New Zealand. Transac- tions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 4: 206-213. Wardle, P 1985. Botanical values of Abut Head, near Whataroa, South Westland. Botany Division, DSIR. 6 pp.

Warren, G. 1967. Geological map of New Zealand 1:250,000. Sheet 17, Hokitika. DSIR, Wellington. Williams, G.R., Given, D.R. 1981. The Red Data Book of New Zealand. Nature Conservation Council, Wellington, New Zealand. 175 pp.

1 2 Figure 1. Map of Abut Head peninsula, South Westland. Asterisks on Sections 2464 and 2465 mark the sites of sightings and other signs suggestive of South Island Kokako.

1 3 South Island Kokako – 1996

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 8th April, Barry Donavan and Vaughn Meyers heard a double note (a loud long cry which resembled what could be made by a distressed young boy calling for help, followed immediately by a similar but much shorter call) Barry Donovan records that he and others had heard these calls on a number of occasions since 1985 when they cut a track across the peninsula but the above date was the first time they recorded their observation in a notebook. It was only after this observation and other similar observations including possible sightings that the suggestion was put forward that these calls may have been a kokako.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 24th October; Barry Donavan noticed a bird fossicking through scrubby growth about 7metres away in the area known as the peninsula. As he focussed his binoculars on the spot a bird’s head popped into view. In sharp focus he clearly observed a sky blue wattle on the right side of the birds head for perhaps 2-3 seconds. The bird then flew down and away from Barry but enough time for him to observe that the bird was dark in appearance, bigger than a tui but much smaller than a pigeon.

(3) Bligh Sound (Fiordland)

Craig Batchelor was fishing during the autumn months from Bligh Sound from 1993 – 1996. His mooring for his boat was at a place known as “Turn Round Point”. Often in the evening or early morning he heard what he believed were kokako and on one occasion observed a bird flying. In his opinion there seemed to be a group of birds or at least two individual groups calling to each other. Mr Batchelor is an ex Wildlife Officer for the former N.Z. Wildlife Service and has worked on a number of surveys for N.I. kokako in the central North Island.

(4) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Sandie Legge was walking the Heaphy Track on the 24th September. She had just crossed the Gunner River swing bridge and was about 200m upriver from the swing bridge at the second boardwalk when she heard unusual calls. The kokako-like calls heard (two types) described as “tooking” and “swinging gate”. Sandie imitated these calls to Rhys Buckingham and he stated that each call resembled that of kokako (“swinging gate” call = long organ-like notes) When Sandie looked in direction of the calls she saw the dark shape of a bird larger than a tui. It made 2 wing flappings of its wings then disappeared. She went onto say that the wings of the unidentified bird appeared unusually short. Tui and bellbird were very vocal in the area and Sandie was adamant that the bird was not a pigeon. Sandie is an amateur ornithologist and has worked on bird surveys. (e.g. mohua) and is familiar with most N.Z. bird calls including N.I. kokako

(5) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham investigated the area adjacent to the Gunner River Bridge where Sandie Legge observed and heard an unusual bird in September. Although no kokako were seen, Rhys on the 26th October encountered a furtive bird that made heavy wing flapping noises in the dense under story. The following day at the same site there was a repeat of the same activity. This time kokako-like calls were heard – 3 organ notes were heard after the bird had been disturbed. There was no sign of the bird responsible for the calls.

(6) Lake Monowai (Fiordland)

On the 4th October, Susanne and Andrew Petersen from Invercargill were preparing for the opening of the trout-fishing season and were camped in a tent on the shoreline at June Bay. At approx 7-30pm they were attracted by the loud calling of a bird hidden at the top of a beech tree. The bird called 10-12 times and Susanne described the calls as being of double notes, low resonant organ notes that were repeated loudly. This occurred just before dark and the following day a big N.W. storm with wind and rain moved across Fiordland. In mid November, Ron & Kit Nilsson visited the site. They found the terrain particularly difficult with 1 metre dense stands of crown fern. The weather was unkind with wind, rain and snow and no kokako-like calls were heard.

(7) Ngatau River (South Westland)

While deer stalking in the head of the Ngatau River, Mike Bennett observed a bird believed to be a kokako in flight for about 15 seconds. It was seen at bush line to fly from a bush in “a half circle swoop”. This observation occurred during the month of February. Rhys Buckingham was pessimistic about this report and suggested that the bird may have been a pigeon. Mike Bennett had observed a kokako with orange wattles through a riflescope in the same area in February 1970.

(8) Mt Duncan (Marlborough)

In July, Morrie Tuck heard a loud and “eerie” call of a bird from near Mt Duncan. He described the call as like a bellbird but much louder but admitted the call could have come from a kaka. He was adamant that the call was not from a tui. A number of kokako reports came from this area from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s.

(9) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

On the 29th May at approx 0800 hours John Kendrick and a companion P. MacArthur were near the Howard Saddle when they heard a loud call that showed all the characteristics of sounding like a kokako (no description was given of the call type). Immediately bellbirds and tui showed an increase in vocal activity and attempted to copy some of the notes of the presumed kokako. Occasionally during the morning there were short sequences of notes made by the presumed kokako and each time there was increased vocal activity by bellbirds and tui. Extensive moss grubbing was observed on the 28th and 29th May. It had freshly been worked over forming a very large area (200m x 200m) and in the same locality as where the kokako-like calls were heard on the morning of the 29th May.

(10) Glenroy River (Buller)

On the 27th November Rhys Buckingham heard a single kokako song (no description given of call type). About 30 minutes after hearing the song (1300 hours) he had a brief sighting of a bird, the bird was larger than a tui, grey in colour and it’s tail was notably long in proportion to it’s body (c.f. tui). It was seen walking in a leisurely gait down the branch of a large beech tree. It seemed to be feeding on honeydew or perhaps gleaning for insects. After a few seconds it flipped upside down and continued walking/feeding in this mode on the underside of the branch. While turning over, the fan-shaped detail of the tail was apparent and the light caught the grey colour of its plumage. Just before disappearing behind the trunk of the beech tree the bird paused and lifted it’s head so that for the first time it was side on to my view. It was there that I could confirm the bird to be kokako by the features of its bill and face, particularly by its pale coloured wattle. The light was not good enough however to determine the colour of the wattle. Rhys also noted considerable moss disturbance on fallen logs and on the forest floor in the area where the bird was sighted.

A Search for South Island kokako in the Waitutu Forest Fiordland 10th to 16th April 2010

Ron J Nilsson 80 Domain Terrace, Spreydon Christchurch 8024 Email “kokakodreaming @ paradise.net. n.z.

Personnel

Ron Nilsson (Christchurch), Alec Milne (Takaka), Peter Rudolf (Takaka), Nigel Babbage (Christchurch) Karin Ludwig (Dunedin), Sue Ross (Christchurch)

Background To Search

In recent years there have been a number of unconfirmed reports of kokako-like birds being observed or unusual and distinct calls heard that might indicate the presence of kokako within the Waitutu Forest.

(1) In January 2010, Glenn Brown (Student, Southern Institute of Technology) recorded a single kokako-like note after using a playback recording system of probable South Island kokako to illicit a response. A sonogram of the recorded note proved to be of the same frequency and amplitude as the “Rocky River Call” used during the playback exercise. The recording, was made in unlogged Podocarp Forest approximately 1.5 kilometres west of the Crombie Creek Walkwire.

(2) In January 2009, Joyce Kolk (Wairaurahiri Jets Ltd), observed a large grey bird (smaller than a pigeon) 500 metres downstream of the swing bridge over the Wairaurahiri River. The bird flew in a clumsy flight, was gunmetal grey in colour and flew with its wing and tail feathers spread out.

(3) In April 2009, Mareta Jowett was walking from the top hut on the Hump Ridge down to the Port Craig Hut. When she was approximately 2 hours from the bottom hut in cutover forest she heard a loud clear “haunting” kokako-like call. A week later after spending time on Tiritiri Matangi Island and observing and hearing North Island kokako, Mareta was convinced that the call she heard near Port Craig were definitely kokako-like.

(4) In the year 2003 a Mr Shields of Riverton who built and owns a hut at Long Point is reported to have observed a kokako with orange wattles in the nearby forest.

(5) During the summer of 2000, Johan Groters (Wairaurahiri Jet Ltd) reported that while unloading guests from the jet boat to the Waitutu Lodge, one elderly gentleman remained in the jet boat, while the other guests went ashore for a break. On their return, Johan was questioned by the elderly gentleman as to “what were the two large grey birds with orange wattles in the nearby trees”?

(6) In the summer of 1995, Pete Shaw (ex Northern Te Urewera Restoration Project Manager for DOC) and Gus McAllister visited the upper Angus Burn. During the late afternoon, they played a tape recording of North Island kokako full organ song and were immediately rewarded by hearing a perfect mimic of the broadcast sequence.

(7) During the 1970/1980-time period there are several historical records from New Zealand Forest Service and New Zealand Wildlife Service files of unconfirmed kokako being seen in the unlogged gorge of the Percy Burn.

Summary of Results

Significant calls were heard from an arrangement of “call types” that are known to be made by kokako in the upper regions of the Angus Burn. Mimicry from species e.g. kaka and tui making kokako-like calls along with suitable habitat requirements for kokako in the surrounding gorges put together an area of “high interest” for the Angus Burn in respect to confirming the presence of kokako within this region.

Weather Conditions

A series of N.W. rain bearing fronts affected the area during the search period bringing passing showers and strong winds. This culminated in an active southerly front on the evening of the 15th April bringing hail and snow to low levels on the surrounding mountains.

Area Searched

Unlogged podocarp forest terraces were searched each day during the trip, west of the Wairaurahiri River to Long Point. One day was spent searching cutover forest, east of the Wairaurahiri River as far as the Percy Burn Viaduct. Two days were spent in a field camp adjacent to the Angus Burn Catchments, at Grid Reference E 1146588 N 4864242, and a late afternoon/evening was spent at Mr Shields hut at Long Point.

Methods

Two independent field parties searched different areas on each day. Each party carried with them taped North Island juvenile kokako and putative South Island kokako recordings in a playback system that were used on a regular basis in an attempt to elicit responses from potential South Island kokako assumed to be still present in the Waitutu Forest. Both parties carried with them various sophisticated recording systems which, could be used immediately if a response was received, or used as an automatic recording unit for possible dawn and dusk songbird chorus. Amongst the equipment used were: - Diasonic DDR-5300 shoulder mounted Dictaphone with Sony ECM lapel microphone. - 60cm Parabolic Sound Dish with Sony ECM lapel microphone combined with Sony MZ-N710 Minidisk Recorder. - Sony MZ-R90 Minidisk Recorder and Rode NTG-2 directional condenser shotgun microphone. - Sony TCD-D3 Digital Audio Tape Recorder with Visivox stereo microphone - Sony “Professional” Digital Audio Tape Recorder with Sennheiser shotgun microphone. - SoundCache Terrestrial Automatic Recording Unit with built in omni directional microphones. - Garmin GPSmap 60CS x navigation system.

Results

A number of unusual calls were heard from all members of the party (mostly at dawn) however many of the calls were distant and were not recorded on any recording units. Most calls came from near the campsite on a ridge above the Angus Burn (Grid Reference E 1146588 – N 4864242). The calls were, considered of interest because of their similarity to known calls of the kokako. Three members of this party have had experience in working with the management of North Island kokako. The remaining members have field experience over many years in searching for the South Island kokako. Some mimicry of kokako-like calls were observed by possible tui and kaka and recorded on tape (the source of these calls were not confirmed). This is, noted as a further important area of interest in the confirmation of the presence of South Island kokako. The following is a description of calls considered significant in their quality and clarity to suggest the presence of kokako within the area.

- 12th April, 6.15am (3/4 hour before dawn) Peter Rudolf and Alec Milne heard a loud resonating call estimated to be 400m from camp and appeared to come from the valley floor close to the stream or alternatively may have been closer and the bird may have been tucked under the face of the slope between the ridge and the valley floor. The calls consisted of two “ringing/chinging” notes - .5 seconds long with .1 to .2 second gap between the two notes. The same call was, repeated three times with 5 seconds between each call. The calls had a definite metallic ring to them. At the same time Alec Milne heard the same call from a different site (500+m away up stream and towards the valley floor). He described the call as a loud double ring call – “ring – chinning (2-3 seconds) – short bridging note – chinning”(2-3 seconds). The instant reaction from both men, were that they had just heard a South Island kokako. In past years, mill workers and forestry gangs on the West Coast and in the northern regions of the South Island were familiar with the calls of the kokako, and one call in particular was, likened to the ring of a struck anvil. Unfortunately, recording gear could not be, assembled in time to record these calls on this occasion.

- 12th April, 7.10am, Peter Rudolf heard soft contact calls from a position of 350m above the camp. The calls were approx 50m down the slope from the ridge top at 100 degrees magnetic. Peter recorded in his diary that the calls were similar to soft contact calls made by North Island kokako i.e. “tooks”.

- 12th April, 7.15am, Peter Rudolf played two “mew” calls from a playback system (one soft, one loud) of a North Island kokako juvenile at the same site 350m above the camp. At 7.20am, Peter heard a loud and very resonant double “ringing/flute” note that had an “organ/bong” like quality. This call came from a position of 66 degrees magnetic and 150 – 200m down the steep face to the valley floor. Ten seconds later Peter heard more very resonant loud flute/ like notes from 180 degrees magnetic direction and 150m distant (back towards camp and on top of the ridge). The calls from this apparent “second” bird appeared to be lower in amplitude and appeared to closer to Peter than the first group of calls. Alec Milne was, situated 400 – 500m (~150 metres from Peter) along the ridge, and heard the same sequence of flute-like notes and noted they were similar to those recorded by Rhys Buckingham during the 1980’s on Stewart Island. He called Peter on the radio and asked if he was playing playback recordings at the time. Peter responded with the fact that no playback recordings had been, played since 7.15am. Alec noted that local kaka were, actively calling during this period but the kaka calls were very different to the flute-like calls heard. There also appeared to be no mimicry from the kaka population to the flute-like calls.

- 12th April, 10.40am Peter and Alec heard a series of rapid notes that reminded them of another of Rhys Buckingham’s earlier recordings. Peter thought the calls might have, been made by tui (although no tui calls had been heard that morning). Alec recorded these calls and after analysing these calls sonographically, Peter was inclined to think they might have been kaka in origin. Alec was of the opinion that they were either kokako or tui.

- 13th April, Alec Milne was, situated on the ridge 400m above the camp. At 6.30am, he heard a series of three kaka flute notes as if each kaka was taking a turn to do a morning roll call. These flute notes had no resonance. Shortly after, Alec heard a single note with moderate resonance from a tree only 50m away. This note was, repeated four times and was, answered by the same note twice, this time from somewhere behind him. The kaka in the area did not react to these calls, nor did he hear any normal tui calls in the 1.5 hours spent at the site. He believes the call was either kokako or tui in origin, and noted that the same note was, heard 100m from Glenn Brown’s site on the podocarp terraces 1.5km west of the Crombie Stream, later on the same day.

- 14th April. The entire field team arrived at the Angus Burn at 5pm (not quite dark but raining and cold). At 5.20pm, all members of the team heard a series of three “tooks” within 50m of the camp (Karin Ludwig wrote in her diary “definitely kokako”). At 7pm Alec Milne placed the automatic recording unit (TARU) in a position up the ridge from the camp and along with Peter and Nigel heard a further series of soft contact calls. At 8pm, all members of the team heard again three “tooks” coming from within 50m despite a strong wind blowing, continual rain and a roaring campfire. Alec Milne described the calls as having a chicken/like “duk” quality while Peter Rudolf described them as three soft “tooks” repeated in rapid succession, similar to North Island kokako that he had heard on numerous occasions.

- 15th April. All members of the field team distributed approx 500m along the ridge top in a pre dawn listening watch. At 6.23am, four members heard flute/like notes coming from near the valley floor that were not, considered as kaka in origin. Nigel Babbage was in the best position (300m above the camp site) to hear the call clearly. He described the call as coming from an easterly direction across the valley but lower down towards the valley floor. The call consisted of four notes. The first two notes were identical and the next two notes were in descending scale. The notes were flute/like and sounded similar to North Island kokako calls that Nigel had heard on recorded tape and on the radio. The call of four notes was, repeated in identical fashion after a break of maybe 2-3 seconds. Nigel noted that his watch read 6.23am (and 11 seconds) at the conclusion of the calls. He estimated the total song length to be about 8 seconds long and estimated that the call came from 150-200 metres away. It was not raining at the time and stars were visible through the forest canopy. He heard no response to the call, and noted, no other bird calls until 21 minutes later, when a dawn chorus began of a number of bird species. In his final comment, Nigel wrote; “the call was quite beautiful and I can’t get it out of my head”.

- Approx 2 km west of the Wairaurahiri River (E 1152720 – N4861484) Peter Rudolf and Alec Milne found about six holes in a moss bank and wondered if in fact they were moss grubbing from a kokako. Ron Nilsson investigated the site and found the sign to be inconclusive for kokako grubbing as a blackbird may have just as easily made them. However, the report is significant enough to note, particularly as Peter Rudolf heard strange wing beats only 250m from this site on April 11th.

- All field members spent a number of hours in an area 1.5km west of the Crombie Stream. This area known as “Glenn’s Site” is, situated on an unlogged podocarp terrace and is where Glenn Brown, (Student with the Southern Institute of Technology) recorded a single organ note that may have come from a kokako in January 2010. No, unusual calls were heard, nor were there any responses to the playback system used on a number of occasions over several days by various members of the field teams. Although the immediate vegetation surrounding the site did not appear suitable for kokako, it is possible that this area is on the edge of more suitable kokako habitat. To the north of the site is a gorge of an unnamed stream, less than 1km away, and this area would be well worth a thorough search in the future.

Comments On Native Birds

For the time and effort and the terrain traversed by all field parties, this area of the Waitutu Forest visited was considered to be de-pauper ate of bird life. Of the native species bellbird were, in reasonable numbers, as were fantail, pigeon, tomtit and silvereye. Less common were kaka, tui, brown creeper, kea, morepork and yellow- crowned parakeet. One small group of mohua was, seen in the higher country along with scattered pairs of robin. Of considerable concern, was the fact that no rifleman or grey warblers were seen. Deer numbers appeared high, and pig damage was, noted in a number of places, particularly in the bottom of shallow valley depressions.

Conclusions

Although no kokako were seen, significant calls were heard that were clearly of kokako origin. The most important of these were the “anvil call”, flute like calls with notes in a descending scale, and soft contact notes (“tooks”) from an unknown source often within 50m of observers. Although tui and kaka were present when these calls were heard, there was no obvious mimicry noted from these species. It was as if this was an every day occurrence during a pre dawn and dawn chorus of forest bird species, not something that was, considered extraordinary or different to bird species that may use mimicry as a call type, when hearing something strange.

The valley floor of the Angus Burn gorges is, known to be floristically rich when compared to other areas of the Waitutu Forest. This floodplain forest is characterised by the presence of divaricating shrubs, often in dense thickets. These high fertility sites have a greater range of vascular plant species than do adjoining areas. As an example, about 30 of the 64 species of indigenous, herbaceous, flowering plants of the upper Angus Burn floodplain were not, found in surrounding parts of the Angus Burn catchment (Elliot, G.P.; Ogle, C.C. 1985. Wildlife and wildlife habitat values of Waitutu Forest, Western Southland. Fauna Survey Unit Report No 39. N.Z. Wildlife Service, Wellington). The Angus Burn also ranked highly for abundance and diversity of hardwood shrubs, which were notably absent or in low abundance throughout the lower terraces of the Waitutu. The steep slopes above the gorge, also shelter a number of plant species, which are frequently, browsed by deer elsewhere on the lower wide podocarp terraces. South Island kokako are leaf browsers and berry eaters and such a floristically rich forest as found within the Angus Burn gorges would appear to be optimum habitat for this species in the Waitutu Forest.

This short trip into a small area of the Waitutu Forest revealed the possibility of the presence of South Island kokako. The habitat of the Angus Burn gorges appears to be more than adequate for such a forest species as kokako. In summation, it would appear to be scientifically irresponsible not to further investigate this area in the very near future.

Recommendations

1/ That the Department of Conservation (Invercargill) be approached to take in an automatic recording unit (TARU) when clearing stoat lines on the Angus Burn ridge in June 2010.

2/ That consideration is given to supporting a further trip into the Angus Burn during the spring of 2010. Ideally, this will be after an aerial drop of 1080 poison scheduled by the Department of Conservation for Waitutu Forest in September 2010.

Thanks

This trip would not have been possible without the financial support of Mohua Ltd. In particular we thank Nigel Babbage for his courage, motivation and good humour in supporting a group of volunteers, whose dream is to reinstate the South Island kokako to its proper place amongst other managed endangered forest birds. Thanks to Johan and Joyce of Wairaurahiri Jets for their hospitality and sharing their knowledge of the bush. To Peanut of Waitutu Lodge we thank you for endless cups of tea and finally to all members of the team. They were all unpaid volunteers who gave freely of their time, equipment and energy in field conditions that were often cold and wet. Thanks team. Your efforts were inspirational, always full of great humour even when stuck in wet boggy Waitutu Forest tracks.

South Island Kokako – 1997

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

Catlins River. (S.E.Otago)

In January, Peter Miller (03 6143785) gave a detailed description of an unidentified bird seen and heard on the Catlins River Track.” About 1.5 – 2 times larger than a tui (about the size of a homing pigeon). Seen on a branch of a beech tree drooping out into the river. Wisp end of the Catlins Track. Made loud repeated call like an alarm call and ran out along the branch like a pheasant, then flew 3.5 m across the river to another tree. The bird was very noisy crashing into a tree on the other side. It then glided back to the original tree, making loud raucous call as if distressed. Shortly after the bird disappeared thought to have flown to the ground. Plumage described as rough, uniform lilac-greyish/blue. Feather fell out on the flight across the river. Pale coloured wattles noted, thought to be yellow in colour. The tail seemed relatively long at least compared to a pigeon”. Ron Nilsson commented in 2009 that this bird may have been a young bird because of the behaviour that was exhibited or an adult associated with a young bird nearby. January is recorded historically as the month that most kokako have chicks!

. WWF-NZ FINAL REPORT

SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO 1997

R. P. BUCKINGHAM

WILDLIFE SURVEYS

DECEMBER 1997 i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1. Status, and historical background ...... 1 1.2. Recent reports, and follow-up investigations...... 2 2. OBJECTIVES ...... 3 3. SEARCH AREAS ...... 4 3.1. Glenroy Valley ...... 4 3.2. Oparara Valley ...... 4 3.3. Abut Head ...... 4 4. KOKAKO REPORTS ...... 6 4.1. Glenroy Valley ...... 6 4.2. Oparara Valley ...... 6 4.3. Abut Head ...... 6 5. PERSONNEL ...... 7 6. ITINERARY ...... 7 7. METHODS ...... 8 7.1. General search methods ...... 8 7.2. Camera surveillance ...... 10 7.3. Tape playback ...... 10 7.4. Tape recording ...... 11 7.5. Search for kokako sign...... 11 8. RESULTS ...... 12 8.1. General results ...... 12 8.2. Camera surveillance ...... 12 8.3. Sightings ...... 13 8.4. Calls ...... 14 8.5. Other sign ...... 15 8.6. Other birds ...... 15 9. DISCUSSION ...... 17 9.1. General discussion ...... 17 9.2. Sign of presumed South Island kokako ...... 18 9.2.1. Vocal behaviour ...... 18 9.2.2. Cryptic behaviour...... 19 9.2.3. Moss grubbing ...... 19

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 ii

9.3. Advocacy ...... 21 10. Conclusion ...... 22 11. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 23 11.1. General recommendations ...... 23 11.2. Specific recommendation...... 24 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 REFERENCES 26

COVER PHOTO: Specimen of South Island kokako, Canterbury Museum. Photo: Barry Donovan, 1997

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 1

1. INTRODUCTION

Extensive searches have been made for South Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea cinerea), in many localities of the South Island and Stewart Island since the early 1980s (Buckingham 1996). Despite an accumulation of evidence in the form of silhouette sightings, calls, feathers and unusual moss-grubbing sign, unequivocal evidence for the presence of South Island kokako has not been obtained. Recent reports of South Island kokako (1970–1991) are summarized in Butler & Buckingham (1991). A more detailed, descriptive list of reports (1946–1995) is currently being collated by Ron Nilsson (Ron Nilsson, in litt.. 24/6/1995). At the time of writing he has assembled 118 reports involving approximately 89 localities throughout the South Island and Stewart Island. The descriptions include 98 reported sightings, 58 unusual calls and 15 mentions of associated moss grubbing sign. This document describes the results of a search for South Island kokako, carried out at three South Island locations (Oparara River, Abut Head, Glenroy River) between September and December 1997. The search focused on areas where sign of presumed kokako (sightings, calls, tape playback response, recently worked moss grubbing sites) had been reported within the last year. Several methods of attempting to detect South Island kokako were used during this survey. Some of these methods (e.g. use of remotely-operated cameras, and camouflage clothing for stalking birds) had not been used during previous searches for South Island kokako. 1.1. Status, and historical background

The South Island kokako belongs to an ancient endemic family of birds called the Callaeidae — or New Zealand wattlebirds. It shares sub-specific status with the endangered North Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni). Historical accounts suggest that South Island kokako was distributed widely, though unevenly, throughout forests of the South Island and Stewart Island (Buller 1873; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Fulton 1907). They were found from sea level to the sub-alpine zone frequenting dense, diverse forest and shrubland. However, kokako were also found in more open beech forests on each side of the Southern Alps, where they were most common at higher altitudes (Travers 1871; Potts 1882; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Clout & Hay 1981). Their range became restricted by the end of last century (Buller 1873; Potts 1882), and by 1889 the bird was said to be rapidly approaching extinction (Smith 1888). However, strongholds remained in Westland, Fiordland and the southern part of Stewart Island (Smith 1888; Fulton 1907; Cockayne 1909; Philpott 1913; Pascoe 1957). Forest clearance, spread of introduced mammals and specimen collection contributed to their decline (Fulton 1907; Oliver 1955). South Island kokako were recorded as spending much time on the ground (Fulton 1907), which would have made them particularly vulnerable to introduced mammalian predators, particularly as the bird’s behaviour was said to be tame and confiding (Potts 1882; Reischek 1885; Smith 1888; Cockayne 1909; Keene 1966; Clout & Hay 1981).

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1.2. Recent reports, and follow-up investigations

Despite the documented decline of kokako from the turn of the century, over 100 reports of South Island kokako have been received within the last 30 years (Ron Nilsson, in litt.. 24/6/1995). Many of these reports are detailed sightings by reliable observers. Furthermore, several independent reports of kokako are known from the same locations (e.g. Howard Valley, Nelson Lakes; Rocky River, Kahurangi National Park; Mount Duncan/Mount Cullen, Marlborough). Investigations of reliable kokako reports were carried out by the New Zealand Wildlife Service from the 1950s to 1986, and since by Department of Conservation and private individuals. Earlier investigations were generally short, one-off trips, that usually failed to find any sign of kokako. More intensive, repeated searches were carried out at Stewart Island, Wakatipu State Forest, Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi National Parks from 1980 to the mid 1990s (Fig. 1). From these surveys, evidence for the possible presence of South Island kokako accumulated. The presence of an exceptionally cryptic bird, that occasionally produced calls or wing-flapping similar to North Island kokako was described (Buckingham 1996). During these searches, occasional silhouette sightings of presumed kokako were made, and tape recordings of unusual calls were obtained. Other evidence included the finding of kokako-like feathers (one found on Stewart Island in November 1986 was identified as belonging to a kokako — Buckingham 1987), and an unusual moss grubbing sign (Buckingham 1996). The results of investigations at locations where kokako were thought to be present, seemed to be very dependent on time of year, and weather conditions. Presumed South Island kokako were most likely to be heard during warm weather (particularly before rain) in November or December, or during settled, cooler conditions in April and May. Current investigations focus on attempting to lure South Island kokako using recorded tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako, and assumed kokako calls recorded on Stewart Island, northern Fiordland and Kahurangi National Park (Buckingham 1996, van Mierlo 1997). Results of tape playback have so far been inconclusive, though occasional response from presumed kokako has been indicated (Buckingham 1996). Encouragement to continue the search for South Island kokako was given by both Department of Conservation, and Rare Birds Committee (Ornithological Society of New Zealand), after documented evidence was presented to them in 1996 (Buckingham 1996, R. Buckingham & Lloyd Robbins, unpublished material). Expert opinion concluded that there was sufficient positive evidence to recommend urgent investigative action on recent South Island kokako reports.

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2. OBJECTIVES

To confirm the presence of South Island kokako; and To develop a technique for observing and managing South Island kokako.

Figure 1 South Island kokako search team and equipment—Wakatipu State Forest (north Fiordland) in 1983 Left to right: John Kendrick, Rhys Buckingham, Graeme Elliott, Peter Child

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3. SEARCH AREAS

Recent reports and evidence suggest that the most appropriate localities to search for South Island kokako are (from north to south): Oparara Valley, Kahurangi National Park; Howard Saddle, Nelson Lakes National Park; Glenroy Valley, Maruia SF; Grey Valley (Granville SF, east Paparoa Range); Hurunui River, North Canterbury; Abut Head, South Westland; and Jackson River, southern Stewart Island (Map 1). This survey focused on three of these areas; Glenroy Valley (priority area), Oparara Valley and Abut Head, where reliable and/or detailed reports of kokako had been received within the past year. 3.1. Glenroy Valley

Glenroy River is the largest tributary of the Matakitaki River which arises from the Spenser Mountains north of Lewis Pass. The study site is located in red beech (Nothofagus fusca) forest on a river terrace just east of the Rappahannock Saddle, approximately 30 km south of Murchison. Although the forest habitat is predominantly open beech, there are small boggy clearings and damp riparian areas which contain a diverse assemblage of shrub-hardwood species such as broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis), Myrsine divaricata, Coprosma spp., horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) and lancewood (Pseudopanax crassifolius). 3.2. Oparara Valley

The Oparara Valley, famous for its limestone caves and preserved prehistoric fauna, is located north-east of Karamea, within Kahurangi National Park. The search was carried out east of Moria Gate, in mixed beech forest (red beech, silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii), hard beech (N. truncata)) above 300 m asl. Understorey vegetation in this area is notably diverse, with over 100 plant species being listed (Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett, pers. comm., 31/10/1997). 3.3. Abut Head

Abut Head is a predominantly forest-covered, hilly peninsula, situated between Saltwater Lagoon to the north, and the Whataroa River to the south, in South Westland. The river flats have been extensively modified, by farming and forestry. The hill country forest consists of scattered emergent podocarps, predominantly rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) and miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea ), a kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa) dominated canopy, and a dense understorey of kiekie (Freycinetia baueriana banksii), broadleaved shrubs, supplejack (Rhipogonum

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 5 scandens), and tree ferns (Cyathea smithii, Dicksonia squarosa). Occasional, relatively small areas of dense podocarps are found. Dense stands of kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) are present on swampy flats between the river flats and the hill country.

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4. KOKAKO REPORTS 4.1. Glenroy Valley

A sighting and call of presumed South Island kokako was reported by Rhys Buckingham, in red beech forest near Glenroy River (NZMG 24542 59003) on 27 November 1996 (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). The presumed kokako called soon after playing tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako. Intensive, fresh moss grubbing, covering an area of forest floor approximately 150 x 100 m was conspicuous at this location. The bird (viewed for over a minute using binoculars) appeared to be gleaning insects or honeydew from the branch of a large red beech. It was identified as a kokako from its grey plumage, long tail, and outline of a pale- coloured wattle briefly seen below its bill. 4.2. Oparara Valley

Rhys Buckingham also reported possible encounters with South Island kokako during a recent tape playback survey at the Oparara Valley, near Karamea (Buckingham, unpublished material). Presumed South Island kokako responded vocally to tape playback, at four different sites in the Oparara Valley between 7 and 9 May, 1997. The calls, that closely resembled those of North Island kokako (rich organ-like notes), or historical descriptions of South Island kokako (loud, ‘hollow’ sounding notes), were made by a very cryptic bird, that could not be seen even when presumably close to the observer. The calls did not appear to be made by tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), kaka (Nestor meridionalis) or bellbird (Anthornis melanura), which were present in the area (these species were as vocal, or more vocal in October 1997, when kokako-like calls were not heard). 4.3. Abut Head

In July 1997, a document was received from Barry Donovan describing observations indicative of South Island kokako near Abut Head, South Westland (B. Donovan, unpublished material). These observations, which were made during a period of 15– 20 years, included five sightings of unidentified birds. One of the sightings (24 October 1996) described a “sky blue wattle” clearly seen (with binoculars) on the side of a bird’s head. Barry’s most recent sighting of presumed kokako was made on 31 May 1997, at the same place where the blue-wattled bird was seen. After playing tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako at this site, an unidentified bird with a blue wattle flew within 3–4 m from him. Barry also reported seeing and hearing presumed kokako on another occasion, approximately one kilometre from the above site.

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5. PERSONNEL

Mainly volunteers, including experienced ornithologists who had worked extensively with North Island kokako, and keen amateur ornithologists, carried out the search for kokako. Ian Flux (kokako coordinator, DoC, Wellington) assisted during the search at Abut Head. Volunteers, included Rhys Buckingham (leader), Tim Cotter, Patsie Garrett, John Kendrick, Susan King, Ruth Lineham, Shirley Loffhagen, Geroen Lürling, Lloyd Robbins, Edith Shaw, Ken Simpson, Pamela Sirett, Richard Stocker, and Ron Ward. 6. ITINERARY

The main search area was Glenroy River terrace. Camp and equipment were put in place by helicopter (courtesy of Timberlands West Coast Limited) on 28 October 1997. Volunteers (listed above) maintained an almost continuous surveillance of this area until 9 December 1997, by which time vocal activity of presumed kokako had almost ceased. Six camera surveillance units were installed at the end of October, and operated automatically throughout November and early December 1997. Rhys Buckingham, Ruth Lineham, Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett searched the Oparara valley on 30–31 October 1997. Ian Flux, Rhys Buckingham and Tim Cotter surveyed the Abut Head report locality between 24 and 28 November 1997.

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7. METHODS 7.1. General search methods

High quality binoculars, SLR cameras (with telephoto lenses), and professional digital tape or disc recorders were used to try and obtain evidence of South Island kokako. While searching for kokako, observers worked in pairs (for safety and scientific reasons), and wore special camouflage clothing (Huntec™), or forest green First Layer™ garments donated by Earth Sea Sky Equipment Ltd (Fig. 2). Searching was carried out between dawn (c. 0500 hrs, NZDT) to dusk (c. 2100 hrs NZDT). Digital tape recorders, or voice-activated analogue tape recorders, linked to microphones, were placed at appropriate sites for automatic recording of sounds.

Figure 2. Use of camouflage clothing and hide at Glenroy River

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Six infrared triggered surveillance cameras were placed at sites where fresh moss grubbing, and the sighting of a presumed kokako, were reported at Glenroy River in November 1996 (see Section 4.0; Fig. 3). These automatic camera units were inspected regularly (usually once a day), and batteries and film replaced when necessary. A hide constructed from camouflage net was established at this grubbing area (Fig. 2). Food trays containing diluted honey, oranges, apples, bananas and/or grapes were placed at various localities at Glenroy River, where suspected kokako activity was observed. Food was taken in before nightfall, and replaced during early morning, to reduce site disturbance by possums. Before being removed at dusk, food was examined for bird feeding sign.

Figure 3. A camera surveillance site at Glenroy River The camera is housed in a waterproof container, pointing at a moss log where an infrared monitor is partly hidden (front right). Lloyd Robbins pictured.

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7.2. Camera surveillance

Six infrared camera monitor systems kindly loaned by Barry Lawrence, were set up at the Glenroy River, in an area of forest where intensive moss workings were found in November 1996. The systems were placed so as to detect animal movement over mossy ground or logs. The units were installed in waterproof containers, and camouflaged as much as possible (Fig. 3). The units consist of a passive infrared detector (able to detect animal heat combined with movement) connected to an automatic camera (F 3.5, 34 mm lens) which had been ‘hot-wired’ to trigger the shutter release and electronic flash when an animal passes through the infrared beam (these units were developed by Graeme Loh, DoC, Dunedin). Each infrared unit was powered by a 12 volt, 6.5 AH, lead-acid gel cell, and each camera by two alkaline D cells. Batteries were replaced after approximately one week. A daily record was kept of frame exposure, and film was replaced when less than about seven frames were left. The main purpose of these cameras was to photograph the animal responsible for a distinctive moss grubbing sign (see page 7 & 17). During the last few days of the survey, model kokako (Fig 6) were placed in front of the cameras in an attempt to lure kokako into the infrared beam. 7.3. Tape playback

An important technique used to try and attract kokako, involved playback of tape recorded kokako calls. Selected calls of North Island kokako and presumed South Island kokako were broadcast at five minute intervals at specific sites, or along transects throughout the study areas. An attempt was made to obtain good quality recordings of calls given in response to tape playback (see section 7.4). Tape calls used included analogue recordings of juvenile North Island kokako ‘mews’ and song, digital recordings of North Island kokako song and alarm calls (supplied by DoC), ‘hollow’ notes recorded at Rocky River (Kahurangi National Park), ‘bongs’ recorded in the Caples Valley (Fiordland), and various presumed kokako calls recorded on Stewart Island in the 1980s. Amplified recordings of possible kokako calls, obtained at Glenroy River during this survey, were also played. Both digital and analogue recorders were used for playback, with the sound amplified through a Toa™ horn speaker, or other appropriate speaker. A more sophisticated, but less portable playback system was also used. This consisted of two speakers placed up to 60 m apart, linked to an amplifier, and control switch which allowed sound to broadcast independently through either speaker. A tape recorder (digital or analogue) was connected to the amplifier, and calls played back at controlled volumes (never very loud as high volumes can apparently disturb kokako). Near each speaker, a dummy kokako, and food (e.g. orange, red apple, banana) were displayed, for the purpose of attracting kokako. Observers wearing camouflage clothing remained hidden throughout the playback period. Various calls (see above) were played back at approximately five-minute intervals for up to 1.5 hours at each site. Digital recording equipment and SLR cameras were used for obtaining evidence of South Island kokako, should one approach.

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7.4. Tape recording

Digital tape recorders and suitable shotgun microphones (or microphones seated in parabolic dishes) were used to record calls of presumed South Island kokako. This equipment included Philips DCC 170 ™ compact recorder, Sony Minidisc ™ recorder, directional microphones, and a Philips SBC 3052™ microphone, seated in a 50 cm diameter parabolic dish. A Sony TCM-353V™ voice-activated recorder was also used with the above microphone, as an automatic monitoring method of obtaining kokako calls (for evidence rather than quality reproduction). Recording equipment was used both in conjunction with tape playback (see above), and for automatic recording at specific sites where possible kokako calls had been heard. 7.5. Search for kokako sign

A search for fresh moss grubbing activity was made at each of the three localities surveyed. If intensive moss grubbing was found, search efforts would aim to focus at these sites, in an attempt to identify the animal responsible for the sign (i.e. by direct observations, and looking for sign such as feathers). A search for bird’s nests was also made, and an attempt made to identify any feathers used in these nests (any kokako- like feathers found would be sent to Ian Flux, Science & Research, DoC, Wellington, for more detailed analysis). Other sign, such as footprints in mud were searched for (Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957 described distinctive footprints made by South Island kokako).

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8. RESULTS 8.1. General results

Although no unequivocal evidence of South Island kokako was found at any of the three areas surveyed (Glenroy River, Abut Head, Oparara Valley), kokako-like calls were periodically heard at Glenroy River between October and December 1997. Attempts to identify the bird making these calls were unsuccessful. The surveillance cameras set at Glenroy River failed to detect kokako in 225 frame exposures. However, as no intensive moss grubbing was recorded this season where the cameras were located, the animal responsible for this sign was not likely to be determined. Many of the calls heard at Glenroy River were similar to call types described for North Island kokako (Hughes 1981, pers. obs.), or matched descriptions given by pioneer ornithologists (e.g. Buller 1892, Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). These calls were heard most frequently in warm, fine weather in early November, but were seldom heard when weather conditions became colder and more unsettled in mid to late November. Calls were seldom heard in early December, even during warmer settled weather periods. Although no convincing response of kokako to tape playback was observed, possible distant vocal response was recorded on several occasions. Two brief sightings of possible kokako were made (see Section 8.3). Other possible sign of kokako found at Glenroy River consisted of patches of fresh moss grubbing that appeared in early November, at times and locations where the most interesting calls were heard. However, no feathers or other sign of kokako were found at these sites. No sign of kokako activity appeared at food stations that were placed at or near these locations. 8.2. Camera surveillance

Although kokako were not photographed, the camera surveillance systems worked effectively in photographing several species of animals that moved through the infrared beam (Table 1; Fig. 4). Out of 225 frames exposed (events), 26 were triggered by birds (three species), and 50 by mammals (two species—not counting humans). Some of the frames were set off deliberately to check the system’s operation, while other events caused by humans were accidental. Changes in light reflection probably also triggered the infrared monitor in some cases. A few prints were of too poor quality (e.g. failure of flash, light or water affecting film) to detect what may have triggered the system.

Table 1 Camera surveillance results: Number of events triggered by different animals

No. events Human Possum Stoat Blackbird Thrush Chaffinch Unknown 225 39 47 2 15 6 3 113

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Although no intensive grubbing activity was found in the area monitored by the cameras, sign of possible kokako presence in this area was noted on a few occasions. This sign consisted of infrequent calls, and possible response to tape playback on one occasion (dusk, 7 November 1997). 8.3. Sightings

No convincing kokako sightings were made during this survey. However, on two occasions, sightings of unidentified birds (possibly kokako) were reported at Glenroy River: A bird larger than a blackbird, with grey plumage, a dark grey–black tail, ran extremely fast (e.g. pukeko speed) along the forest floor, in scrubby vegetation by a small stream near camp (0945 hrs NZDT, 11 November 1997—Tim Cotter); and A large bird that glided between the crowns of tall red beech was followed but was not seen closely enough for it to be identified. Occasional ‘hollow’ flute- like notes came from the directions in which it flew (late afternoon, 6 December 1997—R. Buckingham).

Figure 4. Non target species (blackbird) photographed by an infrared triggered camera, Glenroy River. In November 1996, large quantities of moss were dislodged from logs such as this, over an area of approximately 150 x 100 m.

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8.4. Calls

The main sign of kokako found during the survey was in the form of kokako-like calls heard periodically at Glenroy River (kokako-like calls were not heard elsewhere during the survey period). These calls resembled calls of North Island kokako, or fitted descriptions of South Island kokako calls in early literature (e.g. Travers 1871, Buller 1892, Washbourn 1933, Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). Kokako-like calls were occasionally heard after tape playback (page 8). Calls thought to be possibly made by kokako at Glenroy River had some or all of the following characteristics: Comparatively loud volume (louder than typical tui song); Harmonic or resonant tonal quality (different timbre to tui or kaka calls); Similar to North Island kokako calls; Unlikely to be sourced even if heard closely (i.e. bird making the calls was obviously very cryptic); and Were typically copied by tui and/or bellbirds in the vicinity. Calls similar to those of North Island kokako were ‘mews’, loud reverberating ‘bongs’ or ‘chimes’, and rich, organ-like notes. Other calls included long, flute-like notes, and extraordinary ‘hollow’ notes similar to that described by Charles Douglas (Pascoe 1957). The latter calls (similar to the sound of blowing over the top of an empty bottle) were heard regularly during early November, in an area above Granity Creek (Map 2) where moss on the ground, or on logs had been freshly disturbed. Although the bird making these calls appeared to be close to observers on a number of occasions, it could not be detected. The calls were not heard for many days after temperatures dramatically dropped with the advent of a heavy snowfall below bushline during the afternoon of 8 November 1997 (in contrast, tui, bellbird and kaka appeared to be as vocal after, as before the change in weather conditions). The unidentified ‘hollow’ notes were again heard on 16 November and 6 December after recorded kokako calls were played. During the periods when unidentified hollow notes were heard, tui and kaka made very similar calls, making identification of the source very confusing. Many tape recordings were made of these call types, from known and unknown sources. Sonograph analysis will be required to determine possible interspecific differences. Unfortunately, most kokako-like calls heard or tape recorded at Glenroy River were quite distant from the observers or microphone (or not aligned in the direction the parabola was facing). The most convincing kokako calls heard at Glenroy River were: Unusual ‘hollow’ notes as described above, heard on various occasions (particularly early November, also 6 December 1997—L. Robbins, R. Buckingham, J. Kendrick); A sequence of loud ‘bongs’ heard from camp during dawn (4 November 1997— Lloyd Robbins); A short sequence of rich organ-like notes heard relatively closely from near the camera surveillance site (1728 hrs NZDT, 6 November 1997—R. Buckingham);

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Intermittent single-notes, and one four-note sequence tape recorded at same site as above (dawn, 7 November 1997); A series of three loud ringing ‘bongs’ heard about 100 m west of Granity Creek (near Rappahannock Track). These calls were copied by both tui and bellbirds. (c. 1700 hrs, 13 November 1997— J. Kendrick, T. Cotter); Two resonant ‘bongs’ and resonant ‘chime’ tape recorded using a voice- activated tape recorder near base camp. It was noted by different observers, that tui and bellbird (and kaka on at least one occasion) appeared to be influenced by the loud unidentified kokako-like calls that were occasionally heard. After unidentified calls were heard, tui and bellbird tended to become more vocal, produce alarm calls, copy the unidentfied calls, and change their normal song dialect. The intermittent occurrence of presumed kokako calls at specific locations, and the lack of observed response to these calls by other presumed kokako, suggested that only one kokako may have been present at the Glenroy search area, and that it moved over a relatively large territory (probably > 10 ha). Although no presumed kokako calls were heard in the Oparara Valley area in October, calls heard in response to tape playback at this location in May 1997, were similar to the unidentified calls heard at Glenroy River in November and December 1997 (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). In particular, these were ‘hollow’ notes (as described above), and short sequences of rich organ-like notes (almost identical to segments of North Island kokako song). As at Glenroy River, the birds producing the calls appeared to hide when close, as no trace of them could be found. Few calls, or other sign attributable to kokako, were recorded at Abut Head, despite the detailed, descriptive report, and the very diverse, food-rich habitat present there. The area was searched (using tape playback techniques) during September and November, times when kokako if present, would be expected to be vocal and responsive to tape playback. 8.5. Other sign

As described under general results (Section 8.1), no feathers, footprints, or bill impressions in fruit, indicative of kokako were found. Fresh moss disturbance was found in early November, at times and localities where kokako-like calls were heard. Although fresh droppings associated with the sign appeared to be from blackbird or song thrush, these birds may have been attracted to disturbances made by another species. It should be noted that the grubbing sign was not consistent with blackbird or song thrush distribution (the sign was localized, while song thrushes and blackbirds were abundant throughout). 8.6. Other birds

Parakeets (Cyanoramphus auriceps), kaka, tui, and insectivorous species (e.g. robin Petroica australis australis, grey warbler Gerygone igata, and tit Petroica macrocephala macrocephala) were notably common at the Glenroy River search area. Parakeet and kaka densities were high compared to most other forest areas surveyed in the northern part of the South Island (R. Buckingham, unpublished

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 16 material). This is significant, because both species are of conservation importance (Molloy & Davis 1994). Occasional falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) and NZ pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) were encountered at Glenroy Valley, but kiwi (Apteryx spp.) and weka (Gallirallus australis australis) appear to be absent there. Relatively high numbers of birds were also observed at Oparara Valley in late October 1997. Kaka, kea (Nestor notabilis), parakeets, and weka were occasionally encountered, while tui and bellbirds were commonly heard or seen. Great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) was heard at night. Although numbers of some species such as bellbird, grey warbler, silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), tui, and tit were relatively high at Abut Head, kaka, parakeet and weka appear to be absent there.

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9. DISCUSSION 9.1. General discussion

Although the objectives of this project were not reached, evidence of South Island kokako presence was found at one of the localities surveyed (Glenroy River). This evidence (i.e. kokako-like calls, response to tape playback, moss grubbing sign) was consistent with that obtained during previous investigations (Buckingham 1996, R. Buckingham unpublished material). Sign found of presumed South Island kokako broadly correlated with that described in both documented accounts, and anecdotal reports. Accumulated evidence has strongly indicated the presence of a rare, localised, seldom vocal, cryptic bird that can produce calls almost identical to North Island kokako. The project has emphasized the extreme difficulties of detecting presumed kokako, even given intensive search effort using specialized techniques. It is presumed that these difficulties relate to the rarity of kokako, their probable large territories, their quiet, secretive habits, and apparent reluctance to approach observers, even after kokako tape calls are played. Combined results of the May 1997 and October 1997 kokako searches at Oparara Valley strongly suggest that kokako may also be present there. The total lack of observed response to tape playback in October, contrasted with the dramatic vocal response of presumed kokako in some locations during May that year (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). This observation stresses the difficulties of detecting a bird that appears to be either unpredictable in vocal behaviour, or moves over a very large territory. Such habits would necessitate searching for South Island kokako during different seasons, to establish whether or not kokako are likely to be present. This being the case, the absence of kokako sign found at Abut Head may not necessarily indicate an absence of kokako. Most investigations focus on attempting to lure South Island kokako using recorded tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako, and assumed South Island kokako calls. This technique appears to have had some success (Buckingham 1996), though response to tape playback (regardless of sound quality) is unpredictable, and presumed kokako that respond are always extremely wary, and appear to deliberately hide from observers. North Island kokako juvenile calls, and putative South Island kokako ‘hollow-note’ calls and ‘bongs’ appear to be the most effective calls in eliciting response from presumed South Island kokako. An important aspect of this study was that new techniques were used to try and detect a very elusive bird. The use of camera surveillance equipment to try and detect a bird responsible for an unusual moss grubbing sign was an innovative option, but one reliant on the chance that the bird would visit a specific site, and grub moss in front of a rather difficult to disguise camera unit (Fig. 3). Although not successful this season, the technique proved to be effective in principle, and with modifications (e.g. unit made more compact, thus easier to hide) may well achieve the objective in future. The use of camouflage clothing for stalking South Island kokako, as suggested by Ian Flux (pers. comm. 27/8/1996), was also considered a worthwhile option. Observers could move very quietly, and remain fairly hidden, wearing green or dappled, soft polyester clothing (Fig. 2). It may be worthwhile to consider extending the

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 18 camouflage to face and hands, as these parts of the human anatomy may show up as beacons to a wary bird hiding in the forest. 9.2. Sign of presumed South Island kokako

Since 1980, evidence for the existence of South Island kokako has accumulated (Buckingham 1996). The presumed presence of South Island kokako has been repeatedly linked to specific signs, i.e.: Calls similar to North Island kokako; Calls similar to those described for South Island kokako in early literature; Observed vocal response to playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako, or presumed South Island kokako; Kokako-like wing-flapping; Silhouette sightings of kokako-like birds; Extremely cryptic behaviour (i.e. inability to see birds that make loud, kokako-like calls); Unusual moss grubbing sign (Fig. 5); and Predictable call-copying by bellbirds and tui after loud, unidentified, presumed kokako calls are heard.

9.2.1. Vocal behaviour The calls of South Island kokako are described in early literature (e.g. Travers 1871, Buller 1892, Washbourn 1933, and Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). From these accounts it appears that South Island kokako were relatively vocal only where common, their song was composed of only a few notes, typically their calls were very quiet, they could mimic the calls of other birds, and they produced a wide variety of calls that were not always like those of North Island kokako. Calls were variously described as flute-like, bell-like, hollow-sounding, plaintive, varied, mellow-toned and “pitched in a minor key”. These descriptions adequately fit the descriptions of calls heard at Glenroy River, and other areas where presumed kokako have been recently reported (R. Buckingham, R. Nilsson, J. Kendrick, unpublished material). The apparent vocal reticence of South Island kokako, and its ability to copy the calls of other songbirds, would help to explain the extreme difficulties of locating individual kokako. Loud calls of presumed South Island kokako are not frequently heard at close range. Distant calls are always hard to identify because of the acoustic problems of attenuation, fluctuation and reverberation (Richards 1981). It is not known why loud, unidentified calls, heard periodically at Glenroy River, and other locations (Buckingham 1996) appear to dramatically influence songbird vocalizations. Possibly the unusual, not often heard calls, elicit surprise behaviour, especially in species such as tui and bellbird which have similar calls. Prolonged excited behaviour of tui at Pureora SF on 23 June 1987 appeared to have resulted from a juvenile North Island kokako learning to sing (pers. obs.). Blackburn (1965) observed that bellbirds on Stage and Middle Chicken Island (Muttonbird Group, Stewart Island) imitated the calls of saddlebacks soon after they were translocated there in 1964. Both kaka and parakeets appeared to copy the calls of recently arrived

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 19 long-tailed cuckoos in the Caples Valley during November 1983 (pers. obs.). Song copying between North Island kokako and other species has also been described (Hughes 1981).

9.2.2. Cryptic behaviour As mentioned earlier (page 2) the behaviour of South Island kokako was said to be tame and confiding (Potts 1882; Reischek 1885; Smith 1888; Cockayne 1909; Keene 1966). However, references to the cryptic behaviour of South Island kokako are also known. Reischek (1885) found them to be “adepts in the art of hiding, either under a limb in the fork of a tree, or between thick leaves.” Fulton (1907) said the South Island kokako was “...quiet and shy in its habits...”. Washbourn (1933) indicated that South Island kokako may have been more common than observed last century in North West Nelson, as “...their song is a curiously small, quiet one for the size of the bird.” Well-known early naturalist/ photographer, Guthrie-Smith (1925) described the difficulty of finding South Island kokako near Pegasus Harbour in southern Stewart Island, where they were reported to be common earlier this century. “We were certain, therefore, that it bred in that part of Stewart Island, and by every open way searched for the elusive bird. We never heard or saw the crow. We never did get the nest.” Individual kokako probably showed considerable variability in their habits, and perhaps only the shy, elusive ones survived into the present century. The current difficulty of detecting South Island kokako may not only relate to their furtive, quiet behaviour, but also to their rarity, and probable large territory. If early expeditions failed to find kokako when they were relatively common, then the present lack of success is not surprising, considering they are now clearly very rare and isolated.

9.2.3. Moss grubbing The possible correlation of kokako presence and a specific kind of moss grubbing activity has also been indicated (McBride 1981, R. Buckingham, unpublished material, Cecil Wills, in litt., 22/12/1997). Martin (1951) first described unusual moss sign in New Zealand forests, where clumps of moss grow detached on the forest floor. He found this sign during field studies on Stewart Island, but was unsure what caused the detachment (he suggested possums or other cause). Studies on Stewart Island between 1984 and 1987 found that fresh moss grubbing sign (Fig. 5), similar to that described by Martin, occurred where presumed kokako were heard or seen (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). At least one report of a South Island kokako being seen to pick moss on the ground is known (Robin Campbell, pers. comm., February, 1995). Another report described presumed kokako being seen (on one occasion), and occasionally heard at Glenroy River (East Branch) during the 1950s, at places where moss on the ground had been freshly disturbed (Cecil Wills, in litt., 22/12/1997). McBride (1981) also noted “ploughed” areas of moss on the forest floor, in locations where he had seen kokako in Teal Creek (Mount Aspiring National Park) in the 1960s. Several forest birds, such as blackbird, song thrush and weka, are known to lift moss from the forest floor, or fallen trunks. Although the distinguishing features of presumed kokako moss grubbing sign are not clearly understood, possible indicators of kokako sign are: Variable size of detached moss clumps, some with diameters up to 18 cm;

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Typically, large quantities (thousands of pieces) of moss are ‘pinched’ out of moss growing on logs or the forest floor; Sign typically covers a relatively large area of the forest floor (e.g. up to 150 m x 150 m); Moss tends to be detached neatly, with comparatively little soil or litter attached (unlike sign made by blackbird); Activity restricted to a few days or less each year, usually during November- December, but sometimes during April/May; The period of moss activity correlates with the time of presumed kokako activity (calls, wing-flapping, kokako-like birds seen, response to tape playback); Activity may be site specific; i.e. birds return to the same areas to grub moss each year; and Tufted mosses (Dicranoloma spp.) tend to be the most common species of moss dislodged; other species disturbed include Ptychomnion aciculare (a moss), and various species of liverworts and lichens.

Figure 5. Distinctive moss grubbing sign found at Rakeahua River, Stewart Island in 1985. The spherical pieces of moss continue to grow unattached to the ground, thus the sign can remain for many years.

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9.3. Advocacy

The success of South Island kokako investigations depends largely on public support and funding. During this survey considerable media coverage (television, radio and newspaper) was achieved. A newsletter dedicated to the search for South Island kokako (‘Crow Crier’) is produced twice annually. A poster display titled “Evidence of the continued existence of South Island kokako” was held at the New Zealand Ecological Society meeting at Lincoln University in 1996.

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 22

10. Conclusion

Investigations in many South Island forest locations since 1980 have indicated that small isolated populations of South Island kokako may be present in pure beech forest areas where bird species diversity is high, as well as podocarp/beech forests where plant species composition is diverse. Historically, kokako were present in both kinds of habitat (Oliver 1955; Clout & Hay 1981). Their presence in beech forests where plant diversity is relatively low, suggests that South Island kokako must be dependent on invertebrates and/or honeydew for much of the year. It is possible that remaining South Island kokako individuals are males that occupy large territories (small remnant populations of North Island kokako tend to be male- biased, with individuals occupying larger territories than in more healthy populations). The apparent vocal reticence of South Island kokako may be due to the absence of neighbours to communicate with, or to hassling by tui and other songbirds (evidence indicates that tui, in particular, react aggressively to loud, unusual calls— pers. obs.). Considerable time and effort has now been expended in the search for South Island kokako. The studies have found sufficient evidence that kokako may still exist, but have made little progress in elucidating a detection method, or offering a management solution. If a decision is made to continue the search for South Island kokako, then new techniques should continue to be tried. It is suggested that the most appropriate new methods would require using North Island kokako, either as caged call birds, or released radio-tagged females (see Recommendation 1).

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11. RECOMMENDATIONS 11.1. General recommendations

(1) Improved survey/detection techniques for South Island kokako are urgently required. Tape playback, and other search techniques used on this, and previous surveys are inadequate to reliably detect South Island kokako. More appropriate methods are suggested below: Improved camera and audio surveillance equipment may help to obtain unequivocal evidence of South Island kokako presence, as well as increasing knowledge of their behaviour and movements. Although more expensive, and technically more difficult to ‘hot-wire’, video cameras may be more appropriate than still cameras for automatic surveillance (video offers wider angles, and operates in low light conditions, thus eliminating the need of a flash). FM transmitters (‘bugs’) established in a grid network throughout presumed South Island kokako territories, may be appropriate for monitoring calling events, and communication between individuals; Use of North Island kokako call birds should be considered again (the first trial on Stewart Island in 1990 was inappropriate because the bird did not perform before it died). Call birds should be properly trained juvenile kokako, that are taught call types of presumed South Island kokako, and are acclimatised to human presence, and travel; and The release of radio-tagged, female North Island kokako into specific areas where South Island kokako are presumed present is probably the most appropriate method of both detecting and managing South Island kokako. The radio-tagged birds should be closely monitored to establish if any pair bonds develop, and/or if any breeding attempts occur (Lloyd Robbins, pers. comm., March 1996).

(2) Key areas for further South Island kokako searching need to be prioritised. It is recommended that investigations should be continued at Glenroy River, Oparara River, the head of Howard Valley, and Hurunui River, as current evidence of kokako is strong at these localities (pers. obs.; Ron Nilsson, pers. comm. December 1997). Also, these areas are relatively easy of access. Further investigations should be made at Abut Head, and Jackson River (southern Stewart Island), where recent, detailed reports of kokako are known (Buckingham 1996). Areas planned for investigation need to consider access, and expedition cost, as well as the reliability of the report.

(3) A database should be prepared to file recent reports of South Island kokako. Over 100 reports of South Island kokako have been described since 1946 (Ron Nilsson, in litt. 24/6/1995). Within the last year, the author has received over 10 reports of kokako (sightings and/or calls) which appear reliable enough to be worth investigating. Descriptions by different observers often show marked correlations, and repeated sign has been found at some locations (e.g. Howard Valley, and Granville SF). Database information will assist the planning of future investigations (see Recommendation 2).

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(4) Appropriate conservation management action should be taken if unequivocal evidence of kokako is found. A conservation management plan should be prepared for South Island kokako. Rescue action for South Island kokako, if confirmed, should focus on North Island kokako management techniques (both captive and in situ ), which have been used with considerable success. Options for management include: Control of introduced mammals; possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rats (Rattus spp.) are known to be limiting North Island kokako populations, while stoats (Mustela erminea) may be a serious threat to kokako (if present) in the South Island; Radio-tagging kokako to determine territory size, and to study their ecology and behaviour; Establishing a captive breeding programme, which may require cross breeding South Island kokako with North Island kokako; and Translocating South Island kokako to a predator-free island. Most of these options require catching South Island kokako. Methods used for capturing North Island kokako may not work for the South Island subspecies. It would be worthwhile to test a variety of capture methods on North Island kokako, so that options are available for South Island kokako (if found). Re-introduction of kokako to the Nelson Lakes National Park ‘mainland island restoration area’ has been recommended (Harding 1996). As suggested in Recommendation 1, the initial plan should allow the release of radio-tagged, female North Island kokako, then monitor any interaction they may have with South Island kokako, before releasing North Island kokako males.

(5) Further advocacy and interpretation of South Island kokako work is required. Recent news releases, and television coverage have increased public awareness of the possible presence of South Island kokako. Articles should now be written for leading magazines such as ‘Forest and Bird’ and ‘North and South’. Scientific papers describing the evidence for the presence of this subspecies also should be prepared. Other possibilities for advocacy include public talks (e.g. Forest and Bird, Ornithological Society meetings), or school displays. 11.2. Specific recommendation

(1) Tape recordings of unusual calls recorded during this survey require editing, amplifying, and analysis by sonograph. R. Buckingham and John Kendrick obtained >40 hours of digital recordings from Glenroy River. Calls presumed to be made by South Island kokako should be amplified and noise-reduced if possible, for playback in the field. Sequences of unusual calls, including presumed song copying by tui, bellbird and other songbirds should be analysed by sonograph.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Without funding from World Wide Fund for Nature New Zealand, Earth Sea Sky Equipment Ltd, Department of Conservation, and private donations, this survey could not have been carried out. Timberlands West Coast Ltd generously provided helicopter transport for establishing camp and equipment at Glenroy River, while DoC, St Arnaud provided a tent, radios, and general assistance. I am indebted to Barry Lawrence for providing his camera surveillance equipment, free of charge. Thanks are also given to Ken Simpson, Ron Ward, and DoC St Arnaud, for radio communications. John Kendrick, Lloyd Robbins, and Ken Simpson provided technical assistance, while Alan Knowles kindly assisted with vehicle transport from Mapua. Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett prepared a detailed list of plants for both Oparara and Glenroy search areas. Thanks are given to landowners, Gwillym Thurlow and Peter Alfeld for access permission. Peter Alfeld kindly allowed us to use his house, which we used for recuperating during wet weather, and charging lead-acid batteries. I thank Barry Donovan for transport, accommodation and other help during the search for kokako at Abut Head. Finally I wish to thank all who kindly provided voluntary field assistance during this project (see page 5). Special thanks are given to Tim Cotter for contributing a month of his time to this project, Ken Simpson who plans to continue the search at Glenroy River, and kokako experts Ian Flux, John Kendrick and Lloyd Robbins, whose experience and technical knowledge added much value to the survey.

Figure 6 The author and a ‘dummy’ South Island kokako

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REFERENCES

Blackburn, A. 1965. Muttonbird Islands diary. Notornis 12: 191–207. Buckingham, R.P. 1987. Kokako presence on Stewart Island. A short note. Notornis 34: 167. Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island. Unpublished draft report for Department of Conservation.Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Buller, W.L. 1873. ‘A history of the birds of New Zealand’ (1st ed.). John van Voorst, London. 384 pp. Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57. Butler, D; Buckingham, R. 1991. South Island kokako; discussion paper. Unpublished report. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 12 p. Clout, M.N.; Hay, J.R. 1981. South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea cinerea in Nothofagus forest. Notornis 28: 256-259. Cockayne, L. 1909. Report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. New Zealand Department of Lands. 68 pp. Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 485–506. Harding, M. 1996. Honey-dew beech forest restoration; Nelson Lakes National Park; a mainland island restoration project. Unpublished report for Nelson/Marlborough Conservancy (Department of Conservation). 24 pp. Hughes, A.J. 1981. The vocal dynamics of the North Island kokako. Unpublished MSc. thesis. Department of Zoology, University of Auckland. Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. ‘The animals of New Zealand: an account of the colony’s air-breathing vertebrates’. Whitcombe and Tombs. Pgs 68-69. Keene, K. 1966. ‘Tang of the bush: the story of Robert McLatchie 1875-1963.’ Copy Services Ltd., Invercargill. 150 pp. Martin, W.M. 1951. Unattached moss balls. Bulletin Wellington Botanical Society 25: 21–22. McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255–256. Molloy, J; Davis, A. 1994. ‘Setting priorities for the conservation of New Zealand’s threatened plants and animals’. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 64 pp. Oliver, W.R.B. 1955. ‘New Zealand birds.’ (2nd ed.). A.H. & A.W. Reed. 661 pp. Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p. Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212. Potts, T.H. 1882. ‘Out in the open: a budget of scraps of natural history gathered in New Zealand’. Lyttelton Times. 301 pp.

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Reischek, A. 1885. Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Richards, D.G. 1981. Environmental acoustics and censuses of singing birds. Pg. 297–300 in C.J. Ralph & J.M. Scott (Eds). Estimating numbers of terrestrial birds. Studies in avian biology No. 6: 630 pp. Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 21: 205-224. Travers, W.T.L. 1871. Notes on the habits of some of the birds of New Zealand. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 4: 206-213. van Mierlo, R. 1997. South Island kokako survey — Grey Valley: 30/10/96-6/12/96. Unpublished report, Department of Conservation, Hokitika. 6 pp. Washbourn, H.P. 1933. ‘Reminiscences of early days’ Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

**********

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 South Island Kokako – 1996

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 8th April, Barry Donavan and Vaughn Meyers heard a double note (a loud long cry which resembled what could be made by a distressed young boy calling for help, followed immediately by a similar but much shorter call) Barry Donovan records that he and others had heard these calls on a number of occasions since 1985 when they cut a track across the peninsula but the above date was the first time they recorded their observation in a notebook. It was only after this observation and other similar observations including possible sightings that the suggestion was put forward that these calls may have been a kokako.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 24th October; Barry Donavan noticed a bird fossicking through scrubby growth about 7metres away in the area known as the peninsula. As he focussed his binoculars on the spot a bird’s head popped into view. In sharp focus he clearly observed a sky blue wattle on the right side of the birds head for perhaps 2-3 seconds. The bird then flew down and away from Barry but enough time for him to observe that the bird was dark in appearance, bigger than a tui but much smaller than a pigeon.

(3) Bligh Sound (Fiordland)

Craig Batchelor was fishing during the autumn months from Bligh Sound from 1993 – 1996. His mooring for his boat was at a place known as “Turn Round Point”. Often in the evening or early morning he heard what he believed were kokako and on one occasion observed a bird flying. In his opinion there seemed to be a group of birds or at least two individual groups calling to each other. Mr Batchelor is an ex Wildlife Officer for the former N.Z. Wildlife Service and has worked on a number of surveys for N.I. kokako in the central North Island.

(4) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Sandie Legge was walking the Heaphy Track on the 24th September. She had just crossed the Gunner River swing bridge and was about 200m upriver from the swing bridge at the second boardwalk when she heard unusual calls. The kokako-like calls heard (two types) described as “tooking” and “swinging gate”. Sandie imitated these calls to Rhys Buckingham and he stated that each call resembled that of kokako (“swinging gate” call = long organ-like notes) When Sandie looked in direction of the calls she saw the dark shape of a bird larger than a tui. It made 2 wing flappings of its wings then disappeared. She went onto say that the wings of the unidentified bird appeared unusually short. Tui and bellbird were very vocal in the area and Sandie was adamant that the bird was not a pigeon. Sandie is an amateur ornithologist and has worked on bird surveys. (e.g. mohua) and is familiar with most N.Z. bird calls including N.I. kokako

(5) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham investigated the area adjacent to the Gunner River Bridge where Sandie Legge observed and heard an unusual bird in September. Although no kokako were seen, Rhys on the 26th October encountered a furtive bird that made heavy wing flapping noises in the dense under story. The following day at the same site there was a repeat of the same activity. This time kokako-like calls were heard – 3 organ notes were heard after the bird had been disturbed. There was no sign of the bird responsible for the calls.

(6) Lake Monowai (Fiordland)

On the 4th October, Susanne and Andrew Petersen from Invercargill were preparing for the opening of the trout-fishing season and were camped in a tent on the shoreline at June Bay. At approx 7-30pm they were attracted by the loud calling of a bird hidden at the top of a beech tree. The bird called 10-12 times and Susanne described the calls as being of double notes, low resonant organ notes that were repeated loudly. This occurred just before dark and the following day a big N.W. storm with wind and rain moved across Fiordland. In mid November, Ron & Kit Nilsson visited the site. They found the terrain particularly difficult with 1 metre dense stands of crown fern. The weather was unkind with wind, rain and snow and no kokako-like calls were heard.

(7) Ngatau River (South Westland)

While deer stalking in the head of the Ngatau River, Mike Bennett observed a bird believed to be a kokako in flight for about 15 seconds. It was seen at bush line to fly from a bush in “a half circle swoop”. This observation occurred during the month of February. Rhys Buckingham was pessimistic about this report and suggested that the bird may have been a pigeon. Mike Bennett had observed a kokako with orange wattles through a riflescope in the same area in February 1970.

(8) Mt Duncan (Marlborough)

In July, Morrie Tuck heard a loud and “eerie” call of a bird from near Mt Duncan. He described the call as like a bellbird but much louder but admitted the call could have come from a kaka. He was adamant that the call was not from a tui. A number of kokako reports came from this area from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s.

(9) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

On the 29th May at approx 0800 hours John Kendrick and a companion P. MacArthur were near the Howard Saddle when they heard a loud call that showed all the characteristics of sounding like a kokako (no description was given of the call type). Immediately bellbirds and tui showed an increase in vocal activity and attempted to copy some of the notes of the presumed kokako. Occasionally during the morning there were short sequences of notes made by the presumed kokako and each time there was increased vocal activity by bellbirds and tui. Extensive moss grubbing was observed on the 28th and 29th May. It had freshly been worked over forming a very large area (200m x 200m) and in the same locality as where the kokako-like calls were heard on the morning of the 29th May.

(10) Glenroy River (Buller)

On the 27th November Rhys Buckingham heard a single kokako song (no description given of call type). About 30 minutes after hearing the song (1300 hours) he had a brief sighting of a bird, the bird was larger than a tui, grey in colour and it’s tail was notably long in proportion to it’s body (c.f. tui). It was seen walking in a leisurely gait down the branch of a large beech tree. It seemed to be feeding on honeydew or perhaps gleaning for insects. After a few seconds it flipped upside down and continued walking/feeding in this mode on the underside of the branch. While turning over, the fan-shaped detail of the tail was apparent and the light caught the grey colour of its plumage. Just before disappearing behind the trunk of the beech tree the bird paused and lifted it’s head so that for the first time it was side on to my view. It was there that I could confirm the bird to be kokako by the features of its bill and face, particularly by its pale coloured wattle. The light was not good enough however to determine the colour of the wattle. Rhys also noted considerable moss disturbance on fallen logs and on the forest floor in the area where the bird was sighted.

South Island Kokako – 1996

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 8th April, Barry Donavan and Vaughn Meyers heard a double note (a loud long cry which resembled what could be made by a distressed young boy calling for help, followed immediately by a similar but much shorter call) Barry Donovan records that he and others had heard these calls on a number of occasions since 1985 when they cut a track across the peninsula but the above date was the first time they recorded their observation in a notebook. It was only after this observation and other similar observations including possible sightings that the suggestion was put forward that these calls may have been a kokako.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa River (South Westland)

On the 24th October; Barry Donavan noticed a bird fossicking through scrubby growth about 7metres away in the area known as the peninsula. As he focussed his binoculars on the spot a bird’s head popped into view. In sharp focus he clearly observed a sky blue wattle on the right side of the birds head for perhaps 2-3 seconds. The bird then flew down and away from Barry but enough time for him to observe that the bird was dark in appearance, bigger than a tui but much smaller than a pigeon.

(3) Bligh Sound (Fiordland)

Craig Batchelor was fishing during the autumn months from Bligh Sound from 1993 – 1996. His mooring for his boat was at a place known as “Turn Round Point”. Often in the evening or early morning he heard what he believed were kokako and on one occasion observed a bird flying. In his opinion there seemed to be a group of birds or at least two individual groups calling to each other. Mr Batchelor is an ex Wildlife Officer for the former N.Z. Wildlife Service and has worked on a number of surveys for N.I. kokako in the central North Island.

(4) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Sandie Legge was walking the Heaphy Track on the 24th September. She had just crossed the Gunner River swing bridge and was about 200m upriver from the swing bridge at the second boardwalk when she heard unusual calls. The kokako-like calls heard (two types) described as “tooking” and “swinging gate”. Sandie imitated these calls to Rhys Buckingham and he stated that each call resembled that of kokako (“swinging gate” call = long organ-like notes) When Sandie looked in direction of the calls she saw the dark shape of a bird larger than a tui. It made 2 wing flappings of its wings then disappeared. She went onto say that the wings of the unidentified bird appeared unusually short. Tui and bellbird were very vocal in the area and Sandie was adamant that the bird was not a pigeon. Sandie is an amateur ornithologist and has worked on bird surveys. (e.g. mohua) and is familiar with most N.Z. bird calls including N.I. kokako

(5) Heaphy River (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham investigated the area adjacent to the Gunner River Bridge where Sandie Legge observed and heard an unusual bird in September. Although no kokako were seen, Rhys on the 26th October encountered a furtive bird that made heavy wing flapping noises in the dense under story. The following day at the same site there was a repeat of the same activity. This time kokako-like calls were heard – 3 organ notes were heard after the bird had been disturbed. There was no sign of the bird responsible for the calls.

(6) Lake Monowai (Fiordland)

On the 4th October, Susanne and Andrew Petersen from Invercargill were preparing for the opening of the trout-fishing season and were camped in a tent on the shoreline at June Bay. At approx 7-30pm they were attracted by the loud calling of a bird hidden at the top of a beech tree. The bird called 10-12 times and Susanne described the calls as being of double notes, low resonant organ notes that were repeated loudly. This occurred just before dark and the following day a big N.W. storm with wind and rain moved across Fiordland. In mid November, Ron & Kit Nilsson visited the site. They found the terrain particularly difficult with 1 metre dense stands of crown fern. The weather was unkind with wind, rain and snow and no kokako-like calls were heard.

(7) Ngatau River (South Westland)

While deer stalking in the head of the Ngatau River, Mike Bennett observed a bird believed to be a kokako in flight for about 15 seconds. It was seen at bush line to fly from a bush in “a half circle swoop”. This observation occurred during the month of February. Rhys Buckingham was pessimistic about this report and suggested that the bird may have been a pigeon. Mike Bennett had observed a kokako with orange wattles through a riflescope in the same area in February 1970.

(8) Mt Duncan (Marlborough)

In July, Morrie Tuck heard a loud and “eerie” call of a bird from near Mt Duncan. He described the call as like a bellbird but much louder but admitted the call could have come from a kaka. He was adamant that the call was not from a tui. A number of kokako reports came from this area from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s.

(9) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

On the 29th May at approx 0800 hours John Kendrick and a companion P. MacArthur were near the Howard Saddle when they heard a loud call that showed all the characteristics of sounding like a kokako (no description was given of the call type). Immediately bellbirds and tui showed an increase in vocal activity and attempted to copy some of the notes of the presumed kokako. Occasionally during the morning there were short sequences of notes made by the presumed kokako and each time there was increased vocal activity by bellbirds and tui. Extensive moss grubbing was observed on the 28th and 29th May. It had freshly been worked over forming a very large area (200m x 200m) and in the same locality as where the kokako-like calls were heard on the morning of the 29th May.

(10) Glenroy River (Buller)

On the 27th November Rhys Buckingham heard a single kokako song (no description given of call type). About 30 minutes after hearing the song (1300 hours) he had a brief sighting of a bird, the bird was larger than a tui, grey in colour and it’s tail was notably long in proportion to it’s body (c.f. tui). It was seen walking in a leisurely gait down the branch of a large beech tree. It seemed to be feeding on honeydew or perhaps gleaning for insects. After a few seconds it flipped upside down and continued walking/feeding in this mode on the underside of the branch. While turning over, the fan-shaped detail of the tail was apparent and the light caught the grey colour of its plumage. Just before disappearing behind the trunk of the beech tree the bird paused and lifted it’s head so that for the first time it was side on to my view. It was there that I could confirm the bird to be kokako by the features of its bill and face, particularly by its pale coloured wattle. The light was not good enough however to determine the colour of the wattle. Rhys also noted considerable moss disturbance on fallen logs and on the forest floor in the area where the bird was sighted.

WWF-NZ FINAL REPORT

SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO 1997

R. P. BUCKINGHAM

WILDLIFE SURVEYS

DECEMBER 1997 i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1. Status, and historical background ...... 1 1.2. Recent reports, and follow-up investigations...... 2 2. OBJECTIVES ...... 3 3. SEARCH AREAS ...... 4 3.1. Glenroy Valley ...... 4 3.2. Oparara Valley ...... 4 3.3. Abut Head ...... 4 4. KOKAKO REPORTS ...... 6 4.1. Glenroy Valley ...... 6 4.2. Oparara Valley ...... 6 4.3. Abut Head ...... 6 5. PERSONNEL ...... 7 6. ITINERARY ...... 7 7. METHODS ...... 8 7.1. General search methods ...... 8 7.2. Camera surveillance ...... 10 7.3. Tape playback ...... 10 7.4. Tape recording ...... 11 7.5. Search for kokako sign...... 11 8. RESULTS ...... 12 8.1. General results ...... 12 8.2. Camera surveillance ...... 12 8.3. Sightings ...... 13 8.4. Calls ...... 14 8.5. Other sign ...... 15 8.6. Other birds ...... 15 9. DISCUSSION ...... 17 9.1. General discussion ...... 17 9.2. Sign of presumed South Island kokako ...... 18 9.2.1. Vocal behaviour ...... 18 9.2.2. Cryptic behaviour...... 19 9.2.3. Moss grubbing ...... 19

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9.3. Advocacy ...... 21 10. Conclusion ...... 22 11. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 23 11.1. General recommendations ...... 23 11.2. Specific recommendation...... 24 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 REFERENCES 26

COVER PHOTO: Specimen of South Island kokako, Canterbury Museum. Photo: Barry Donovan, 1997

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1. INTRODUCTION

Extensive searches have been made for South Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea cinerea), in many localities of the South Island and Stewart Island since the early 1980s (Buckingham 1996). Despite an accumulation of evidence in the form of silhouette sightings, calls, feathers and unusual moss-grubbing sign, unequivocal evidence for the presence of South Island kokako has not been obtained. Recent reports of South Island kokako (1970–1991) are summarized in Butler & Buckingham (1991). A more detailed, descriptive list of reports (1946–1995) is currently being collated by Ron Nilsson (Ron Nilsson, in litt.. 24/6/1995). At the time of writing he has assembled 118 reports involving approximately 89 localities throughout the South Island and Stewart Island. The descriptions include 98 reported sightings, 58 unusual calls and 15 mentions of associated moss grubbing sign. This document describes the results of a search for South Island kokako, carried out at three South Island locations (Oparara River, Abut Head, Glenroy River) between September and December 1997. The search focused on areas where sign of presumed kokako (sightings, calls, tape playback response, recently worked moss grubbing sites) had been reported within the last year. Several methods of attempting to detect South Island kokako were used during this survey. Some of these methods (e.g. use of remotely-operated cameras, and camouflage clothing for stalking birds) had not been used during previous searches for South Island kokako. 1.1. Status, and historical background

The South Island kokako belongs to an ancient endemic family of birds called the Callaeidae — or New Zealand wattlebirds. It shares sub-specific status with the endangered North Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni). Historical accounts suggest that South Island kokako was distributed widely, though unevenly, throughout forests of the South Island and Stewart Island (Buller 1873; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Fulton 1907). They were found from sea level to the sub-alpine zone frequenting dense, diverse forest and shrubland. However, kokako were also found in more open beech forests on each side of the Southern Alps, where they were most common at higher altitudes (Travers 1871; Potts 1882; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Clout & Hay 1981). Their range became restricted by the end of last century (Buller 1873; Potts 1882), and by 1889 the bird was said to be rapidly approaching extinction (Smith 1888). However, strongholds remained in Westland, Fiordland and the southern part of Stewart Island (Smith 1888; Fulton 1907; Cockayne 1909; Philpott 1913; Pascoe 1957). Forest clearance, spread of introduced mammals and specimen collection contributed to their decline (Fulton 1907; Oliver 1955). South Island kokako were recorded as spending much time on the ground (Fulton 1907), which would have made them particularly vulnerable to introduced mammalian predators, particularly as the bird’s behaviour was said to be tame and confiding (Potts 1882; Reischek 1885; Smith 1888; Cockayne 1909; Keene 1966; Clout & Hay 1981).

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1.2. Recent reports, and follow-up investigations

Despite the documented decline of kokako from the turn of the century, over 100 reports of South Island kokako have been received within the last 30 years (Ron Nilsson, in litt.. 24/6/1995). Many of these reports are detailed sightings by reliable observers. Furthermore, several independent reports of kokako are known from the same locations (e.g. Howard Valley, Nelson Lakes; Rocky River, Kahurangi National Park; Mount Duncan/Mount Cullen, Marlborough). Investigations of reliable kokako reports were carried out by the New Zealand Wildlife Service from the 1950s to 1986, and since by Department of Conservation and private individuals. Earlier investigations were generally short, one-off trips, that usually failed to find any sign of kokako. More intensive, repeated searches were carried out at Stewart Island, Wakatipu State Forest, Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi National Parks from 1980 to the mid 1990s (Fig. 1). From these surveys, evidence for the possible presence of South Island kokako accumulated. The presence of an exceptionally cryptic bird, that occasionally produced calls or wing-flapping similar to North Island kokako was described (Buckingham 1996). During these searches, occasional silhouette sightings of presumed kokako were made, and tape recordings of unusual calls were obtained. Other evidence included the finding of kokako-like feathers (one found on Stewart Island in November 1986 was identified as belonging to a kokako — Buckingham 1987), and an unusual moss grubbing sign (Buckingham 1996). The results of investigations at locations where kokako were thought to be present, seemed to be very dependent on time of year, and weather conditions. Presumed South Island kokako were most likely to be heard during warm weather (particularly before rain) in November or December, or during settled, cooler conditions in April and May. Current investigations focus on attempting to lure South Island kokako using recorded tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako, and assumed kokako calls recorded on Stewart Island, northern Fiordland and Kahurangi National Park (Buckingham 1996, van Mierlo 1997). Results of tape playback have so far been inconclusive, though occasional response from presumed kokako has been indicated (Buckingham 1996). Encouragement to continue the search for South Island kokako was given by both Department of Conservation, and Rare Birds Committee (Ornithological Society of New Zealand), after documented evidence was presented to them in 1996 (Buckingham 1996, R. Buckingham & Lloyd Robbins, unpublished material). Expert opinion concluded that there was sufficient positive evidence to recommend urgent investigative action on recent South Island kokako reports.

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2. OBJECTIVES

° To confirm the presence of South Island kokako; and ° To develop a technique for observing and managing South Island kokako.

Figure 1 South Island kokako search team and equipment—Wakatipu State Forest (north Fiordland) in 1983 Left to right: John Kendrick, Rhys Buckingham, Graeme Elliott, Peter Child

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3. SEARCH AREAS

Recent reports and evidence suggest that the most appropriate localities to search for South Island kokako are (from north to south): ° Oparara Valley, Kahurangi National Park; ° Howard Saddle, Nelson Lakes National Park; ° Glenroy Valley, Maruia SF; ° Grey Valley (Granville SF, east Paparoa Range); ° Hurunui River, North Canterbury; ° Abut Head, South Westland; and ° Jackson River, southern Stewart Island (Map 1). This survey focused on three of these areas; Glenroy Valley (priority area), Oparara Valley and Abut Head, where reliable and/or detailed reports of kokako had been received within the past year. 3.1. Glenroy Valley

Glenroy River is the largest tributary of the Matakitaki River which arises from the Spenser Mountains north of Lewis Pass. The study site is located in red beech (Nothofagus fusca) forest on a river terrace just east of the Rappahannock Saddle, approximately 30 km south of Murchison. Although the forest habitat is predominantly open beech, there are small boggy clearings and damp riparian areas which contain a diverse assemblage of shrub-hardwood species such as broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis), Myrsine divaricata, Coprosma spp., horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) and lancewood (Pseudopanax crassifolius). 3.2. Oparara Valley

The Oparara Valley, famous for its limestone caves and preserved prehistoric fauna, is located north-east of Karamea, within Kahurangi National Park. The search was carried out east of Moria Gate, in mixed beech forest (red beech, silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii), hard beech (N. truncata)) above 300 m asl. Understorey vegetation in this area is notably diverse, with over 100 plant species being listed (Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett, pers. comm., 31/10/1997). 3.3. Abut Head

Abut Head is a predominantly forest-covered, hilly peninsula, situated between Saltwater Lagoon to the north, and the Whataroa River to the south, in South Westland. The river flats have been extensively modified, by farming and forestry. The hill country forest consists of scattered emergent podocarps, predominantly rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) and miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea ), a kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa) dominated canopy, and a dense understorey of kiekie (Freycinetia baueriana banksii), broadleaved shrubs, supplejack (Rhipogonum

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scandens), and tree ferns (Cyathea smithii, Dicksonia squarosa). Occasional, relatively small areas of dense podocarps are found. Dense stands of kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) are present on swampy flats between the river flats and the hill country.

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4. KOKAKO REPORTS 4.1. Glenroy Valley

A sighting and call of presumed South Island kokako was reported by Rhys Buckingham, in red beech forest near Glenroy River (NZMG 24542 59003) on 27 November 1996 (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). The presumed kokako called soon after playing tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako. Intensive, fresh moss grubbing, covering an area of forest floor approximately 150 x 100 m was conspicuous at this location. The bird (viewed for over a minute using binoculars) appeared to be gleaning insects or honeydew from the branch of a large red beech. It was identified as a kokako from its grey plumage, long tail, and outline of a pale- coloured wattle briefly seen below its bill. 4.2. Oparara Valley

Rhys Buckingham also reported possible encounters with South Island kokako during a recent tape playback survey at the Oparara Valley, near Karamea (Buckingham, unpublished material). Presumed South Island kokako responded vocally to tape playback, at four different sites in the Oparara Valley between 7 and 9 May, 1997. The calls, that closely resembled those of North Island kokako (rich organ-like notes), or historical descriptions of South Island kokako (loud, ‘hollow’ sounding notes), were made by a very cryptic bird, that could not be seen even when presumably close to the observer. The calls did not appear to be made by tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), kaka (Nestor meridionalis) or bellbird (Anthornis melanura), which were present in the area (these species were as vocal, or more vocal in October 1997, when kokako-like calls were not heard). 4.3. Abut Head

In July 1997, a document was received from Barry Donovan describing observations indicative of South Island kokako near Abut Head, South Westland (B. Donovan, unpublished material). These observations, which were made during a period of 15– 20 years, included five sightings of unidentified birds. One of the sightings (24 October 1996) described a “sky blue wattle” clearly seen (with binoculars) on the side of a bird’s head. Barry’s most recent sighting of presumed kokako was made on 31 May 1997, at the same place where the blue-wattled bird was seen. After playing tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako at this site, an unidentified bird with a blue wattle flew within 3–4 m from him. Barry also reported seeing and hearing presumed kokako on another occasion, approximately one kilometre from the above site.

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5. PERSONNEL

Mainly volunteers, including experienced ornithologists who had worked extensively with North Island kokako, and keen amateur ornithologists, carried out the search for kokako. Ian Flux (kokako coordinator, DoC, Wellington) assisted during the search at Abut Head. Volunteers, included Rhys Buckingham (leader), Tim Cotter, Patsie Garrett, John Kendrick, Susan King, Ruth Lineham, Shirley Loffhagen, Geroen Lürling, Lloyd Robbins, Edith Shaw, Ken Simpson, Pamela Sirett, Richard Stocker, and Ron Ward. 6. ITINERARY

The main search area was Glenroy River terrace. Camp and equipment were put in place by helicopter (courtesy of Timberlands West Coast Limited) on 28 October 1997. Volunteers (listed above) maintained an almost continuous surveillance of this area until 9 December 1997, by which time vocal activity of presumed kokako had almost ceased. Six camera surveillance units were installed at the end of October, and operated automatically throughout November and early December 1997. Rhys Buckingham, Ruth Lineham, Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett searched the Oparara valley on 30–31 October 1997. Ian Flux, Rhys Buckingham and Tim Cotter surveyed the Abut Head report locality between 24 and 28 November 1997.

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7. METHODS 7.1. General search methods

High quality binoculars, SLR cameras (with telephoto lenses), and professional digital tape or disc recorders were used to try and obtain evidence of South Island kokako. While searching for kokako, observers worked in pairs (for safety and scientific reasons), and wore special camouflage clothing (Huntec™), or forest green First Layer™ garments donated by Earth Sea Sky Equipment Ltd (Fig. 2). Searching was carried out between dawn (c. 0500 hrs, NZDT) to dusk (c. 2100 hrs NZDT). Digital tape recorders, or voice-activated analogue tape recorders, linked to microphones, were placed at appropriate sites for automatic recording of sounds.

Figure 2. Use of camouflage clothing and hide at Glenroy River

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Six infrared triggered surveillance cameras were placed at sites where fresh moss grubbing, and the sighting of a presumed kokako, were reported at Glenroy River in November 1996 (see Section 4.0; Fig. 3). These automatic camera units were inspected regularly (usually once a day), and batteries and film replaced when necessary. A hide constructed from camouflage net was established at this grubbing area (Fig. 2). Food trays containing diluted honey, oranges, apples, bananas and/or grapes were placed at various localities at Glenroy River, where suspected kokako activity was observed. Food was taken in before nightfall, and replaced during early morning, to reduce site disturbance by possums. Before being removed at dusk, food was examined for bird feeding sign.

Figure 3. A camera surveillance site at Glenroy River The camera is housed in a waterproof container, pointing at a moss log where an infrared monitor is partly hidden (front right). Lloyd Robbins pictured.

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7.2. Camera surveillance

Six infrared camera monitor systems kindly loaned by Barry Lawrence, were set up at the Glenroy River, in an area of forest where intensive moss workings were found in November 1996. The systems were placed so as to detect animal movement over mossy ground or logs. The units were installed in waterproof containers, and camouflaged as much as possible (Fig. 3). The units consist of a passive infrared detector (able to detect animal heat combined with movement) connected to an automatic camera (F 3.5, 34 mm lens) which had been ‘hot-wired’ to trigger the shutter release and electronic flash when an animal passes through the infrared beam (these units were developed by Graeme Loh, DoC, Dunedin). Each infrared unit was powered by a 12 volt, 6.5 AH, lead-acid gel cell, and each camera by two alkaline D cells. Batteries were replaced after approximately one week. A daily record was kept of frame exposure, and film was replaced when less than about seven frames were left. The main purpose of these cameras was to photograph the animal responsible for a distinctive moss grubbing sign (see page 7 & 17). During the last few days of the survey, model kokako (Fig 6) were placed in front of the cameras in an attempt to lure kokako into the infrared beam. 7.3. Tape playback

An important technique used to try and attract kokako, involved playback of tape recorded kokako calls. Selected calls of North Island kokako and presumed South Island kokako were broadcast at five minute intervals at specific sites, or along transects throughout the study areas. An attempt was made to obtain good quality recordings of calls given in response to tape playback (see section 7.4). Tape calls used included analogue recordings of juvenile North Island kokako ‘mews’ and song, digital recordings of North Island kokako song and alarm calls (supplied by DoC), ‘hollow’ notes recorded at Rocky River (Kahurangi National Park), ‘bongs’ recorded in the Caples Valley (Fiordland), and various presumed kokako calls recorded on Stewart Island in the 1980s. Amplified recordings of possible kokako calls, obtained at Glenroy River during this survey, were also played. Both digital and analogue recorders were used for playback, with the sound amplified through a Toa™ horn speaker, or other appropriate speaker. A more sophisticated, but less portable playback system was also used. This consisted of two speakers placed up to 60 m apart, linked to an amplifier, and control switch which allowed sound to broadcast independently through either speaker. A tape recorder (digital or analogue) was connected to the amplifier, and calls played back at controlled volumes (never very loud as high volumes can apparently disturb kokako). Near each speaker, a dummy kokako, and food (e.g. orange, red apple, banana) were displayed, for the purpose of attracting kokako. Observers wearing camouflage clothing remained hidden throughout the playback period. Various calls (see above) were played back at approximately five-minute intervals for up to 1.5 hours at each site. Digital recording equipment and SLR cameras were used for obtaining evidence of South Island kokako, should one approach.

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7.4. Tape recording

Digital tape recorders and suitable shotgun microphones (or microphones seated in parabolic dishes) were used to record calls of presumed South Island kokako. This equipment included Philips DCC 170 ™ compact recorder, Sony Minidisc ™ recorder, directional microphones, and a Philips SBC 3052™ microphone, seated in a 50 cm diameter parabolic dish. A Sony TCM-353V™ voice-activated recorder was also used with the above microphone, as an automatic monitoring method of obtaining kokako calls (for evidence rather than quality reproduction). Recording equipment was used both in conjunction with tape playback (see above), and for automatic recording at specific sites where possible kokako calls had been heard. 7.5. Search for kokako sign

A search for fresh moss grubbing activity was made at each of the three localities surveyed. If intensive moss grubbing was found, search efforts would aim to focus at these sites, in an attempt to identify the animal responsible for the sign (i.e. by direct observations, and looking for sign such as feathers). A search for bird’s nests was also made, and an attempt made to identify any feathers used in these nests (any kokako- like feathers found would be sent to Ian Flux, Science & Research, DoC, Wellington, for more detailed analysis). Other sign, such as footprints in mud were searched for (Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957 described distinctive footprints made by South Island kokako).

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8. RESULTS 8.1. General results

Although no unequivocal evidence of South Island kokako was found at any of the three areas surveyed (Glenroy River, Abut Head, Oparara Valley), kokako-like calls were periodically heard at Glenroy River between October and December 1997. Attempts to identify the bird making these calls were unsuccessful. The surveillance cameras set at Glenroy River failed to detect kokako in 225 frame exposures. However, as no intensive moss grubbing was recorded this season where the cameras were located, the animal responsible for this sign was not likely to be determined. Many of the calls heard at Glenroy River were similar to call types described for North Island kokako (Hughes 1981, pers. obs.), or matched descriptions given by pioneer ornithologists (e.g. Buller 1892, Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). These calls were heard most frequently in warm, fine weather in early November, but were seldom heard when weather conditions became colder and more unsettled in mid to late November. Calls were seldom heard in early December, even during warmer settled weather periods. Although no convincing response of kokako to tape playback was observed, possible distant vocal response was recorded on several occasions. Two brief sightings of possible kokako were made (see Section 8.3). Other possible sign of kokako found at Glenroy River consisted of patches of fresh moss grubbing that appeared in early November, at times and locations where the most interesting calls were heard. However, no feathers or other sign of kokako were found at these sites. No sign of kokako activity appeared at food stations that were placed at or near these locations. 8.2. Camera surveillance

Although kokako were not photographed, the camera surveillance systems worked effectively in photographing several species of animals that moved through the infrared beam (Table 1; Fig. 4). Out of 225 frames exposed (events), 26 were triggered by birds (three species), and 50 by mammals (two species—not counting humans). Some of the frames were set off deliberately to check the system’s operation, while other events caused by humans were accidental. Changes in light reflection probably also triggered the infrared monitor in some cases. A few prints were of too poor quality (e.g. failure of flash, light or water affecting film) to detect what may have triggered the system.

Table 1 Camera surveillance results: Number of events triggered by different animals

No. events Human Possum Stoat Blackbird Thrush Chaffinch Unknown 225 39 47 2 15 6 3 113

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Although no intensive grubbing activity was found in the area monitored by the cameras, sign of possible kokako presence in this area was noted on a few occasions. This sign consisted of infrequent calls, and possible response to tape playback on one occasion (dusk, 7 November 1997). 8.3. Sightings

No convincing kokako sightings were made during this survey. However, on two occasions, sightings of unidentified birds (possibly kokako) were reported at Glenroy River: ° A bird larger than a blackbird, with grey plumage, a dark grey–black tail, ran extremely fast (e.g. pukeko speed) along the forest floor, in scrubby vegetation by a small stream near camp (0945 hrs NZDT, 11 November 1997—Tim Cotter); and ° A large bird that glided between the crowns of tall red beech was followed but was not seen closely enough for it to be identified. Occasional ‘hollow’ flute- like notes came from the directions in which it flew (late afternoon, 6 December 1997—R. Buckingham).

Figure 4. Non target species (blackbird) photographed by an infrared triggered camera, Glenroy River. In November 1996, large quantities of moss were dislodged from logs such as this, over an area of approximately 150 x 100 m.

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8.4. Calls

The main sign of kokako found during the survey was in the form of kokako-like calls heard periodically at Glenroy River (kokako-like calls were not heard elsewhere during the survey period). These calls resembled calls of North Island kokako, or fitted descriptions of South Island kokako calls in early literature (e.g. Travers 1871, Buller 1892, Washbourn 1933, Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). Kokako-like calls were occasionally heard after tape playback (page 8). Calls thought to be possibly made by kokako at Glenroy River had some or all of the following characteristics: ° Comparatively loud volume (louder than typical tui song); ° Harmonic or resonant tonal quality (different timbre to tui or kaka calls); ° Similar to North Island kokako calls; ° Unlikely to be sourced even if heard closely (i.e. bird making the calls was obviously very cryptic); and ° Were typically copied by tui and/or bellbirds in the vicinity. Calls similar to those of North Island kokako were ‘mews’, loud reverberating ‘bongs’ or ‘chimes’, and rich, organ-like notes. Other calls included long, flute-like notes, and extraordinary ‘hollow’ notes similar to that described by Charles Douglas (Pascoe 1957). The latter calls (similar to the sound of blowing over the top of an empty bottle) were heard regularly during early November, in an area above Granity Creek (Map 2) where moss on the ground, or on logs had been freshly disturbed. Although the bird making these calls appeared to be close to observers on a number of occasions, it could not be detected. The calls were not heard for many days after temperatures dramatically dropped with the advent of a heavy snowfall below bushline during the afternoon of 8 November 1997 (in contrast, tui, bellbird and kaka appeared to be as vocal after, as before the change in weather conditions). The unidentified ‘hollow’ notes were again heard on 16 November and 6 December after recorded kokako calls were played. During the periods when unidentified hollow notes were heard, tui and kaka made very similar calls, making identification of the source very confusing. Many tape recordings were made of these call types, from known and unknown sources. Sonograph analysis will be required to determine possible interspecific differences. Unfortunately, most kokako-like calls heard or tape recorded at Glenroy River were quite distant from the observers or microphone (or not aligned in the direction the parabola was facing). The most convincing kokako calls heard at Glenroy River were: ° Unusual ‘hollow’ notes as described above, heard on various occasions (particularly early November, also 6 December 1997—L. Robbins, R. Buckingham, J. Kendrick); ° A sequence of loud ‘bongs’ heard from camp during dawn (4 November 1997— Lloyd Robbins); ° A short sequence of rich organ-like notes heard relatively closely from near the camera surveillance site (1728 hrs NZDT, 6 November 1997—R. Buckingham);

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° Intermittent single-notes, and one four-note sequence tape recorded at same site as above (dawn, 7 November 1997); ° A series of three loud ringing ‘bongs’ heard about 100 m west of Granity Creek (near Rappahannock Track). These calls were copied by both tui and bellbirds. (c. 1700 hrs, 13 November 1997— J. Kendrick, T. Cotter); ° Two resonant ‘bongs’ and resonant ‘chime’ tape recorded using a voice- activated tape recorder near base camp. It was noted by different observers, that tui and bellbird (and kaka on at least one occasion) appeared to be influenced by the loud unidentified kokako-like calls that were occasionally heard. After unidentified calls were heard, tui and bellbird tended to become more vocal, produce alarm calls, copy the unidentfied calls, and change their normal song dialect. The intermittent occurrence of presumed kokako calls at specific locations, and the lack of observed response to these calls by other presumed kokako, suggested that only one kokako may have been present at the Glenroy search area, and that it moved over a relatively large territory (probably > 10 ha). Although no presumed kokako calls were heard in the Oparara Valley area in October, calls heard in response to tape playback at this location in May 1997, were similar to the unidentified calls heard at Glenroy River in November and December 1997 (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). In particular, these were ‘hollow’ notes (as described above), and short sequences of rich organ-like notes (almost identical to segments of North Island kokako song). As at Glenroy River, the birds producing the calls appeared to hide when close, as no trace of them could be found. Few calls, or other sign attributable to kokako, were recorded at Abut Head, despite the detailed, descriptive report, and the very diverse, food-rich habitat present there. The area was searched (using tape playback techniques) during September and November, times when kokako if present, would be expected to be vocal and responsive to tape playback. 8.5. Other sign

As described under general results (Section 8.1), no feathers, footprints, or bill impressions in fruit, indicative of kokako were found. Fresh moss disturbance was found in early November, at times and localities where kokako-like calls were heard. Although fresh droppings associated with the sign appeared to be from blackbird or song thrush, these birds may have been attracted to disturbances made by another species. It should be noted that the grubbing sign was not consistent with blackbird or song thrush distribution (the sign was localized, while song thrushes and blackbirds were abundant throughout). 8.6. Other birds

Parakeets (Cyanoramphus auriceps), kaka, tui, and insectivorous species (e.g. robin Petroica australis australis, grey warbler Gerygone igata, and tit Petroica macrocephala macrocephala) were notably common at the Glenroy River search area. Parakeet and kaka densities were high compared to most other forest areas surveyed in the northern part of the South Island (R. Buckingham, unpublished

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material). This is significant, because both species are of conservation importance (Molloy & Davis 1994). Occasional falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) and NZ pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) were encountered at Glenroy Valley, but kiwi (Apteryx spp.) and weka (Gallirallus australis australis) appear to be absent there. Relatively high numbers of birds were also observed at Oparara Valley in late October 1997. Kaka, kea (Nestor notabilis), parakeets, and weka were occasionally encountered, while tui and bellbirds were commonly heard or seen. Great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) was heard at night. Although numbers of some species such as bellbird, grey warbler, silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), tui, and tit were relatively high at Abut Head, kaka, parakeet and weka appear to be absent there.

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9. DISCUSSION 9.1. General discussion

Although the objectives of this project were not reached, evidence of South Island kokako presence was found at one of the localities surveyed (Glenroy River). This evidence (i.e. kokako-like calls, response to tape playback, moss grubbing sign) was consistent with that obtained during previous investigations (Buckingham 1996, R. Buckingham unpublished material). Sign found of presumed South Island kokako broadly correlated with that described in both documented accounts, and anecdotal reports. Accumulated evidence has strongly indicated the presence of a rare, localised, seldom vocal, cryptic bird that can produce calls almost identical to North Island kokako. The project has emphasized the extreme difficulties of detecting presumed kokako, even given intensive search effort using specialized techniques. It is presumed that these difficulties relate to the rarity of kokako, their probable large territories, their quiet, secretive habits, and apparent reluctance to approach observers, even after kokako tape calls are played. Combined results of the May 1997 and October 1997 kokako searches at Oparara Valley strongly suggest that kokako may also be present there. The total lack of observed response to tape playback in October, contrasted with the dramatic vocal response of presumed kokako in some locations during May that year (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). This observation stresses the difficulties of detecting a bird that appears to be either unpredictable in vocal behaviour, or moves over a very large territory. Such habits would necessitate searching for South Island kokako during different seasons, to establish whether or not kokako are likely to be present. This being the case, the absence of kokako sign found at Abut Head may not necessarily indicate an absence of kokako. Most investigations focus on attempting to lure South Island kokako using recorded tape calls of juvenile North Island kokako, and assumed South Island kokako calls. This technique appears to have had some success (Buckingham 1996), though response to tape playback (regardless of sound quality) is unpredictable, and presumed kokako that respond are always extremely wary, and appear to deliberately hide from observers. North Island kokako juvenile calls, and putative South Island kokako ‘hollow-note’ calls and ‘bongs’ appear to be the most effective calls in eliciting response from presumed South Island kokako. An important aspect of this study was that new techniques were used to try and detect a very elusive bird. The use of camera surveillance equipment to try and detect a bird responsible for an unusual moss grubbing sign was an innovative option, but one reliant on the chance that the bird would visit a specific site, and grub moss in front of a rather difficult to disguise camera unit (Fig. 3). Although not successful this season, the technique proved to be effective in principle, and with modifications (e.g. unit made more compact, thus easier to hide) may well achieve the objective in future. The use of camouflage clothing for stalking South Island kokako, as suggested by Ian Flux (pers. comm. 27/8/1996), was also considered a worthwhile option. Observers could move very quietly, and remain fairly hidden, wearing green or dappled, soft polyester clothing (Fig. 2). It may be worthwhile to consider extending the

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 18 camouflage to face and hands, as these parts of the human anatomy may show up as beacons to a wary bird hiding in the forest. 9.2. Sign of presumed South Island kokako

Since 1980, evidence for the existence of South Island kokako has accumulated (Buckingham 1996). The presumed presence of South Island kokako has been repeatedly linked to specific signs, i.e.: ° Calls similar to North Island kokako; ° Calls similar to those described for South Island kokako in early literature; ° Observed vocal response to playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako, or presumed South Island kokako; ° Kokako-like wing-flapping; ° Silhouette sightings of kokako-like birds; ° Extremely cryptic behaviour (i.e. inability to see birds that make loud, kokako-like calls); ° Unusual moss grubbing sign (Fig. 5); and ° Predictable call-copying by bellbirds and tui after loud, unidentified, presumed kokako calls are heard.

9.2.1. Vocal behaviour The calls of South Island kokako are described in early literature (e.g. Travers 1871, Buller 1892, Washbourn 1933, and Charles Douglas in Pascoe 1957). From these accounts it appears that South Island kokako were relatively vocal only where common, their song was composed of only a few notes, typically their calls were very quiet, they could mimic the calls of other birds, and they produced a wide variety of calls that were not always like those of North Island kokako. Calls were variously described as flute-like, bell-like, hollow-sounding, plaintive, varied, mellow-toned and “pitched in a minor key”. These descriptions adequately fit the descriptions of calls heard at Glenroy River, and other areas where presumed kokako have been recently reported (R. Buckingham, R. Nilsson, J. Kendrick, unpublished material). The apparent vocal reticence of South Island kokako, and its ability to copy the calls of other songbirds, would help to explain the extreme difficulties of locating individual kokako. Loud calls of presumed South Island kokako are not frequently heard at close range. Distant calls are always hard to identify because of the acoustic problems of attenuation, fluctuation and reverberation (Richards 1981). It is not known why loud, unidentified calls, heard periodically at Glenroy River, and other locations (Buckingham 1996) appear to dramatically influence songbird vocalizations. Possibly the unusual, not often heard calls, elicit surprise behaviour, especially in species such as tui and bellbird which have similar calls. Prolonged excited behaviour of tui at Pureora SF on 23 June 1987 appeared to have resulted from a juvenile North Island kokako learning to sing (pers. obs.). Blackburn (1965) observed that bellbirds on Stage and Middle Chicken Island (Muttonbird Group, Stewart Island) imitated the calls of saddlebacks soon after they were translocated there in 1964. Both kaka and parakeets appeared to copy the calls of recently arrived

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long-tailed cuckoos in the Caples Valley during November 1983 (pers. obs.). Song copying between North Island kokako and other species has also been described (Hughes 1981).

9.2.2. Cryptic behaviour As mentioned earlier (page 2) the behaviour of South Island kokako was said to be tame and confiding (Potts 1882; Reischek 1885; Smith 1888; Cockayne 1909; Keene 1966). However, references to the cryptic behaviour of South Island kokako are also known. Reischek (1885) found them to be “adepts in the art of hiding, either under a limb in the fork of a tree, or between thick leaves.” Fulton (1907) said the South Island kokako was “...quiet and shy in its habits...”. Washbourn (1933) indicated that South Island kokako may have been more common than observed last century in North West Nelson, as “...their song is a curiously small, quiet one for the size of the bird.” Well-known early naturalist/ photographer, Guthrie-Smith (1925) described the difficulty of finding South Island kokako near Pegasus Harbour in southern Stewart Island, where they were reported to be common earlier this century. “We were certain, therefore, that it bred in that part of Stewart Island, and by every open way searched for the elusive bird. We never heard or saw the crow. We never did get the nest.” Individual kokako probably showed considerable variability in their habits, and perhaps only the shy, elusive ones survived into the present century. The current difficulty of detecting South Island kokako may not only relate to their furtive, quiet behaviour, but also to their rarity, and probable large territory. If early expeditions failed to find kokako when they were relatively common, then the present lack of success is not surprising, considering they are now clearly very rare and isolated.

9.2.3. Moss grubbing The possible correlation of kokako presence and a specific kind of moss grubbing activity has also been indicated (McBride 1981, R. Buckingham, unpublished material, Cecil Wills, in litt., 22/12/1997). Martin (1951) first described unusual moss sign in New Zealand forests, where clumps of moss grow detached on the forest floor. He found this sign during field studies on Stewart Island, but was unsure what caused the detachment (he suggested possums or other cause). Studies on Stewart Island between 1984 and 1987 found that fresh moss grubbing sign (Fig. 5), similar to that described by Martin, occurred where presumed kokako were heard or seen (R. Buckingham, unpublished material). At least one report of a South Island kokako being seen to pick moss on the ground is known (Robin Campbell, pers. comm., February, 1995). Another report described presumed kokako being seen (on one occasion), and occasionally heard at Glenroy River (East Branch) during the 1950s, at places where moss on the ground had been freshly disturbed (Cecil Wills, in litt., 22/12/1997). McBride (1981) also noted “ploughed” areas of moss on the forest floor, in locations where he had seen kokako in Teal Creek (Mount Aspiring National Park) in the 1960s. Several forest birds, such as blackbird, song thrush and weka, are known to lift moss from the forest floor, or fallen trunks. Although the distinguishing features of presumed kokako moss grubbing sign are not clearly understood, possible indicators of kokako sign are: ° Variable size of detached moss clumps, some with diameters up to 18 cm;

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° Typically, large quantities (thousands of pieces) of moss are ‘pinched’ out of moss growing on logs or the forest floor; ° Sign typically covers a relatively large area of the forest floor (e.g. up to 150 m x 150 m); ° Moss tends to be detached neatly, with comparatively little soil or litter attached (unlike sign made by blackbird); ° Activity restricted to a few days or less each year, usually during November- December, but sometimes during April/May; ° The period of moss activity correlates with the time of presumed kokako activity (calls, wing-flapping, kokako-like birds seen, response to tape playback); ° Activity may be site specific; i.e. birds return to the same areas to grub moss each year; and ° Tufted mosses (Dicranoloma spp.) tend to be the most common species of moss dislodged; other species disturbed include Ptychomnion aciculare (a moss), and various species of liverworts and lichens.

Figure 5. Distinctive moss grubbing sign found at Rakeahua River, Stewart Island in 1985. The spherical pieces of moss continue to grow unattached to the ground, thus the sign can remain for many years.

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9.3. Advocacy

The success of South Island kokako investigations depends largely on public support and funding. During this survey considerable media coverage (television, radio and newspaper) was achieved. A newsletter dedicated to the search for South Island kokako (‘Crow Crier’) is produced twice annually. A poster display titled “Evidence of the continued existence of South Island kokako” was held at the New Zealand Ecological Society meeting at Lincoln University in 1996.

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10. Conclusion

Investigations in many South Island forest locations since 1980 have indicated that small isolated populations of South Island kokako may be present in pure beech forest areas where bird species diversity is high, as well as podocarp/beech forests where plant species composition is diverse. Historically, kokako were present in both kinds of habitat (Oliver 1955; Clout & Hay 1981). Their presence in beech forests where plant diversity is relatively low, suggests that South Island kokako must be dependent on invertebrates and/or honeydew for much of the year. It is possible that remaining South Island kokako individuals are males that occupy large territories (small remnant populations of North Island kokako tend to be male- biased, with individuals occupying larger territories than in more healthy populations). The apparent vocal reticence of South Island kokako may be due to the absence of neighbours to communicate with, or to hassling by tui and other songbirds (evidence indicates that tui, in particular, react aggressively to loud, unusual calls— pers. obs.). Considerable time and effort has now been expended in the search for South Island kokako. The studies have found sufficient evidence that kokako may still exist, but have made little progress in elucidating a detection method, or offering a management solution. If a decision is made to continue the search for South Island kokako, then new techniques should continue to be tried. It is suggested that the most appropriate new methods would require using North Island kokako, either as caged call birds, or released radio-tagged females (see Recommendation 1).

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11. RECOMMENDATIONS 11.1. General recommendations

(1) Improved survey/detection techniques for South Island kokako are urgently required. Tape playback, and other search techniques used on this, and previous surveys are inadequate to reliably detect South Island kokako. More appropriate methods are suggested below: ° Improved camera and audio surveillance equipment may help to obtain unequivocal evidence of South Island kokako presence, as well as increasing knowledge of their behaviour and movements. Although more expensive, and technically more difficult to ‘hot-wire’, video cameras may be more appropriate than still cameras for automatic surveillance (video offers wider angles, and operates in low light conditions, thus eliminating the need of a flash). FM transmitters (‘bugs’) established in a grid network throughout presumed South Island kokako territories, may be appropriate for monitoring calling events, and communication between individuals; ° Use of North Island kokako call birds should be considered again (the first trial on Stewart Island in 1990 was inappropriate because the bird did not perform before it died). Call birds should be properly trained juvenile kokako, that are taught call types of presumed South Island kokako, and are acclimatised to human presence, and travel; and ° The release of radio-tagged, female North Island kokako into specific areas where South Island kokako are presumed present is probably the most appropriate method of both detecting and managing South Island kokako. The radio-tagged birds should be closely monitored to establish if any pair bonds develop, and/or if any breeding attempts occur (Lloyd Robbins, pers. comm., March 1996).

(2) Key areas for further South Island kokako searching need to be prioritised. It is recommended that investigations should be continued at Glenroy River, Oparara River, the head of Howard Valley, and Hurunui River, as current evidence of kokako is strong at these localities (pers. obs.; Ron Nilsson, pers. comm. December 1997). Also, these areas are relatively easy of access. Further investigations should be made at Abut Head, and Jackson River (southern Stewart Island), where recent, detailed reports of kokako are known (Buckingham 1996). Areas planned for investigation need to consider access, and expedition cost, as well as the reliability of the report.

(3) A database should be prepared to file recent reports of South Island kokako. Over 100 reports of South Island kokako have been described since 1946 (Ron Nilsson, in litt. 24/6/1995). Within the last year, the author has received over 10 reports of kokako (sightings and/or calls) which appear reliable enough to be worth investigating. Descriptions by different observers often show marked correlations, and repeated sign has been found at some locations (e.g. Howard Valley, and Granville SF). Database information will assist the planning of future investigations (see Recommendation 2).

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(4) Appropriate conservation management action should be taken if unequivocal evidence of kokako is found. A conservation management plan should be prepared for South Island kokako. Rescue action for South Island kokako, if confirmed, should focus on North Island kokako management techniques (both captive and in situ ), which have been used with considerable success. Options for management include: ° Control of introduced mammals; possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rats (Rattus spp.) are known to be limiting North Island kokako populations, while stoats (Mustela erminea) may be a serious threat to kokako (if present) in the South Island; ° Radio-tagging kokako to determine territory size, and to study their ecology and behaviour; ° Establishing a captive breeding programme, which may require cross breeding South Island kokako with North Island kokako; and ° Translocating South Island kokako to a predator-free island. Most of these options require catching South Island kokako. Methods used for capturing North Island kokako may not work for the South Island subspecies. It would be worthwhile to test a variety of capture methods on North Island kokako, so that options are available for South Island kokako (if found). Re-introduction of kokako to the Nelson Lakes National Park ‘mainland island restoration area’ has been recommended (Harding 1996). As suggested in Recommendation 1, the initial plan should allow the release of radio-tagged, female North Island kokako, then monitor any interaction they may have with South Island kokako, before releasing North Island kokako males.

(5) Further advocacy and interpretation of South Island kokako work is required. Recent news releases, and television coverage have increased public awareness of the possible presence of South Island kokako. Articles should now be written for leading magazines such as ‘Forest and Bird’ and ‘North and South’. Scientific papers describing the evidence for the presence of this subspecies also should be prepared. Other possibilities for advocacy include public talks (e.g. Forest and Bird, Ornithological Society meetings), or school displays. 11.2. Specific recommendation

(1) Tape recordings of unusual calls recorded during this survey require editing, amplifying, and analysis by sonograph. R. Buckingham and John Kendrick obtained >40 hours of digital recordings from Glenroy River. Calls presumed to be made by South Island kokako should be amplified and noise-reduced if possible, for playback in the field. Sequences of unusual calls, including presumed song copying by tui, bellbird and other songbirds should be analysed by sonograph.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Without funding from World Wide Fund for Nature New Zealand, Earth Sea Sky Equipment Ltd, Department of Conservation, and private donations, this survey could not have been carried out. Timberlands West Coast Ltd generously provided helicopter transport for establishing camp and equipment at Glenroy River, while DoC, St Arnaud provided a tent, radios, and general assistance. I am indebted to Barry Lawrence for providing his camera surveillance equipment, free of charge. Thanks are also given to Ken Simpson, Ron Ward, and DoC St Arnaud, for radio communications. John Kendrick, Lloyd Robbins, and Ken Simpson provided technical assistance, while Alan Knowles kindly assisted with vehicle transport from Mapua. Edith Shaw and Pamela Sirett prepared a detailed list of plants for both Oparara and Glenroy search areas. Thanks are given to landowners, Gwillym Thurlow and Peter Alfeld for access permission. Peter Alfeld kindly allowed us to use his house, which we used for recuperating during wet weather, and charging lead-acid batteries. I thank Barry Donovan for transport, accommodation and other help during the search for kokako at Abut Head. Finally I wish to thank all who kindly provided voluntary field assistance during this project (see page 5). Special thanks are given to Tim Cotter for contributing a month of his time to this project, Ken Simpson who plans to continue the search at Glenroy River, and kokako experts Ian Flux, John Kendrick and Lloyd Robbins, whose experience and technical knowledge added much value to the survey.

Figure 6 The author and a ‘dummy’ South Island kokako

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REFERENCES

Blackburn, A. 1965. Muttonbird Islands diary. Notornis 12: 191–207. Buckingham, R.P. 1987. Kokako presence on Stewart Island. A short note. Notornis 34: 167. Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island. Unpublished draft report for Department of Conservation.Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Buller, W.L. 1873. ‘A history of the birds of New Zealand’ (1st ed.). John van Voorst, London. 384 pp. Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57. Butler, D; Buckingham, R. 1991. South Island kokako; discussion paper. Unpublished report. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 12 p. Clout, M.N.; Hay, J.R. 1981. South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea cinerea in Nothofagus forest. Notornis 28: 256-259. Cockayne, L. 1909. Report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. New Zealand Department of Lands. 68 pp. Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 485–506. Harding, M. 1996. Honey-dew beech forest restoration; Nelson Lakes National Park; a mainland island restoration project. Unpublished report for Nelson/Marlborough Conservancy (Department of Conservation). 24 pp. Hughes, A.J. 1981. The vocal dynamics of the North Island kokako. Unpublished MSc. thesis. Department of Zoology, University of Auckland. Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. ‘The animals of New Zealand: an account of the colony’s air-breathing vertebrates’. Whitcombe and Tombs. Pgs 68-69. Keene, K. 1966. ‘Tang of the bush: the story of Robert McLatchie 1875-1963.’ Copy Services Ltd., Invercargill. 150 pp. Martin, W.M. 1951. Unattached moss balls. Bulletin Wellington Botanical Society 25: 21–22. McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255–256. Molloy, J; Davis, A. 1994. ‘Setting priorities for the conservation of New Zealand’s threatened plants and animals’. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 64 pp. Oliver, W.R.B. 1955. ‘New Zealand birds.’ (2nd ed.). A.H. & A.W. Reed. 661 pp. Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p. Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212. Potts, T.H. 1882. ‘Out in the open: a budget of scraps of natural history gathered in New Zealand’. Lyttelton Times. 301 pp.

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Reischek, A. 1885. Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Richards, D.G. 1981. Environmental acoustics and censuses of singing birds. Pg. 297–300 in C.J. Ralph & J.M. Scott (Eds). Estimating numbers of terrestrial birds. Studies in avian biology No. 6: 630 pp. Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 21: 205-224. Travers, W.T.L. 1871. Notes on the habits of some of the birds of New Zealand. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 4: 206-213. van Mierlo, R. 1997. South Island kokako survey — Grey Valley: 30/10/96-6/12/96. Unpublished report, Department of Conservation, Hokitika. 6 pp. Washbourn, H.P. 1933. ‘Reminiscences of early days’ Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

**********

WWF-NZ: Search for South Island kokako Buckingham R 1997 South Island Kokako – 1995

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Lake Kaurapataka, Taramakau River (North Westland).

Rob Nairn is a fisherman who explores West Coast river valleys during the late autumn months. In April he and his brother were exploring the Lake Kaurapataka area mid morning when they heard loud birdcalls coming from the eastern side of the lake. At the time they discussed what type of bird could make these calls and came to the conclusion that they could only be S.I. kokako. This analysis was based on the similarity to N.I. kokako birdcalls played on National Radio.

(2) Aorere River, Aorere Shelter. (N.W. Nelson)

Two hunters reported seeing an unusual bird in flight on the Aorere River, Below the Aorere Shelter. The bird was seen on two consecutive days, each occasion about one hour before dark. The unidentified bird was described as bigger than a tui and had an unusual flight and flight silhouette, recognised as similar to North Island kokako (as shown on an Air New Zealand advertisement on T.V.) No close sightings and no calls were heard. Report given by Des Clarke, pers.comm., to Rhys Buckingham 13/5/1996.

(3) Smoothwater Valley Track. (South Westland)

In December, Erik van Eyndhoven heard an unusual call at dawn, thought to be possibly from a kokako.( heard at first light approx 20 min up the track from Jackson Bay to the Smoothwater Valley) The observer was familiar with New Zealand bird calls. This report was given to Rhys Buckingham from DOC files held at the Haast Office

(4) Routeburn River (N.W. Otago)

It was 7pm in the evening on the 27th December, when Cagan Sekercioglu set off at a brisk pace for the camping spot at Routeburn Flats. He was alone. The weather was clear, the light good. He had walked about 15 minutes and was close to the second swing bridge, which crosses Sugarloaf Stream when he saw a bird close to the track. It was low down close to the track, about 20m away. The bird was dark grey in the twilight and made no sound. As Cagan retrieved his binoculars the bird moved away slightly but stayed in his line of sight for a few moments before it disappeared. He saw clearly orange wattles but thought the bird was a huia, before realising that he was in the South Island. Cagan Sekercioglu was an American P.H.D. student at the time from Stanford University working on the causes and consequences of bird extinction in tropical countries and many other bird conservation projects. He was at first reluctant to inform authorities as he might be seen as a publicity seeking “birdwatcher”. In the end, his conscience was tweaked as he realised the conservation implications of not reporting his sighting. DOC did not take the report seriously and no close investigation has ever taken place. Cagan in the meantime now has a career in international bird conservation!!!

(5) Buller River (Buller)

In April, John Benn observed 2 steely- grey birds about the size of a magpie flying very low beside the forest edge at the Lyell Creek Picnic Reserve on the Buller River. The flight was noted as being quite erratic and wing flapping was noisy. The birds came from behind the observer and were only seen for a few seconds. The time was 1200 hours.

(6) Mai Mai, Casolis Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 13th November, Rhys Buckingham was carrying out a bird survey for Timberlands West Coast Ltd (Grid Reference 24018-58968) when at 1230 hours he heard loud heavy wing flapping. Five minutes later an unidentified dark coloured bird “power glided” from the crown of a beech tree to dense shrubs in the under story. An investigation of the site revealed no sign of the bird.

(7) Granville, Half Ounce Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham was carrying out a bird survey for Timberlands West Coast Ltd (Grid Reference 24003-58731) at 1504 hours on the 3rd November when he heard a single loud ringing note during a 5-minute bird count. Thirteen minutes after this call a long sequence of loud reverberating bell notes were heard, distinct for their clarity and non-locating quality.

(8) Granville, McDonalds Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 3rd November, Rhys Buckingham was carrying out a bird survey for Timberlands West Coast Ltd (Grid Reference 24006-58722) at 1800 hours when he heard a single loud flute-like note during a 5-minute bird count. This was followed by song copying and increased vocal activity by bellbirds.

(9) Granville, Half Ounce Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 21st November, Rhys Buckingham was carrying out a bird survey for Timberlands West Coast Ltd (Grid Reference 24002-58731) at 1443 hours when he heard a single flute-like note. This was followed by increased vocal activity by bellbirds and an attempt at song copying.

(10) Mai Mai, Burton Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland) . On the 22nd November, Rhys Buckingham was carrying out bird survey work for Timberlands West Coast Ltd (Grid Reference 23970-58907) when at 1110 hours he heard loud ringing kokako-like bell notes. This call was answered by another bird producing the same call type at estimated distance of 600m from the first caller (Grid Reference 23973 -58913) Extensive areas of moss grubbing were found at both sites from where birds were presumed to have called. Song copying and increased vocal activity was noted from tui after the presumed kokako had called. Later on the same day, Rhys returned to the original site at 1920 hours where he heard 3 kokako-like “mews”, answered by a single organ note. An intensive search of the area revealed no sign of the mystery bird.

(11) Mai Mai, Burton Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 11th December, Alan Knowles returned to the site of Rhys Buckingham’s second moss grubbing site (Grid Reference 23973-58913) and found a greyish/blue feather. In appearance this was similar to a N.I. kokako contour feather. The after feather, although relatively long may not typify characteristics of the wattlebird family (comment by Rhys Buckingham). Subsequent DNA analysis found the feather to be likely from a blackbird (however problem of contamination cannot be discounted).

(12) Mai Mai, Slaty Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 11th December, Rhys Buckingham was carrying out bird survey work for Timberlands West Coast Ltd when at 0952 hours he heard a distinct loud kokako “mew” in response to playing N.I. kokako juvenile calls. (Grid Reference 23875-58835) There was no sign of the caller. Rhys made a comment that this area was one of the most floristically diverse forests encountered in the Grey Valley.

(13) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

In April, Lloyd Robbins heard a loud sequence of “bonging” resonant calls above the Howard Hut. The response from bellbirds and tui was immediate and dramatic in vocal activity. Lloyd has extensive experience with N.I.kokako and was in know doubt that the calls he heard were from kokako.

(14) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

On the 13th January, two D.O.C. workers Graeme Omic and Mark Manson (D.O.C. Rotoiti) were near the end of the road at Louis Creek (Grid Reference M29 –798-371). From directly across the river at 1500hours they heard a strange bird call. This call was repeated several times over a period of 10 minutes. The observers noted that at times the bird appeared to have the ability “to be throwing its voice”

(15) Howard River (Nelson Lakes)

On the 28th October, Rhys Buckingham, Bart Jackson and Lorraine Jack were camped in the Cedric Stream when they were awoken at 0530 hours by a very loud hollow organ note. Bart and Lorraine who were camped near Rhys also heard the call and came over to Rhys to question what bird made the call. No further calls were made nor were they’re any response to tape playback.

Ça /an H. 1ekercio/lu, Ph.D.

Center for Conservation Biology · Stanford University · Stanford, CA 94305-5020 · USA Tel: (1) 650 724 0510 · E-mail: [email protected] · Web: www.stanford.edu/~cagan/main.html RESEARCH INTERESTS Avian ecology, climate change, community-based conservation, conservation finance, ecosystem services, entomology, landscape ecology, ornithology, primatology, tropical ecology EDUCATION Stanford University, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford, USA 1998-2003 Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Ecology & Evolution program, August 2003 Harvard University, Cambridge, USA 1993-1997 B.A. in Biology, magna cum laude B.A. in Anthropology, magna cum laude Robert College, Istanbul, TURKEY 1986-1993 Graduated with highest honors EMPLOYMENT & CONSULTING Stanford University Department of Biological Sciences 2006-Present Senior research scientist Stanford University Center for Conservation Biology 2003-2006 Postdoctoral research fellow The Christensen Fund 2003-Present Pro-bono environmental consultant for Ethiopia, and Turkey TEMA and Doga Dernegi, Turkish environmental NGOs 2003-Present Pro-bono ecotourism consultant Yapi Kredi Publishing, various travel and nature magazines 1996-Present Freelance photographer and writer specializing in natural history, wildlife, landscape, and travel. Photographic portfolio: www.naturalphotos.com. Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Entomology Department 1994-1995 Curatorial assistant. Sorted Coleoptera. Inventoried Carabidae and Scarabideae families. TEACHING & MENTORING Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey 2005, 2006 Instructor for “Field Ornithology”. Designed the course, obtained funding, gave lectures, arranged logistics, led field trips, established a banding station, and taught bird study techniques. Stanford University, Department of Biological Sciences 2004-2005 Supervisor for Melissa J. Fullwood’s honors thesis on Costa Rican bird feather stable isotopes. Stanford University, Department of Biological Sciences Spring 2002 Co-instructor for “Ornithology”. Gave lectures, arranged class logistics, led field trips, designed the research project, wrote the exams, and graded papers. Stanford University, Department of Biological Sciences Winter 2000 Sole teaching assistant for “Conservation Biology”. Gave lectures, arranged class logistics, led field trips, wrote exam questions, and graded papers. Stanford University, Department of Biological Sciences Fall 1998 Teaching assistant for introductory biology course “Ecology, Evolution, and Genetics”. Led discussion sections, conducted review sessions, designed, and graded examinations. Robert College, Istanbul, Turkey 1992, 1993 Summer school science teacher and athletics instructor for grades 1-9 Private Tutor (English, biology, and math) 1991-1995 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS Sekercioglu, C.H. 2007. Conservation ecology: Area trumps mobility in fragment bird extinctions. Current Biology 17: In press.

Sekercioglu, C.H., Loarie, S., Oviedo-Brenes, F., Daily, G.C., Ehrlich, P.R., 2007. Persistence of forest birds in tropical countryside. Conservation Biology 21: In press.

Svensson, L. M. E., Ruegg, K. C., Sehgal, R. N. M. , Sekercioglu, C.H. 2007. Widespread and structured distribution of blood parasite haplotypes across a migratory divide of the Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). Journal of Parasitology. In press. Sekercioglu, C.H. 2006. Ecological significance of bird populations. Invited 26,000 word review and foreword to the Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 11: 15-51.

Peh, K.S.-H., Sodhi, N.S., de Jong, J., Sekercioglu, C.H., Yap, C.A.M., Lim, S.L.-H. 2006. Conservation value of degraded habitats for forest birds in southern Peninsular Malaysia. Diversity & Distributions 12: 572-581.

Kati, V., Sekercioglu, C.H. 2006. Linking bird community structure to conservation in a Greek reserve. Diversity & Distributions 12: 620-629.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2006. Increasing awareness of avian ecological function. Invited review. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 21: 464-471.

Pimm, S., Raven, P., Peterson, A., Sekercioglu, C.H., Ehrlich, P.R. 2006. Human impacts on the rates of recent, present, and future bird extinctions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 103: 10941-10946

Sekercioglu, C.H., Riley, A. 2005. A brief survey of the birds in Kumbira Forest, Gabela, Angola. Ostrich 76: 111-117. Sekercioglu, C.H., Daily, G.C., Ehrlich, P.R. 2004. Ecosystem consequences of bird declines. PNAS 101: 18042-18047.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2004. Prion diseases and a penchant for brains. Science 305: 342-343.

Kandul, N.P., Coleman, J.W.S., Lukhtanov, V., Dantchenko, A., Sekercioglu, C.H., Haig, D., Pierce, N.E. 2004. Karyotype diversification and species radiation within the genus Agrodiaetus (Lepidoptera), a molecular phylogenetic approach. Systematic Biology 53: 278-298.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2003. Causes and consequences of bird extinctions. Ph.D. thesis. Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Sekercioglu, C.H., Ehrlich, P.R., Daily, G.C., Aygen, D., Goehring, D., Figeroa-Sandí, R. 2002. Disappearance of insectivorous birds from tropical forest fragments. PNAS 99: 263-267.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2002. Impacts of birdwatching on human and avian communities. Environmental Conservation 29: 282-289.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2002. Effects of forestry practices on the vegetation structure and the bird community of Kibale Forest, Uganda. Biological Conservation 107: 229-240.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 2002. Sensitivity of insectivorous birds to tropical forest fragmentation. Invited contribution to Directions in Science 1: 62-64.

2 Goehring, D.M., Daily, G.C., Sekercioglu, C.H. 2002. Distribution of ground-dwelling arthropods in tropical countryside habitats. Journal of Insect Conservation 6: 83-91.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 1999. Megapodes: A fascinating incubation strategy. Harvard Undergraduate Journal of Sciences 5: 77-83.

Sekercioglu, C.H. 1997. The effects of logging-based habitat modification on the vegetation structure and forest bird communities of the Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda. B.A. thesis. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS Tscharntke, T., Sekercioglu, C.H., Dietsch, T.V., Tylianakis, J., Sodhi, N.S. Submitted. The role of landscape in determining levels of diversity in different taxa. Invited contribution to Ecology.

Jetz, W., Sekercioglu, C.H., Watson, J. Submitted. Ecological causes and conservation implications of range overestimation. Conservation Biology.

Sodhi, N.S., Koh, L.P., Peh, K.S.-H., Tan, H.T.W., Chazdon, R.L., Corlett, R.T., Lee, T.M., Colwell, R.K., Brook, B.W., Sekercioglu, C.H., Bradshaw, C.J.A. Submitted. Determinants of extinction proneness in tropical vascular plants. Diversity & Distributions.

Sekercioglu, C. H., Fullwood, M., Newsome, S., Chamberlain, P., Brenes, F. O., Daily, G. C., Ehrlich, P. R. Internal review. Assessing diet limitation of Costa Rican countryside birds with stable isotope analysis. For submission to Oecologia.

PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS & BOOK REVIEWS Sekercioglu, C.H., Daily, G.C., Ehrlich, P.R. 2004. Ecological implications of bird extinctions. Journal of Ornithology 147 (5), Supp. 1: 250.

Sekercioglu, C. H. 2003. Review of Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica by Carrol L. Henderson. Quarterly Review of Biology 78: 106. Sekercioglu, C. H., Daily, G. C., Ehrlich, P. R., Loarie, S., Ruiz-Gutierrez, V. 2003. Habitat use and movements of native forest birds in Costa Rican agricultural countryside. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts (ESA) 88: 304. Ruiz-Gutierrez, V., Loarie, S. R., Sekercioglu, C. H. Daily, G. C., Ehrlich, P. R. 2003. Effects of habitat modification on the understory birds of southern Costa Rican countryside. ESA 88: 291. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. The effects of forestry practices on the vegetation structure and the bird community of an Afrotropical forest. Ostrich 69: 449-450. POPULAR PUBLICATIONS (ENGLISH) Sekercioglu, C. H. 2006. Turkey: A cornucopia of avian riches. Living Bird 26 (1): 14-23 Sekercioglu, C. H. 2003. Birding economics. Birding 35: 394-402. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2003. Burn baby burn: a journey into America’s top counter-cultural festival. Robert College Quarterly 21: 32-34. Anonymous (Interview on doctoral research). 2002. Where have all the rainforest flycatchers gone—and why? American Scientist 90: 391. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2002. Why are insectivorous birds disappearing from forest fragments? Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) Update 14: 6-7. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2001. Birdwatching as ecotourism. CCB Update 13: 6-7. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1999. The effects of forestry practices on the Kibale Forest of Uganda. CCB Update 11: 8-9.

3 Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Domestic cat predation of wild animals. Harvard Environmental Reporter 6: 27-29. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. A birder on the prowl. Harvard Environmental Reporter 6: 31.

POPULAR PUBLICATIONS (TURKISH) Sekercioglu, C. H. 2007. Yillar sonra ilk goc (Migration of bald ibis) Atlas 167: 22-25. Sekercioglu, C. H. and Tan, G. 2006. Papua Yeni Gine: Kayip kuslarin dunyasi (The land of lost birds). Interview in travel magazine Atlas 156: 22-24. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2005. Kuslarin ekolojik onemi (Ecological importance of birds). Environmental magazine Ye2il Atlas 8: 23. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2005. Kus gozlem turizmi (Birdwatching tourism). Ye2il Atlas 8: 90-93. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2005. Turkiye’nin ilk kus gozlem turu bir rekor kirdi: 276 tür (Turkey’s first birdwatching tour breaks a record: 276 species). Atlas 150: 36. Sekercioglu, C. H. 2005. Kuslarin olum yuzyili. Nature and travel magazine Atlas 150: 26-27. Cirik, O. & Sekercioglu, C. H. 2005. Turkish translation of Sekercioglu, C. H. 2002. Environmental Conservation 29:282-289. Doga Dernegi (BirdLife Turkey), Ankara. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Denali (National Park). Nature travel magazine Doga ve Gezi 6: 10-13. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Primatlar (Primates). National Geographic Traveler Turkey 14: 46-47. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Hakkimiz var mi? (Endangered species). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 9: 30-32. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Degisim mucizesi (Butterflies 2). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 7: 22-23. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Doganin gorkemli kanatlari (Butterflies 1). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 6: 28-29. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Doganin kucuk harikalari (Insects). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 5: 38-39. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Sulak gezegenin sakinleri (East African wetlands). Nature, outdoor sports, and travel magazine Outdoor 24: 76-85. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Dunyanin dibinde ada var! (New Zealand). Outdoor 21: 82-89. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1998. Nairobi katliaminin Turk tanigi (The bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi). News magazine Tempo 34/558: 18-21. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Mini minnacik devler (Insects 1). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 3: 36-37. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Uganda yagmur ormanlari (Ugandan rainforest). Doga ve Gezi 2: 32-34. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Dogu Afrika savanasi (East African savanna). Doga ve Gezi 1: 12-15. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Doga fotografciligi (Nature photography). Turkish photography magazine Foto 15: 98-101. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Gozunuz yukseklerde olsun (Birdwatching). National Geographic Traveler Turkey (Gezi) 1: 34-36. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Insan tipki sempanze (Interview with primatologist Richard Wrangham). Outdoor 16: 94-101. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Uluru’da bir damla insan (The Northern Territory of Australia). Outdoor 13: 68-77. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1997. Sadece gozunle dokun (Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory). Outdoor 10: 86-91. Sekercioglu, C. H. 1996. Yagmur ormaninin sahilinde (Rainforest of northeastern Queensland). Nature and travel magazine Atlas Kis 1: 96-103. Sekercioglu, C. H. In review. Yokolan Afrika (Vanishing Africa, book). Yapi Kredi Publishing. Online (abridged): www.stanford.edu/~cagan/Afrika1.html Sekercioglu, C. H. Ekvador’dan Antarktika’ya bir bilim ve kesif yolculugu (A journey of scientific exploration from Ecuador to Antarctica). Completed book manuscript. 96 pages.

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GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS The Christensen Fund conservation grants 2004-2009 Raffles Museum Fellowship of National University of Singapore 2005 National Geographic Society research and exploration grant 2004 Wildlife Conservation Society research fellowship 2004 Center for Latin American Studies research grant 2002 Stanford University Bing research grant 1999, 2000 Yapi Kredi Bank of Turkey writing grant 1998 Walter Loewenstern doctoral fellowship 1998-2003 Sigma Xi grants-in-aid of research 1996, 1999 The Explorers Club youth activities grant 1996 Harvard University undergraduate research grant 1996 Goelet Fund research award 1996 Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory AMAX student scholarship 1995 Harvard College Honorary Scholarship and Dean's List 1994-1997

AWARDS AND HONORS Japanese government travel award, 2nd Biology of Extinction Conference 2006 BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest, semi-finalist (six photos) 2006 Visiting scholar, National University of Singapore 2005 Junior Chamber International outstanding young person contest finalist (of 3) 2004 Junior Chamber of Turkey award for environmental and moral leadership 2003 Lycaenid butterfly subspecies named Agrodiaetus surakovi sekercioglui 2002 Elected one of the top 100 academics of Turkey by Aktuel magazine 2001 Elected to The Explorers Club 1999 Elected to Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society 1997 Summa cum laude for Harvard University honors thesis 1997 Turkish government scientific achievement award 1993 Silver medal in the fourth International Biology Olympics, Utrecht 1993

PEER REVIEW Acta Oecologica, Agricultural Ecosystems & Environment, AMNH NCEP Program, Animal Conservation, Austral Ecology, Biological Conservation, BP Conservation Grants, CABI Publishing, Condor, Conservation Biology, Diversity & Distributions, Ecology, Ecology Letters, Environmental Conservation, International Journal of Environment & Pollution, Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Lincoln Park Society Grants, National Geographic Society Grants, National Science Foundation, Ornitologia Neotropical, PNAS, Quarterly Review of Biology, Science, US DoD Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program, Studies in Avian Biology, The Auk, UK Rural and Land Use Programme, U. Chicago Press

SERVICE Founding member and president of the NGO Anatolia Foundation 2006- Founding member and vice-president of the NGO Yer Gok Anadolu 2006- Society for Conservation Biology European Section, Board of Directors 2004-2007 Designed and led the first Turkish birdwatching tour (turkishbirding.com) 2003-2005 Coordinator of locally-based and non-profit wildlife tourism in Turkey 2003-Present Environmental science consultant to the Turkish media (ATV, Sabah, Hurriyet) 2005-Present Stanford University/City of Palo Alto Mountain Lion Task Force 2004-2005 Yelkovan-Ornithological Journal of Turkey founder and associate editor 1998-Present Stanford University Ecology & Evolution Graduate Applications Committee 2001-2002

5 Stanford University Ecology & Evolution Interviews & Orientation Committee 1999-2000 Anthropology and Biology editor, Harvard Journal of Undergraduate Sciences 1995-1997 President, Harvard Turkish Students Association 1994-1996 Founder and president, Harvard Nature Photography Society 1995-1997

MEMBERSHIPS American Ornithologists Union, BirdLife International, Ecological Society of America, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (by nomination), The Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation, The Explorers Club (by nomination), The Society for Conservation Biology

TALKS & WORKSHOPS Symposium on integrating Turks into European conservation biology (Organizer) 2006 Intermediate-level workshop on mark-recapture data analysis using MARK (Participant) 2006 NCEAS Working Group on Conservation in Mesoamerican Countryside (Invited) 2005 Stanford University Workshop on Conservation & Ecotourism (Organizer) 2005 Stanford University Workshop on Conservation Finance (Invited) 2004 Elevational limits, climate change, and avian extinctions University of California, Berkeley (Invited) 2006 Second Biology of Extinction Conference, Okazaki, Japan (Invited) 2006 Impacts of birdwatching on human and avian communities Humboldt State University (Invited) 2006 Society for Conservation Biology Conference, Brazilía, Brasil 2005 Ecological consequences of bird extinctions Harvard University Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Seminar (Invited) 2006 National University of Singapore (Invited) 2005 Persistence of tropical forest birds in Costa Rican countryside University of California, San Diego (Invited) 2006 International Ornithological Congress, Hamburg, Germany 2006 Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology (Invited) 2006 National University of Singapore (Invited) 2005 American Ornithologists Union Conference, UCSB, California 2005 University of California, Santa Cruz (Invited) 2004 Cornell University (Invited) 2004 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Invited) 2004 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley (Invited) 2003 Ecological Society of America Conference, Savannah, Georgia 2003 2004 Angolan Ornithological Expedition National University of Singapore (Invited) 2005 American Museum of Natural History (Invited) 2004 Cornell University (Invited) 2004 Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (Invited) 2004 The Explorers Club (Invited) 2004 Integrating avian ecology, conservation, and economics Cornell University (Invited) 2004 Pescadero Conservation Alliance, California (Invited) 2003 Disappearance of insectivorous birds from tropical forest fragments Organization for Tropical Studies Symposium, San Jose, Costa Rica 2003 International Ornithological Congress, Beijing, China 2002 University of Vermont (Invited) 2002 Middle Eastern Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (Invited) 2001 Effects of forest fragmentation on insects and insectivorous birds

6 Mesoamerican Conservation Biology Conference, Panama City, Panama 2000 Society for Conservation Biology Conference, Missoula, Montana 2000 Ornithology in the tropics Monterey Audubon Society (Invited) 2000 Vanishing worlds: Research and travels in the tropics The Explorers Club (Invited) 2000 Effects of forestry practices on the bird community of Kibale Forest, Uganda Bay Area Conservation Biology Symposium, UC Berkeley 1999 Harvard University, Nuttall Ornithological Club (Invited) 1999 International Ornithological Congress, Durban, South Africa 1998

FIELD RESEARCH Las Cruces Biological Station, Costa Rica 6/1999-Present Designed and conducted research on effects of forest fragmentation on forest birds and insects. Worked with 16 local and ten foreign assistants to mist net 27,000+ birds and to collect, measure, and identify 100,000+ insects. Analyzed 735 bird diet samples. Using radio telemetry, tracked 411 birds to study behavior and habitat preference in agricultural countryside. Kars, Igdir, and Ardahan provinces, Turkey 9/2003-Present Establishing a regional biodiversity learning center integrating ecological research, environmental education, local capacity building, and income generation. Southeast Asia 9/2005-11/2005 As a visiting scholar, I spent over three weeks in the field to study the lowland and montane rainforest bird communities Malaysia, Singapore, and Sulawesi, Indonesia. Angolan Escarpment Ornithological Expedition, Angola 1/2004 Participated in and documented a three week expedition focused around Caconda, Gabela, Mount Moco, and Tundavala Important Bird Areas, in search of endemic and threatened bird species. Stanford Foothills Restoration Project, California 2001-2003 Conducted bird surveys and territory mapping for the restoration project. Eastern Turkey 6/2001-7/2001 Coordinated a collecting expedition for a Harvard University and University of St. Petersburg project studying the genome evolution and karyotype reorganization of Agrodiaetus butterflies. Guanacaste, Costa Rica 7/2000 Assisted a radio telemetry study of Thamnophilus doliatus and Camplorhynchus rufinucha. Stanford University Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, California 2/1999-6/1999 Designed and conducted research on edge effects on the birds and insects of oak woodlands. Researching the book The Vanishing Africa, sub-equatorial Africa 5/1998-9/1998 Conducted research and photography in eleven African countries including Madagascar for the book The Vanishing Africa, sponsored by the Yapi Kredi Bank of Turkey. Pre-doctoral research, Amazon basin, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia 9/1997-2/1998 Conducted pilot studies for doctoral research in Madidi, Manu, and Yasuni National Parks.

Research assistant for the USGS National Biological Survey, Alaska 6/1997-8/1997 Conducted bird counts, nest monitoring, nest searches, and vegetation surveys in Wrangell-St Elias National Park. Received training in the use of heavy firearms for protection from bears. Honors thesis research, Kibale Forest, Uganda 6/1996-8/1996 Designed and conducted research on effects of forestry practices on forest birds. Assisted by a local assistant, completed 500+ hours of bird counts, mist netting, and vegetation surveys. Center for Rainforest Studies, Atherton Tablelands, Australia 9/1995-12/1995 Designed and conducted research on rainforest avian diversity in forest fragments and vegetation corridors with point counts and mist netting. Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado 6/1995-8/1995

7 Designed and conducted research projects on the foraging success of Falco sparverius in modified and natural habitats, and on effects of avalanche/cattle disturbance on insect diversity. Merida state, Venezuela 1/1995 For Harvard tropical ecology graduate course, designed and conducted short-term projects on the foraging behavior of Coeligena torquata and on the impact of grazing on Espeletia timotensis. Bird survey volunteer, Turkish Society for the Protection of Nature, Turkey 1992-1996

PUBLIC OUTREACH I have published over three hundred photographs in various books, annual reports, calendars, catalogs, faculty books, newsletters, newspapers, official web sites (e.g. National Wildlife Federation, Science, Voice of America), and journals such as American Scientist, Atlas, Birding, Bay Nature, Coast & Ocean, Discover, Ecology Letters, Living Bird, National Geographic Traveler Turkey, and Shutterbug. Various interviews and news pieces on my research have appeared in about 400 media outlets in over 50 countries, including in ABC News, American Scientist, Associated Press, Atlas, Bilim ve Teknik, California Wild, Cameroon Times, CBS News, Chicago Tribune, China View, CNN, Conservation in Practice, Der Spiegel, Discover, LA Times, Le Figaro, MSNBC, New York Post, New Zealand Herald, NPR, Reuters, San Francisco Chronicle, Science, Science News, Terra Mexico, The Australian, The Hindu, The Malaysia Star, The Nature Conservancy, The Times, UPI, USA Today, Voice of America, Washington Post, and Yahoo News.

REFERENCES Gretchen C. Daily (Ph.D. advisor) Professor of Biological Sciences Stanford University Center for Conservation Biology Stanford, CA 94305-5020 [email protected]

8 Paul R. Ehrlich (Ph.D. advisor) Bing Professor of Population Studies Stanford University Center for Conservation Biology Stanford, CA 94305-5020 [email protected]

William F. Laurance Staff Scientist Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal 2072 Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama [email protected]

Naomi E. Pierce Hessel Professor of Biology & Curator of Lepidoptera Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology 26 Oxford St. Cambridge, MA 02138 [email protected]

Navjot S. Sodhi Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 [email protected]

9

South Island Kokako – 2004

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Oparara River (North Westland)

On the 28th March, Lynn Dunlop (Karamea District Nurse) observed a bird about 100 metres above where the fennian track crosses the Fennian Creek. It was 1.15pm.on a fine afternoon after morning showers. While standing on a bank looking downstream to take scene of the creek a bird flew from a tree behind her (right hand side) swooping across creek to a tree on the far side. Sighting was at a distance of 8-10 metres and the flight path was just above head height. The bird was bigger than a bellbird, short wings and the colour was air force blue to steely blue. No wattles were seen but there were flashes of pinkie colour around the head of the bird.

(2) Charleston, Limestone Road (North Westland)

Ron and Kit Nilsson along with Rhys Buckingham were investigating the sites for kokako in the Limestone Road area on the 15th May. On a bright sunny day, they had just completed a 5-hour search of surrounding ridges with no sign or kokako-like calls heard and had returned to their campsite. At approx 1600hrs, Ron was sitting in the sun drinking coffee and looking down Limestone Road when a large bird that flew across the road attracted him. The sighting was directly into the sun (approx 50 metres away) but the silhouette was distinct enough to suggest that the bird may have had a long tail. The frenetic movements of the bird also attracted Ron, reminding him of the movements made by the closely related South Island Saddleback This bird was closely followed by a tui, which was noticeably smaller in size. Ron motioned to Rhys and they quietly walked to the entry site of the bird. While Ron was explaining to Rhys the nature of his sighting they both heard a distinct, unmistakeable 3 note contact song coming from the forest approx 50metres away. This song was distinctly kokako-like, and both Ron and Rhys were convinced that they had just heard a kokako!

Signs of South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea near Abut Head, South Westland

Barry J Donovan Private Bag 4704 Christchurch

Published by Department of Conservation Head Office, PO Box 10-420 Wellington, New Zealand This report was commissioned by the West Coast Conservancy

ISSN 1171-9834

© 1999 Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 10-420, Wellington, New Zealand

Reference to material in this report should be cited thus:

Donovan, BJ., 1999. Signs of South Island kokako Callaeas cinerea near Abut Head, South Westland Conservation Advisory Science Notes No. 252, Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Keywords: South Island kokako, Callaeas cinerea, Abut Head, Harikari Ecological District Abstract

About 20 years ago a bird that almost certainly was a South Island kokako or orange wattled crow Callaeas cinerea was seen on a branch on the edge of bush near Abut Head, South Westland. On 2 June 1997 in the same place, I saw a dark bird twice and heard two loud wing beats which matched recorded purported South Island kokako wing beats. Since about the late 1980s sev- eral long mournful double notes and one musical organ or flute-like call at- tributed to South Island kokako have been heard on a bushed hillside about 1.06 km further west. On 24 October 1996 in this area and through binocu- lars I saw a blue wattle on the right side of a bird's head, and later a bird was seen and heard "clucking" in the same spot. Also, a blue wattle was glimpsed as a bird flew into the same spot. The size, shape and colour of birds was analogous to that of 18 specimens of South Island kokako in the Canterbury Museum. The observations reported here strongly suggest that the very rare South Island kokako is extant near Abut Head.

1. Introduction

The South Island kokako or orange wattled crow, Callaeas cinerea, was com- mon in at least several areas of the South Island until late last century (Potts 1873, 1882, Reischek 1885, Buller 1888, Smith 1888, Douglas 1899) and Stew- art Island early this century (Cockayne 1909). Thereafter substantive reports of birds have been few (e.g. Chapman 1959, McBride 1981, Buckingham 1987), but have covered a wide geographical range from Stewart Island to North- west Nelson. Where abundant last century, birds were sometimes easily seen and were described as gentle, confident, and with caution, allowing a close approach (Potts 1882), hopping tamely about the tent door (Smith 1888), and extremely tame, hopping to within a few feet of the intruder (Cockayne 1909). However, in contrast Reischek (1885) said that kokako "when disturbed, are adept in the art of hiding, either under a limb in the fork of a tree, or between thick leaves". The Red Data Book (Williams & Given 1981) listed the subspe- cies as extinct, but Tisdall et al. (1994) list South Island kokako under cat- egory X (have not been sighted for a number of years but which may still exist).

Here I describe and discuss various recent signs including observations sug- gestive of the presence of South Island kokako near Abut Head, South West- land.

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2. Locality description

Abut Head is the western extremity of a hilly peninsula about 10 km long and 1-2.5 km wide which lies east-west on the north bank of the Whataroa River in South Westland. The Saltwater Lagoon forms the northern boundary of the eastern half, and the Tasman Sea lies to the north and west of the western half (Fig 1). Geologically the peninsula is Otiran moraine (Warren 1967), with more or less one or two irregular ridges up to 100-200 m high running some- what east-west. The Whataroa River swings away from the morainic wall in three places, leaving extensive river flats. The western flat is mostly swamp which was drained and burnt early this century, but which has reverted to a near-original state. The middle and eastern flats were cleared of all but scat- tered large trees early this century, and have been extensively modified with introduced grasses and herbs, gorse Ulex europaeus, and trees, primarily pine Pinus radiata and eucalyptus Eucalyptus delegatensis. The hilly terrain is clothed in indigenous forest which has a discontinuous, generally open overstorey of rimu Dacrydium cupressinum and miro Prumnopitys furruginea above a main canopy generally dominated by kamahi Weinmannia racemosa with a dense undergrowth of kiekie Freycinetia baueriana, supplejack Ripogonum scandens and tree ferns Cyathea spp. and Dicksonia spp. (Wardle 1985). Swampy areas between river flats and the hilly terrain are fringed with dense forest dominated by white pine Dacrycarpus dacrydioides.The only major man-made modifications to the native forest are a disused pack track that dates from late last century and runs for about 5.5 km along cliff tops from Abut Head to the western end of the Saltwater La- goon, and three transect lines chainsawed across the western half of the pe- ninsula in January 1995. Also, perhaps 2 ha just above the river on the southernmost flank of a steep hill on Section 2464 were cut over around the turn of the century, but the light forest has regenerated.

The western half of the peninsula is surveyed into four blocks. From west to east these blocks and the bush on them are: Abut Head, 99.2 ha, owned by the Department of Conservation; Rural Section 2463, 140.8 ha, owned by Dono- van Family Trusts; Rural Section 2464, 150.9 ha, purchased in May 1997 by the Department of Conservation for a bird reserve; and Rural Section 2465, 277.6 ha, owned by Donovan Family Trusts. There are three huts on the southern edge of Section 2463 and one on the river flat of Section 2465. The Whataroa white heron colony lies 4.7 km to the southwest from the southern hilltop of Section 2464.

3. Methods

Since 1970 my family and friends and I have spent 3-5 days engaged in farm forestry and holidaying, primarily on Section 2465, about six times a year. I first became aware of the possible presence of South Island kokako in the area in May 1996 when reading the February 1996 issue of Forest and Bird, in

2 which John Kendrick presented Bullers's 1892 description of the sound made by South Island Kokako as "a long plaintive double-note, pitched in a minor key". Since October 1996 I have spent several hours looking for South Island kokako on Section 2465 on about 20 occasions, and on Section 2464 on 28 occasions. All times of day have been covered, from pre-dawn until almost dark. Recorded tape calls of North Island kokako or the blue wattled crow (C. c. wilsoni) were played on both Sections on three different days in October 1996. Tape calls of North Island kokako, and purported South Island kokako calls and wing beats, sent by Rhys Buckingham and John Kendrick, were played in late May/early June 1997, the first tape only on Section 2464 and both tapes on Section 2465. From October 1996 detailed records have been kept in a notebook maintained at my home, and not in the but log book as was implied by Buckingham (1998).

4. Results

Observation 1, possible sighting, Section 2465

About 20 years ago while walking on grassland on the river flat of Section 2465, I saw a dark bird sitting on a branch about five metres above ground level on the edge of native bush. As I approached to almost beneath the tree, the bird looked at me with no apparent apprehension. Unfortunately, the information that I can remember is rather limited, but the bird was dark and a rather patchy grey. It was larger than a blackbird Turdus merula, but smaller than a pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. It was definitely not a black- bird, pigeon, starling Sternus vulgaris, bellbird Anthornis melanura, tui Prosthemandera novaeseelandiae, kaka Nestor meridionalis, falcon Falco novaeseelandiae, or morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae. My impression of its overall appearance was that it looked somewhat bedraggled, but this may have been because of its patchy grey appearance which I had not (and have not) seen in other birds in the area. I do not remember whether wattles were present or not. The bird remained on the branch as I walked away. At the time my knowledge of native birds was limited, so I did no more than briefly wonder if the bird was a rare native or perhaps a rare migrant.

Observation 2, possible sightings and loud wing beats, Section 2465

On 2 June 1997 at 13.30 h I began playing the Buckingham and Kendrick tapes at the area where I had seen the bird described in Observation 1. The weather was cool with traces of frost still in the shadows, the sky was com- pletely clear and there was absolutely no wind.At 13.50 h as I faced the edge of the forest a dark bird flew strongly from my right along to my left and about 20 m into the bush behind the area where I had seen the bird on a branch many years earlier. The bird was in view for about 40 m, and was about 15-20 m from me at its closest approach and about eight metres above the ground.

3 At 14.03 h as I was bending over to rewind a tape, suddenly two loud 'crunchy' wing beats sounded from behind me. I spun around and saw a dark bird flying soundlessly from the origin of the wing beat sounds back towards the origin of the first flight. Both flights were too far from me for features of the birds to be distinguished.

Observation 3, double note, Section 2464

During 1985 two friends and I cut a track across the peninsula on Section 2464. Several times since then - perhaps 4-5 times, and while near the top of the southernmost ridge, I have heard what could be described as a loud, long cry which resembled what could be made by a distressed young boy calling for help, followed immediately by a similar but much shorter call. Unfort- unately, I have only one record of the date the sound has been heard - 8 April 1996, when the sound was heard by both myself and Vaughan Myers. The time was about 16.30 h and light rain was beginning. The sound appeared to be centred perhaps 80-100 metres away along and somewhat down the hill- side on the southeast face towards the Whataroa River. Mr Myers and I have never heard this sound elsewhere.

Observation 4, organ or flute call, Section 2464

On 27 February 1990 or 1 March 1991 (exact date uncertain), Mr Myers and I heard a loud organ or flute-like note(s) in a tree about 8-10 metres directly above us on the track about 10 metres below the ridge on the southeast side. It was difficult to determine if there was just one note, or possibly one note with harmonics. The call was definitely very different to sounds made by tuis and bellbirds which are common in the area.

Observation 5, sighting of blue wattle, Section 2464

On 24 October 1996, while searching for the origin of the bird calls in the same area as observation 4, I noticed a bird noisily fossicking through scrubby growth 6-7 metres from me. I focused my binoculars on the spot, and sud- denly the bird's head popped into clear view. In sharp focus and square on I saw a sky blue wattle on the right side of the bird's head. Only the head of the bird was visible between plant material. The bird remained stationary for just 2-3 seconds before flying slightly down and away from me in clear view from a lookout area out over low growth over the hillside for 10-12 metres, before disappearing behind a kamahi tree. I had no opportunity to refocus my binoculars on the flying bird, but it was dark in appearance, and was larger than a tui and much smaller than a pigeon. Its flight appeared strong and the wing beats were continuous.

Observation 6, "clucking", Section 2464

After my sighting of a blue-wattled bird I made three trips to the area at roughly 1-2 monthly intervals with 2-3 visits to the site per trip, without detecting any sign of kokako. One trip later on Friday 7 March 1997, from about seven metres away, I saw a dark bird the size and shape of a kokako among small branches in a shadowed area close to the ground and just a few metres from the position of the blue-wattled bird sighted in October 1996. When it ap-

4 peared to see me the bird sprang up backwards about 300 mm and at an angle of about 45 degrees from the horizontal while remaining facing forward, and landed on a branch before turning to its right and scrabbling away from me through low growth. The whole time it was in view it made loud clucking noises quite similar to those of a domestic hen. The "clucks" were not the rapid alarm calls of a blackbird, they were slow in comparison, and were rather evenly spaced. Because of the shadows and branches I could not see any obvious characters of the bird, except that there was no sign of white throat feathers typical of tui.

Observation 7, glimpse of blue wattle, Section 2464

On 31 May 1997 at about 16.30 h I began playing the Buckingham tape of purported South Island kokako calls. I directed the speakers at the growth within which I had seen the blue-wattled bird the previous October (observa- tion 5). At about 16.40 h towards the end of the third playing of the tape and as 'manufactured' North Island kokako `bong' notes were ringing out, I sud- denly heard a bird flying just behind me and over my right shoulder. I turned quickly to the right, and as a dark bird flew past about 3-4 m away I caught a glimpse of a blue wattle. The bird was in shadow as it flew behind a tree fern into the growth wherein I had seen the blue-wattled bird in October.

5. Discussion

Bird on a branch, Section 2465

A most unusual feature of this sighting was that the bird stayed on the branch, even when I approached to within a few metres of the trunk of the tree, and also as I moved away. Blackbirds, which to me perhaps more closely approach kokako in general appearance than any other birds in the area, would, in my experience, almost certainly have flown off when I first appeared.

The habitat of this bird is consistent with that reported by Potts (1873), who said that the South Island kokako may be found on the outskirts of the bush, in the open glades that fringe some of the large rivers.

Heavy wing beats, Section 2465

The two heavy, `crunchy' wing beats heard on 2 June 1997 sounded just like the wing beats on the Kendrick tape. However, my impression of the size of the bird flying from the source of the wing beats was that it seemed rather small to have made such loud sounds. A search of the trees with binoculars did not disclose any other bird. If indeed the bird was a South Island kokako, its occurrence within a few metres of the bird on the branch about 20 years earlier, would confirm that kokako have inhabited this area for at least 20 years.

5 Double note, Section 2464

Travers (1871) found that the note of kokako at his cattle station at Lake Guyon in the Nelson Province "is wonderfully sweet and plaintive, and during the breeding season, its song is one of the most varied and beautiful of all the New Zealand birds. It appears, however, always to be pitched in a minor key". Buller (1892b) described one of the sounds of a captive male South Island kokako fromWestport as "a long plaintive double-note, pitched in a minor key -". He says it was "in perfect plumage, with bright-orange wattles, dark-blue at the base".The sound might be that described from the same bird by Buller (1892a) as "a melancholy call in a high key, exactly like the Maori words "Kowai- koe?" (who are you?)".

Further, Douglas (1899) when writing about the kokako in South Westland said "The cry of the crow is indiscribably mournfull [sic]. The wail of the wind through a leafless forest is cheerfull [sic] compared to it. Perhaps the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle is the nearest approach to it and is sadly suggestive of departed spirits".

These descriptions fit extremely well the sound heard on 8 April 1996 (obser- vation 3), and on several other occasions dating back to the late 1980s. Ac- cording to Rau Kirikiri of Landcare Research Ltd, the sounds of the words "Ko wai koe" could indeed be similar to my rendition of the double note - but they could also resemble a lot of other sounds. None of the calls on the Bucking- ham and Kendrick tapes in any way resembles the double note reported here.

Organ or flute note(s), Section 2464

Potts (1882) described the notes of South Island kokako as soft and flute- toned, while Buller (1892a) said of his bird from Westport that "occasionally, but not often, (it) sounded the rich organ-note - short, but of surpassing sweet- ness-".

The sound reported in Observation 4 was similar to these reports and to some of the organ or flute notes of North Island kokako on the Kendrick and Buck- ingham tapes.

Both the long mournful double notes and the organ or flute note(s) were heard only after persons crested the ridge from the north and started down the southeast facing slope. This suggests that the sounds were made in re- sponse to the sudden appearance of people crashing along the track and thus disturbing a bird.

Wattle colour, Section 2464

My sighting of a blue wattle rather than an orange wattle on 24 October 1996, is puzzling, as the subspecies has been frequently referred to as the orange wattled crow (e.g. Potts 1873, 1882, Campbell 1879, Reischek 1885, Buller 1892b). However, it has also been called the yellow-wattled crow (Smith 1888), although in the body of the text the wattles are said to be orange-coloured and most conspicuous. Reports of wattle colour of adults have ranged from rich crimson-lake (i.e. reddish purple), the base tinted with violet (Campbell

6 1879), one half of the wattle orange, the other dark blue (Reischek 1885), bright orange, dark blue at the base (Buller 1892b), bright red or blue (Doug- las 1899), and putty coloured, just a light fawn (McBride 1981). There are also two reports of kokako with wattles of two different colours occurring together. Douglas (1899) when describing kokako which were "all about the camp as I write" (in South Westland), said "At the side of the jaws are two bright red wattles, hanging down like those of a domestic fowl, only much smaller. In some birds the wattles are blue". Stidolph (1971) lists birds re- corded at Milford Sound by Mr Sutherland prior to 1918. Included are or- ange-wattled crows and blue-wattled crows.

The wattles of chicks appear to be different again. Those of two nestlings at Milford Sound which were as yet unable to see were reported by Potts (1873) to be rosy pink, like an infant's hand. Campbell (1879) said that the wattles of two nearly fledged birds from a nest near the Hokitika River were of a light rose tint, changing into a violet colour towards the base. Some weeks later after death when their skins were dried the wattles assumed a dull orange tint.

Wattles of North Island kokako also vary in colour. The Hamilton Junior Natu- ralists' Club (1975) in a review of wattle colour reported that wattles of chicks two or three days old were pinkish lavender, which five days later had be- come purple edged with bluish, in seven more days were pale pinky blue, and in five more days were pale blue, rather purplish on the underside. A fledg- ling young had wattles of a brighter blue than those of adults. Further, three reports were detailed of North Island kokako with wattles other than blue: one had orange-yellowish wattles, a second had bright orange wattles, and the third pale orange yellow wattles. Brown (1991) in direct light and at close range saw a kokako with dull orange wattles. He also states that the wattles of (North Island) kokako nestlings are pink, changing to lilac on fledg- ing.

The range of wattle colours reported for both South Island and North Island kokako suggests several possible scenarios that might explain the blue wattle I saw on Section 2464. One is that the wattles of immature South Island kokako are at first lilac which changes to blue as in North Island kokako, but then as the bird further matures orange creeps up from the extremities until only the basal third remains blue. It is also possible that Douglas, Sutherland and I saw only the blue bases of wattles, the remainder of which may have been orange and tucked under the birds' throats. Buller (1892b) reported that the wattles of his captive male kokako from Westport were always carried tightly com- pressed under the chin and meeting at their edges.

If wattles are blue before orange creeps up from the lower margin, and I saw the whole wattle, the bird I saw on 24 October may thus have been an imma- ture one.

The glimpse of a blue wattle on 31 May 1996 on a bird flying into the very spot where I had seen the blue-wattled bird in October 1997 confirmed that the area is frequented by one or more birds with blue wattles.

7

Of course there must be a possibility that the blue wattle belonged to a rare vagrant.

"Clucking", Section 2464

The Hamilton Junior Naturalists' Club (1975) reported that a male of a nest- ing pair of North Island kokako "cluck-clucked", and the female was "making clucking noises". Clucking by North Island kokako was also mentioned by Hay et al. (1985). A similar call described as "thucks" was heard and tape recorded on Stewart Island by R. Buckingham in 1984 at a location where South Island kokako were thought to be present (R. Buckingham pers. comm.). The evidence thus suggests that the bird seen on 7 March could have been a kokako. However, blackbirds which can make clucking sounds are common among native trees on the river flat below the hill, and so, although not seen on the hillside, could be there.

5.1 HISTORICAL REPORTS OF SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO ON THE WEST COAST

Hamilton (1878) included kokako (as Glaucopis cinerea) in his list of birds he had seen in the District of Okarito. The northern limit of his District ap- peared to be the Whataroa River (as Wateroa). Reischek (1885) during his research on the West Coast in 1884 saw kokako near the sea shore (and also up in the high ranges) but he did not specify localities. Buller (1888) be- lieved that kokako were very abundant on some of the wooded ranges of Westland. O'Donnell & Dilks (1986) reported evidence that kokako had oc- curred about the Waitaha River and near Mikonui to the north and Glacier reserves to the south.

The next closest records of occurrence to the Abut Head area that I have been able to find are to the north, near the Ko-i-te-rangi hill on the Hokitika River, where two nests were found (Campbell 1879), and to the south, two eggs from near the Paringa river (Potts 1873).

5.2 RECENT BIRD SURVEYS AND OTHER REPORTS ON THE WEST COAST

Kokako were not reported from the Saltwater State Forest (Imboden & Coker 1978) which is adjacent to the east end of the Abut Head peninsula, nor from all of South Westland including the adjacent Saltwater State Forest (Coker & Imboden 1980). A number of possum hunters and poisoners active intermit- tently from about the 1930s have not reported kokako from the Abut Head peninsula. My friends and I have seen no indication of kokako along several other tracks that we have cut through the forest in the western half of the peninsula, nor along the old pack track or all along the river margins, but until recently we were unaware of the characteristics of kokako signs and sounds. Three foresters who chain-sawed one survey line south/north across Section 2463 and two across Section 2465 in 1995 did not report any indica- tions of kokako.

8

In response to my reported observations of kokako, several ornithologists surveyed the area in September and November 1997, and a few possible kokako calls were heard during September (Buckingham 1998).

5.3 PROBLEMS FOR RECOGNISING SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO

The paucity of detailed observations of characteristics of South Island kokako from last century when birds were still common, at least locally, and the al- most complete absence of records for this century, mean that apart from the presence of wattles, characters that might allow quick recognition are not well delineated nor well known. Because the South Island kokako and the North Island kokako are classified taxonomically as subspecies, there seems to be an expectation that the South Island kokako must closely resemble the North Island kokako. The body plumage of the North Island subspecies is shown in photographs as medium grey, or even grey-blue, against which the black facial mask stands out most prominently, and the birds often appear to be quite plump. However, the body plumage of 18 authentic specimens of the South Island subspecies held in the Canterbury Museum, and which I have inspected, is best described as very dark grey, or even grey black. When com- pared with a North Island kokako on display in the Canterbury Museum, the plumage of South Island kokako is obviously very much darker. A consequence of this is that the black facial mask is much less obvious than in North Island kokako. All but two of the 18 specimens of South Island kokako are slim, but this could be an artifact of preservation. Their wattle colour ranges from completely yellow, to up to about the basal third blue and the remainder yel- low, orange or dark orange.

The birds I have seen near Abut Head conformed wholly to the body plumage colour and size of the South Island kokako specimens in the Canterbury Mu- seum.

5.4 PERSISTENCE OF KOKAKO

The possible persistence of kokako on the western half of the Abut Head peninsula, when the subspecies is at best very rare elsewhere, is remarkable, given that rats Rattus sp., mice Mus musculus, stoats Mustela erminea, and possums Trichosurus vulpecula, are present, at least on the middle river flat. Possums are known to eat birds' eggs including those of North Island kokako, and have been implicated in predation upon North Island kokako nestlings and an adult (Brown et al. 1993), and ate eggs, chicks and probably an adult North Island kokako in Rotoehu Forest (Innes et al. 1996). On the river flat of Sections 2464/2465 possum numbers were so high during the early 1970s that cabbage tree (Cordyline australis) heads were severely chewed, and sev- eral hunters could each bag 30 or more possums a night with little effort. However, during the late 1980s government agencies began poisoning and trapping possums on the river flat about 50 m back into the bush in an effort to eliminate TB. By this combined with intermittent shooting, possum num- bers have been greatly reduced since the late 1980s; on the night of 2 June

9 1997 a friend and I saw and shot only two on part of the river flat of Section 2465.

6. Conclusions

Most of the observations reported here, such as the bird on the branch, the double notes, the organ or flute note, the clucking bird or the heavy `crunchy' wing beats, do not constitute concrete evidence of the existence of South Island kokako of the type accepted by ornithologists (e.g. a photograph, ma- terials such as a feather or egg shell, or similar reports from two or more knowledgeable ornithologists experiencing the same phenomenon at the same time). However, the blue wattle could not have belonged to any other known endemic bird: of the only two other New Zealand wattle birds, the huia Heteralocha acutirostris was never known from the South Island (except for two unconfirmed sightings near Nelson (Buller 1888)), and both it and the South Island saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus had orange wattles. The possibility that the blue wattle belonged to a rare vagrant seems extremely unlikely. Considering all the evidence presented here, South Is- land kokako can be considered present on the Abut Head peninsula at two sites just over a kilometre apart, and to have been present at one site for at least 20 years and at the other site for about 10 years.

7. Recommendations

Knowledgeable ornithologists should urgently inspect in detail the two sites to seek confirmatory evidence of kokako. If this is obtained, the whole pe- ninsula and adjacent forest should be surveyed to ascertain the numbers of birds and their condition. If a viable population exists, the isolation of the peninsula, with all but the short eastern end bordered by water, and the virtu- ally unmodified state of the native forest, which covers about 2000 ha, predis- pose the area to restoration and management as a'mainland island'refuge for South Island kokako.

8. Acknowledgements

I thank my camping companions, especially Nick Ashby, Vaughan Myers and Dan Pearson, for their companionship and support, and my wife Laura for tolerating my sudden interest in kokako.I also thank Ron Nilsson for his pub- lic presentation in Christchurch on 4 November 1996 on South Island kokako which further stimulated my interest, and John Kendrick and Rhys Bucking- ham for discussions and especially the tapes of South Island kokako calls and

10 wing beats. Thanks to Rau Kirikiri of Landcare Research Ltd. for comments on the sounds of Maori words. I also thank Geoff Tunnicliffe, Curator of Verte- brates at the Canterbury Museum, for allowing me access to kokako speci- mens, and for helpful discussions. Special thanks are extended to Rhys Buck- ingham for numerous helpful suggestions which greatly improved the first draft of this paper.

9. References

Brown, K. 1991. North Island Kokako with orange wattles. Notornis 38: 226. Brown, K., Innes J, Shorten, R. 1993. Evidence that possums prey on and scavenge birds' eggs, birds and mammals. Notornis 40: 169-177. Buckingham, R. 1987. Kokako presence on Stewart Island. Notornis 34: 167. Buckingham, R. 1998. South Island kokako search, Abut Head, South Westland. Conserva- tion Advisory Science Notes No. 198: 10 pp. Department of Conservation, Welling- ton.

Bullet, W.L. 1888. A history of the birds of New Zealand. 2nd ed., vol. l. The Author, Lon- don. 250 pp. Bullet, W L. 1892a. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 25: 56-57. Bullet, W L. 1892b. Further notes on the birds of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceed- ings of the New Zealand Institute 25: 64-65. Campbell, W D. 1879. Notes on the nesting of the orange-wattled crow. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 12: 249-250. Chapman, A. 1959. Kokako reported from Wilkin Valley, Lake Wanaka. Notornis 8: 177-178. Cockayne, L. 1909. Report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. New Zealand Depart- ment of Lands. 68 pp. Coker, P M., Imboden, C. 1980. Wildlife values and wildlife conservation in South West- land. New Zealand Wildlife Service, Fauna Survey Unit Report No. 21. 107 pp. Douglas, C. 1899. Birds of South Westland. pp. 265-266 In Pascoe, .J. (ed.) 1957: Mr. Ex- plorer Douglas . Wellington, A. H. and A. W Reed. 331 pp. Hamilton, A. 1878. The District of Okarito, Westland. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 11: 886-891.

Hamilton Junior Naturalists' Club. 1975. Nesting of kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni) at Te Rauamoa. Notornis 22: 283-290. Hay, J.R., Best, H.A., Powlesland, R G 1985. Kokako. John McIndoe and the New Zealand Wildlife Service, Dunedin, New Zealand. 32 pp. Imboden, C., Coker, PM. 1978. The wildlife values of Saltwater State Forest, South West- land. New Zealand Wildlife Service, Fauna Survey Unit Report No. 12: 9 pp. Innes J, Brown, K., Jansen, P, Shorten, R., Williams, D. 1996. Kokako population studies at Rotoehu Forest and on Little Barrier Island. Science for Conservation 30: 39 pp. McBride, K. 1981. Sightings of South Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea cinerea) in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256. O'Donnell, C.F.J., Dilks, P.J. 1986. Forest birds in South Westland - status, distribution and habitat use. New Zealand Wildlife Service Occasional Publication No. 10, Welling- ton, New Zealand. 179 pp.

1 1 Potts,T H. 1873. On the birds of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 6: 145-147. Potts,T.H. 1882. Out in the open: a budget of scraps of natural history gathered to New Zealand. Lyttelton Times. 301 pp. Reischek, A. 1885. Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and Pro- ceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Smith, W W, 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: 205-224. Stidolph, RHD 1971. The Birds Around Us: From a diary of bird observations in New Zealand over a period of50 years 1921-1971. Hedley's Bookshop Limited, Master- ton. 140 pp. Tisdall, C., Molloy, J., Davis, A. 1994. Setting priorities for the conservation of New Zea- land's tbreatened plants and animals. Second Edition. Department of Conserva- tion, 64 pp.

Travers, WT.L. 1871. Notes on the habits of some of the birds of New Zealand. Transac- tions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 4: 206-213. Wardle, P 1985. Botanical values ofAbut Head, near Whataroa, South Westland. Botany Division, DSIR. 6 pp.

Warren, G. 1967. Geological map of New Zealand 1:250,000. Sheet 17, Hokitika. DSIR, Wellington. Williams, G.R., Given, D.R. 1981. The Red Data Book of New Zealand. Nature Conservation Council, Wellington, New Zealand. 175 pp.

1 2 Figure 1. Map of Abut Head peninsula, South Westland. Asterisks on Sections 2464 and 2465 mark the sites of sightings and other signs suggestive of South Island Kokako.

1 3

C:\Users\Dick\Documents\Conservation\Kokako\kokako reports\Stuart Mirfin.txt Sunday, 8 June 2014 11:14 a.m. From: Stuart & Sherry Mirfin Date: 9 September 2013 15:17 Subject: Re: S I kokako To: ammilne

Hi Alec

This is what I can remember about the South Island Kokako that I caught in a possum trap in 1956. I know the year was 1956 because it was that year that the Springboks toured NZ and during their trip through the West Coast they stopped at the Ikamatua Rialway Station and it still stands out in my memory at what hugh men they were. The area where I caught the kokako was behind the Ikamatua School, which was about 4 miles from where I lived in the Rough River valley. It was an area made up of native forest, gorse, manuka and swamp, now days it is cleared farm land. When I saw it in the trap I knew we had caught an orange wattle crow so it must have been discussed with Dad for us to identify it immediately, I had never heard the name kokako and it is only of recent times ( last 30 years) that anything much has been published about the kokako. What I can remember most is the orange wattles which should out against the dark shiny feathers, similar to a tui's darker feathers, also the long frail legs, one of course was badly broken. We let the bird go so we must have been concerned about how rare it was and we shouldn't kill it. When we told people about what we had caught,everyone said you can't catch orange wattle crows on the ground as they don't come down fron the trees so they must have been around. We used to catch kiwi in our traps so we were familar with letting birds go from a trap. Over the last ten years I have heard the loud bell like call, just on daylight and too loud to be a tui and indentical from calls I have heard recordered of the North Island Kokato. Once in the Rough River, about 5 kms fro the site were I caught the orange wattle crow and again in the Inangahua Valley in Stoney Creek, which is opposite Larry's Creek. I am sorry but I can't give even specific years After our phone conversation last night I will keep a look out for moss pulling and any other sign. I was most interested to hear someone reported a kokako in the Sabine Valley, as I do a bit of hunting in the Lakes National Park.

Hope this is what you require, if not give me a ring or email and I will correct.

Regards Stuart Mirfin ----- Original Message ----- From: ammilne To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 1:10 PM Subject: S I kokako

Hi Stuart, if you could email back an account of your kokako in the possum trap experience, it would be much appreciated. In particular, date, location, how familiar you were with the area and whether or not you were aware of any kokako sightings in the area. Also, we maintain a database of post 1990 SI kokako reports. So if you could try and put a year and place on the unusual tolling calls you mentioned, that would be great. Kind regards, Alec Milne

-1- 1. Marie Ward says

I grew up on a farm in the Upper Maruia valley, on the edge of the bush. I well remember seeing

one of our cats (sorry) with a dead bird that had yellow wattles. when I was a young child. It was the first time I’d seen any bird with wattles, and on looking it up in my bird book I decided it was a Kokako. It was not until many years later that I realized the SI Kokako were supposedly extinct. The sighting would have been in the late 1950s or early 1960s, before significant numbers of possums were about in the valley. Unfortunately, the bush had been totally destroyed last time I visited the Maruia and what was “our farm”. But perhaps some Kokako still exist in the wilderness areas bordering the valley?

Hi Peter,

I'll have a go at answering your questions, but I am afraid I have little more to add:

First question is did you keep the carcass, or any feathers we could have for DNA analysis ? Any photos, paintings of the bird ?

Sorry, no. The cat had the bird. I was about 11 or 12 at the time (or even younger) and although I knew that I had not seen any bird like it before, I did not realise it was of significance.

2) Do you have a grid reference for where the cat presented the bird to you, your house ?, if not could I send you a map for you to mark on it the position ?

The cat brought the dead bird back to our house. As mentioned before, our farm was in the Upper Maruia Valley, on West Bank rd, about 1 mile up river from Mair's Bridge. At that time there was a lot of bush nearby with abundant birdlife. This was before any major predators had invaded the valley.

3) What were the colour of the wattles ? As much detail description would be great.

They were yellowy/orange and very distinct. It was the wattles that I remember, as I had seen nothing like them before.

4) Were you absolutely certain it was a SI kokako ? Please describe the body features, shape and colours ?

I don't really remember any other features, apart from the yellow wattles. I think the bird was otherwise quite plain. At the time, I did not have access to much information. Our farm was quite isolated, we did not have electricity (or TV) and there were no libraries etc near by. It is likely that the only bird books I had seen had black & white photos. I remember being quite confident that it was a Kokako, and also remember feeling quite surprised to find out some years later that the N.I Kokako had blue wattles, & the SI one (with yellow wattles) was extinct. It was something that puzzled me for some years. I should explain that I was very interested in the birds on our farm. My cousin was married to a biologist (Dr Elliott Dawson, now retired, but still living in Days Bay, Wellington & (I think) a volunteer at Te Papa). At one stage they had encouraged me to make a list of all the birds that I had seen on the farm. My father also encouraged us to take note of the bird life in the bush, and it is likely that he helped me with the identification. (He is now dead.) The sighting would have been sometime before 1963, and possibly as early as 1961. I remember winning a F & B competition in 1963 and buying M. F. Soper's "New Zealand Bird Portraits" with the prize money (but, of course, the Kokako is not in it).

5) What time of year did (as specific as possible) did you find the bird ?

Sorry, I do not recall.

6) Was the bird fresh or decayed when you discovered it ?

The cat had the bird, which was freshly dead. As is typical of many cats, he had brought it back to the house to show off.

7) A hard question. Can you remember anything about the phenology of the flowering and fruiting of the native trees in the area in the months prior to you finding the bird ?

Sorry, no.

8) Did the bird have any distinguisihing features ? Peculiar features?

Not that I recall.

9) How close was the nearest forest to where the bird was found ?

The bush was about 30 m from our house. Although there were some areas on the farm that had been clear felled, there were still patches of undisturbed bush left then. Behind our house was a large hill, the other side of which went down to the Woolley River valley. It was then pretty much dense bush, Victoria Forrest Park on my Google map.

10) What was the predominant forest type adjacent to where the bird was found ? eg. pure beech, beech/podocarp, hardwood forest.

Almost pure red, silver & brown beech.

11) Did anyone take a photo of the bird ??? If there is still a photo, it would probably be the only one of this species (almost alive) in existence !

No. I was 11 years old when I got my first camera, so maybe it was before then.

12) Did you hear of any body else in the area, or elsewhere, that reported either seeing or hearing SI kokako ?

No. I'll email my older brother to see if he can remember seeing anything similar. I think he was at boarding school when the cat brought the bird home, but during holidays etc we roamed about in the bush quite a lot.

Thats all I can think of for now. Thats really interesting about the Glenroy river area.

My phone number is 09 4457088. We have voicemail so you could leave a message. Otherwise, I am a Senior Lecturer in Physiology at the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, University of Auckland. Extension 84889. I have recently become very interested in NZ shorebirds, and am a Trustee for the Omaha Shorebird Protection Trust. Last week I photographed an NZ Fairy Tern at Omaha, supposedly NZ's rarest bird! I'd love to get back to the South Island some day and take an interest again in the birds of the bush.

Cheers, Marie

South Island kokako reports 1990 -2012

Category 1: Close sighting (within 10m with a naked eye or equivalent) of a bird fitting the general description of the SIK AND wattles at the base of the bill clearly observed (minimum wattle sighting of 3 seconds).

Category 2: Sighting of a bird fitting the general description of the SIK AND wattles at the base of the bill observed but not meeting Cat 1 criteria (for proximity to bird or duration of wattle observation). OR: Sighting of a bird fitting the general description of the SIK within moderate range (20m) where defining behaviour is observed. Defining behaviour is restricted to (a) running along branches or logs (b) large hops or leaps or (c) kokako jizz seen by an experienced kokako observer. Category 3: Any other sighting of a bird the observer believes may be a SIK but not meeting Cat 1 or Cat 2 criteria. The observation must be consistent with the general description of the SIK and is generally associated with unusual calls or behaviour.

Note: reports where the day of the month is not supplied are dated as the first of the month and reports where the month is not supplied are dated January of the reported year.

GENERAL SPECIFIC NZTM GRID REF RECORD DATE CATEGORY REGION LOCATION LOCATION EVIDENCE OBSERVER EASTING NORTHING

Two birds hopped from tree to a nearby log where they began picking at moss. Described as at least twice the size of robins, but similar colour and proportions. Estimated size; 8-10" from top of head to ground, 5" width. Bluey-grey plumage, and wattles distinctly seen. Colour of wattle yellow on one bird and more orange on the other. One seemed to have slightly larger wattles. There seemed to be a slight size difference between the birds too. Bill slightly curved at tip. Relatively long legs. Wing 1 1/01/1990 1 Buller Lake Matiri Head of lake looked relatively short (didn't protude backwards like e.g. blackbird). Tip of wing rounded, not pointed. Noted that birds Gordon Appleton 1544480 5389339 hopped rather than ran along ground. Hops of about 2–3" in length. Hopped on to rotten log about 3 m away, and picked at moss for about 5–10 minutes. Flicked moss off using a sideways motion of bill. The bill was inserted vertically into the moss, then the moss prised loose with a sideways flick. This was very distinct. Each dislodged clump of moss was about 2–3 times the size of a 50 cent coin. The birds were described as curious and confiding.

2 1/01/1992 1 Central Westland Taipo River adjacent track A south island kokako came right down to the tree next to us on the track Jenny Walton 1470581 5265150 bird fossicking through scrubby growth about 7metres away in the area known as the peninsula. As he focussed his binoculars 75 24/10/1996 1 South Westland Whataroa River Abut Head on the spot a bird’s head popped into view. In sharp focus he clearly observed a sky blue wattle on the right side of the birds Barry Donovan 1380029 5222886 head for perhaps 2-3 seconds

Detailed description of unidentified bird seen and heard. About 1.5–2 times larger than tui (about size of homing pigeon), seen on branch of large beech tree drooping out into river, Wisp end of Catlins River Track. Made loud repeated call like an alarm. Ran out like a pheasant along branch, then flew about 3-5 m across river to another tree. Very noisy crashing into tree on other 70 1/01/1997 1 SE Otago Catlins River Catlins River Peter Miller 1326727 4853272 side. Then glided back into original tree, making loud raucous call as though distressed. Shortly afterwards disappeared; thought to have flown to ground. Plumage described as rough, uniform lilac–greyish blue. Feather fell out in flight over river. Pale coloured wattles noted—thought to be yellow in colour. The tail seemed relatively long, at least compared to pigeon.

Picton - in a garden -near the 76 15/03/1997 1 Marlborough Waikawa Stream Kokako seen at close quarters, slaty grey, electric blue wattles, climbing on tree - seen from 3m for 2 minutes Kim Coutts 1686948 5430813 mouth of Waikawa Stream

Dark-coloured bird, parrot-like appearance, with lumps of orange around face. Bigger than a tui. Squawking loudly. (wattles 81 1/06/1997 1 N.W. Nelson Parapara Ridge Parapara Ridge M.Southern 1573625 5482408 inferred)

Picton - in a garden - near the 82 23/06/1997 1 Marlborough Waikawa Stream it was only about 20 feet away from me and yes the blue wattles was very clear,time wise it was a lot longer than 3secs Vivien Coutts 1686948 5430813 mouth of Waikawa Stream Unidentified bird larger and bulkier than tui, had pale wattles under "chin". Wattle colour described as either cream or yellow. 85 27/07/1999 1 Marlborough SoundsTennyson Inlet Deep Bay Ross Nicholson 1664844 5453149 General plumage colour not certain because of light, but seemed to be dull, dark-green on back Observed by Observer does not elderly man on a want to be boat near the identified from 71 1/01/2000 1 Fiordland Wairaurahiri River Two large grey birds with orange wattles 1154259 4861425 outlet of river on Johan Groters a commercial jet (Wairaurahiri Jet boat operation Ltd)

Marlborough near Sherrington 220 1/01/2003 1 Mahau sound The most obvious thing was the bright orange wattles on the side of its face Lisa Harper 1675201 5435383 Sounds Grange lodge

Two grey birds, one with orange around head, other pink, bounced through branches - eerie "tooting" calls heard before the 176 15/10/2006 1 Southland Waimahaka Bush Fortification Hill Wayne Clare 1290457 4842505 birds were seen - birds seen for approx 20 seconds (wattles inferred) 159 21/03/2007 1 Buller Inangahua River Rainy Creek Haunting call, bird seen with orange/blue wattles - 10m for 30 seconds, moss grubbing Len Turner 1509912 5329047 Experienced observer having worked in the NI with kokako, identified bird as kokako as it flew past him, landed on a branch 40 163 4/02/2008 1 N.W. Nelson Arthur Range The Twins Dougal Satherley 1568016 5430830 m away, identified wattles thru 7x rifle scope. Sun was bad to get colours but wattles clearly seen. face of hill behind farmland 223 1/10/1994 2 Karamea Oparara The wattles below the bill were distinct, not yellow or orange rather a light grey or straw colour. Barry Chalmers 1528504 5437691 in the Oparara valley An unusual bird seen on track to the west of Bellbird Motels in Picton. From a quick glimpse the bird "looked like a skinny 37 1/10/1994 2 Marlborough Picton Picton Reserve pullit—about the same size—and was a chalky grey blue in colour." …"moving rapidly over the ground with an awkward loping B.Coutts (Mrs) 1685158 5428954 run …" 200m before bridge over Cagan 53 23/12/1995 2 N.W. Otago Routeburn River Sugar Loaf Dark grey bird with orange wattles - seen from 20m near the ground 1225278 5038103 Sekercioglu Stream on Routeburn Track Brief sighting of presumed kokako at about 1300 hrs, 30–40 minutes after hearing a single kokako-like song. The bird was larger than a tui, grey in colour, and its tail was notably long in proportion to its body (c.f. tui). It was seen walking in a leisurely gait down the branch of a large beech tree. It seemed to be feeding on honeydew, or perhaps gleaning for insects. After a few seconds it flipped upside-down, and continued walking/feeding in this mode on the underside of the branch. While turning over, the fan-shaped detail of its tail was apparent, and the light caught the grey colour of its plumage. Just before 67 27/10/1996 2 Buller Glenroy R Glenroy R disappearing behind the trunk of the beech tree, the bird paused, and lifted its head so that for the first time it was side-on to R Buckingham 1544400 5389149 my view. It was then that I could confirm the bird to be a kokako by the features of its bill and face, particularly by its pale- coloured wattle. The light was not good enough, however, to determine the colour of this wattle. The sighting was not altogether chance. An hour or so prior to this, I had found an extensive area (150 x 150 m) of fresh moss grubbing sign on the forest floor. After playing a tape recorded call of juvenile North Island kokako (Pueora SF 1987) at this site, I heard soon after a loud call composed of crystal-clear "liquid" notes I presumed to be made by a kokako. This call, quite unlike any tui call I had 16 31/05/1997 2 South Westland Whataroa River Abuts Head dark bird flew past about 3-4 m away I caught a glimpse of a blue wattle Barry Donovan 1380029 5222886 Two loud, "startling" calls alerted observer to two birds near the forest edge at a carpark 200 m east of Branch River bridge. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of face. They were then heard calling 92 1/12/1997 2 North Westland Inangahua R Branch Creek quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. Claimed to be familiar with tui, and had not heard tui make these kind of Gina Boffelman 1512201 5328286 calls. Weather overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions dark and poor. My suggestion = possible kaka. Open beech forest in area, and no sign of moss disturbance. No response to tape playback. (wattles inferred) Through foliage, a bird, about the size of a tui, browny/black in colour, with an orange wattle was seen. Visibility not perfect, 93 1/02/1998 2 South Westland Jackson Bay Okuru R(road) not viewed through binoculars, and no feather colour details noted. Suggested might have been saddleback, but RB suggests Dave Grose 1268529 5127859 young tui with pollen around face. Between Baton C/o Bernard 309 30/06/1998 2 N.W. Nelson Mt Arthur Range Saddle and Mt bird hopping along branch with grey plumage and blue wattle 1568206 5433959 Smith Arthur Dan McKinnon (ex 99 15/09/1998 2 North Westland Charleston Limestone Road. blue-grey plumage, being larger than a tui, with face wattles (blue on one individual and orange on the other Timberlands 1472599 5352467 foreman) 100 25/10/1998 2 North Westland Oparara River Adams Clearing Bird seen with yellow marks about head. Thumping and squealing calls (wattles inferred) Phil Youngson 1534141 5439100 123 4/01/2000 2 Eastern MarlboroughKekerengu River along the back boundaryBird seen of thewith Station orange (adjacent wattles Seen to the from “Isolated horseback Hill” D.O.C. Reserve) Ainsley Green 1681891 5362140 Upper Inangahua 122 1/10/2000 2 North Westland Reefton her she said the bird had a defined black band around the eyes but the wattles were not as orange as the photo Dawn Kennedy 1512232 5328846 River 227 1/01/2001 2 Otago Queenstown 12 Mile Creek (Bobsslatey Gully) colour, (not blue) bright yellow wattles, watched for 10 minutes about 20 m away John Turnbull 1247866 5001243 Long Point, forest 144 15/04/2003 2 Fiordland Waitutu Forest Kokako seen with orange wattles Mr Shields 1146023 4860725 near owner's hut

grey bird, larger than a blackbird, smaller than a magpie, flew across drive , landing in a beech tree then ran along branch 224 1/01/2004 2 Buller Maruia 12 k on Springs Junction side of Maruia Village Bob Greer 1535245 5319652 like a 4-legged animal Fennian Creek / 33 28/03/2004 2 North Westland Oparara River Bird seen, dark blue, flashes of pink about head (wattles inferred) Lynn Dunlop 1531782 5438650 Adams Clearing 500m north of Back Valley hut 151 15/04/2004 2 Fiordland Back Valley on edge of Orange wattles, hooked beak, dark colour, seen clearly from 30m, looping flight Nigel Brooks 1177135 4936547 swamp- an excellent report 160 27/11/2005 2 N.W. Nelson Burgoo Stream Xenicus Basin Grey bird, orange at base of bill, semi-erect tail, seen to hop 5 times (wattles inferred). Alec Milne 1558801 5455900 20 min from SH 158 7/03/2007 2 Canterbury Nina River Blue/grey bird, hopped and bounded, unusual movements Jim Greeks 1551485 5472153 car park distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after this Len saw a bird making giant Len Turner & 228 22/03/2007 2 Buller Inangahua River Rainy Creek 1509912 5329047 leaps up the trunk of a rimu Peter Rudolf he observed a kokako perched in a tree on a cold frosty evening only 300m from the hut. He described the bird has being Shallow Bay Neil Lynscott (03- slightly bigger than a tui, streamlined in shape, spindly legs, long tail, having a light area about the eye, curved bill and orange 297 1/05/2008 2 Fiordland Manapouri (N.E. corner of 2246388) from 1179082 4948021 wattles. Neil stated that the colour was a uniform grey but that were highlights of blue on the plumage as in the colour found Lake Manapouri) Riverton on a kingfisher Silhouette of bird, size and shape of kokako, running along branches. - long legs on bird set well back towards tail, piercing 188 11/04/2011 2 South Westland Moeraki River Paringa Cattle Track Pieter Hensen 1306887 5146114 bellbird -like calls Paringa Cattle Silhouette of probable kokako, lighter and larger than a tui, light colour about head, wing flapping, walking up bough of tree - 190 25/04/2011 2 South Westland Moeraki River Alec Milne 1306867 5146104 Track the patch of colour around the face was not yellow or orange but pale -light blue? bird in flight was that it was larger than a tui, and had a wedge-shaped tail but its colour was not seen against the sky. The 210 25/12/1984 3 Buller Maruia Station Creek bird walked up the trunk of the tree in an unusual manner. Shortly after disappearing in the crown of the tree, the bird Neil Taylor 1540971 5322323 produced an “incredible song” which Neil described as like “cathedral bells” No details given other than possible kokako sighting in the left branch of Louis Creek (approx. 10 minutes up from house, in 3 1/03/1990 3 Nelson Lakes Howard Valley Louis Creek J.H. Gardiner 1571248 5375611 regenerating forest. 4 15/03/1990 3 Nelson Lakes Howard River Louis Creek - left branchA kokako was reported as being seen Murry Win 1571658 5375501 5 21/04/1990 3 S.E. Otago Fleming River 2 km inland from ForestKokako-like and Bird's call ofTautuku three notes, Lodge, last podocarp two in descending forest on the scale, edge large of scrub/swampland bird clumsy flight - 20m Dr R John Wilson 1322853 4835855 limestine escarpment just 21 1/06/1990 3 North Westland Paparoa Bill Handcock 1469456 5333694 north of Pororari River Greenstone - 29 26/08/1990 3 N.W. Otago Greenstone River Slyburn Hut Crow-like bird flying over beech canopy at dusk - observer familiar with N.I.kokako - kokako sign in this area in 1982 Graham Col 1226442 5008412 clearing Koka Basin - Hollow note," wong" sound, wing flapping, click, clacking sound - large dark bird flew and crashed into foliage - some fresh 9 2/11/1990 3 Stewart Island Rakeahua River 1204456 4784615 Garden Saddle moss grubbing Single very loud chime call, wing flapping, hollow note - mimicry by bellbirds and tui, large dark bird flying around the crown 8 14/11/1990 3 Stewart Island Rakeahua River Upper Rakeahua River 1205063 4782413 of a rimu tree Huata claimed to have taken a good photograph of one of the birds he believes to be kokako. Described birds as behaving 305 1/01/1993 3 Fiordland Caples Valley Caples Valley unusually. They were flying from a bough of beech tree to the ground, and returning several times. Apparently in chase. He Huata Holmes 1225801 5008101 did not see wattles. 257 1/01/1993 3 Central Westland Otira Valley 200 m from tunnel birdportal seen in fuscia, wattles maybe seen Moira Hazelwood 1481517 5253411 Simon & Nicola 280 6/12/1993 3 Buller Tutaki Valley seen 1558452 5370004 Blakemore Large than tui, blue-grey. Seen on two separate hunting trips. No full report for Murry. Peter tried to press him but he wasn’t 39 1/01/1994 3 N.W. Nelson Cobb Valley 2/3 way up Chaffey Stream Murry Winter 1561810 5450972 interested. Larry's Creek a large bird ran along a log, hopped to another, and then flew away. It was light grey in colour, the size of a magpie and flew Mark Baxter and 42 25/10/1994 3 Central Westland Inangahua Valley 1516203 5345190 gorge in low arcs across the forest floor Jonathon Smart Two steely-grey birds, approximately magpie size were seen flying very low beside forest edge at the Lyall Creek picnic Lyall picnic 46 1/04/1995 3 Buller Lyall Creek ground. The flight was noted to be quite erratic, and the wing flapping was noisy. The birds came from behind the observer, John Benn 1521026 5372469 ground and were seen for only a few seconds. Aorere (Rhubarb) John and Chris 262 13/05/1995 3 N.W. Nelson Aorere River Unusual flight and silhouette 1552785 5472783 Shelter Oates

Callaghans Grey/blue bird observed, larger than a tui with a long and drooping tail - seen from 50m away but in bright sunshine - 20m up 65 23/10/1995 3 North Westland Grey Valley Graham Radcliffe 1477977 5307589 Creek in a beech tree Wing flapping, dark bird power glided from beech tree into dense shrubs. Loud, heavy wing flapping heard; five minutes later 52 13/11/1995 3 North Westland Grey Valley Casolis Creek an unidentified dark-coloured bird 'power-glided' from the crown of a beech tree to dense shrubs in the understorey. No further R. Buckingham 1491839 5335148 sign of the bird on investigation. Close to the A bird believed to be a kokako was seen in flight for about 15 seconds. It flew from a bush near bushline in "a half-circle Mike Bennett, 104 1/02/1996 3 South Westland Okuru bushline on 1291740 5113450 swoop". Terry Sweetman Hesper Spur

59 20/04/1996 3 Fiordland Bligh Sound Turn Round Point Kokako-like calls. Bird seen flying Craig Batchelor 1167652 5024404

Gunner River swing bridge - 200m up river 62 24/09/1996 3 North Westland Heaphy River Dark bird larger than tui with short wings, heard "tooks" and "swinging gate" call Sandie Legge 1527447 5465488 from bridge and near the second board-walk 64 20/10/1996 3 South Westland Gorge River Head of the Jerry RiverCalls different from tui and kaka- birds described as big lazy tui, slow in movement - in canopy early morning Mike Bygate 1221193 5095337 Marlborough A single bird seen on repeated occasions. Larger than a tui, paler coloured. Slow wing flap and glides. Stu Moore said his 69 1/01/1997 3 Keneperu Snd Keneperu Snd Roy Jones 1674791 5436893 Sounds description fitted kokako 7 24/01/1997 3 Canterbury Hurunui River South Branch - HurunuiDark birdMainland glided Island across a clearing followed by another 10sec. later, larger than blackbird smaller than a magpie John Kearvell Four unidentified birds flew out of bush for a short while before disappearing into a deep gully. They were a shiny, grey-blue 6 1/02/1997 3 South Westland Okuru Ngatau R. M. Bennett 1291740 5113450 colour. 283 1/02/1997 3 Buller Tutaki Valley Tutaki Forks seen Pat Cooper 1555343 5370045 116 7/03/1997 3 South Westland Whataroa River Abuts Head Kokako-like bird seen - 7m Loud clucking calls Unusual movements Barry Donovan 1380029 5222886 Abuts Head. On 84 2/06/1997 3 South Westland Whataroa River Large dark bird. Wing flapping Barry Donovan 1381030 5223086 kahikatea flats 87 15/10/1997 3 Fiordland Greenstone Valley heard bird calling Gerald Freeman 1220030 5024010 South Branch - 98 21/10/1997 3 Canterbury Hurunui River Hurunui Large dark bird, about magpie size seen gliding away from observer Mainland Island A grey bird, the size of a blackbird seen about 2 m away on branch, before it flew horizontally toward river. Seen from back 94 1/02/1998 3 South Westland Copland Valley 1/2 hour up from roadend Jan Neale, 03 75340831343225 5170437 view. No details because of angle of view, and short duration of glimpse, but colour definite grey. No calls heard. Above Slip Flat 97 15/04/1998 3 N.W. Otago Greenstone River bird was smaller than a pigeon and the colour varied a little from a pale olive to a uniform grey “Bugs” Ayres 1228922 5012210 Hut 101 25/12/1998 3 N.W. Nelson Peel Ridge Above Mytton's hutHeard near alpineand seen margin * John Green 1568107 5445104

on riverside track between Little A dark, heavy looking bird with similar flight to NI kokako (as seen on video), definitely not a pigeon, flew across Buller River 103 1/01/1999 3 Buller Buller Gorge John Winsley 1525334 5370729 Deep Creek and from Deepdale side to river track below the highway. Dale Creek

A bluey-grey bird, larger than a blackbird, was seen to "flutter" c. 80 m to a tree, and then glide from one tree to another. It 205 1/02/1999 3 South Westland upper Okuru River Ngatau R. was also seen hopping up branches, and walking along a branch. When walking up a branch, the bird used its wings for Dave Asher 1291740 5113450 balance. It appeared to have longish legs. Face not seen clearly. as he 66 1/10/1999 3 N.E. Nelson Rai Saddle approached the Bird seen flying across the road. Slaty/grey size of a Magpie Rick Oxenham 1646488 5440223 Rai Saddle Rhys 207 1/01/2000 3 North Westland Oparara see Kokako 2000 report Buckingham, 1472100 5353047 Andrew McAlister Rhys Buckingham, 72 17/10/2000 3 North Westland Oparara River Nimrodel Ridge kokako-like wing flapping was heard followed by a brief sighting of a largish bird that “power-glided” in kokako fashion Stephen Bradley 1533452 5445677 and Warren Burgess Duffers Creek. 125 19/11/2000 3 North Westland Grey Valley Flute notes Flute-like notes, bongs. Large dark bird, organ notes, moss grubbing! Rhys Buckingham 1487006 5311416 recorded 126 26/11/2000 3 Stewart Island Jackson River Brief silhouette, kokako-like calls, moss grubbing Rhys Buckingham 1183376 4756705 near junction of Alexander River 287 1/12/2000 3 Central Westland Alexander River Large (closer to pigeon size than tui), grey in colour with an unusual flight John Reid 1513229 5314150 and Absolum Creek 132 28/12/2000 3 South Westland Lake Wahapo 2 km north of LakeGrey Wahapo coat, black mask, stumped wings Gus Anning 1380047 5206224 At least once unidentified grey bird of kokako size seen. Definitely not tui or kereru. Observer very reliable according to Bruce 138 1/01/2001 3 Aspiring NP Siberia Valley Siberia Spur Clinton O'Brien 1284258 5095954 McKinley. 249 4/01/2001 3 Canterbury Hurunui River South Branch - HurunuiLarge Mainlandgrey bird, Island wide tail, when it flew it had it's tail pointed down in flight 150 20/01/2003 3 N.E. Nelson Whangamoa SaddleNelson side of the seensummit Jocelyn Dudding 1636471 5436414 Seen near small 142 15/03/2003 3 N.W. Nelson Burgoo Stream dam in Burgoo Larger than tui, seen 'bouncing' up leaning dead tree Chileab Grey 1560551 5460148 Valley floor * 152 15/05/2004 3 North Westland Charleston Limestone Road Kokako -like silhouette seen, unusual movements, three-note song Ron Nilsson 1472619 5353447 198 1/01/2005 3 North Canterbury Hurunui River dark bird gliding thru forest Pete Cronshaw 1526639 5273410 284 1/03/2005 3 Central Westland Kaniere River Boardwalk adjacentseen to water race Sue Grigg 1448005 5260664 Glen Colello and 267 1/02/2006 3 North Westland Globe Hill seen/heard Morgan Newburry 192 5/02/2007 3 N.E. Nelson Rai Saddle Blenheim side of theBlue/grey saddle bird flying across road Pauline Earle 1646818 5439303 Approx 1.25 hrs 161 6/12/2007 3 Fiordland Glaisnock River up river from Click call, bird seen, grey, broad wings, seen to glide Les Gorman 1181573 5005048 Lake Te Anau 237 1/01/2008 3 South Westland Mt Hercules it was a smokey/buff colour and gliding with wings and tail extended like a fan at the ends Mary Molloy 1393590 5217894 Alec Milne, Tim 164 10/03/2008 3 N.W. Nelson Burgoo Stream Xenicus Basin Series of double notes, loud, echoing, dipping flight, grey bird Ekert, Jordan 1558861 5455710 Grey 12 k on Springs 306 29/12/2008 3 Buller Maruia Junction side of bird seen flying across drive infront of house Bob Greer 1535337 5319637 Maruia Village Jeff & Chris 269 14/01/2009 3 N.W. Nelson Waingaro Stanley River Magpie sized blue-grey bird seen gliding (40m) 1564719 5462817 Salmon 500m Joyce Kolk downstream on 168 15/01/2009 3 Fiordland Wairaurahiri River Large grey bird - clumsy in flight - flew with wing and tail feathers spread out (Wairaurahiri Jets 1157655 4880873 true right of Ltd), swing bridge

273 25/10/2009 3 N.W. Nelson Cobb Waingaro Saddle seen Mark Burton 1560331 5456190 272 27/11/2009 3 N.W. Nelson Cobb Chaffey Hut seen Joy & Paul Biggin 1563919 5450682 178 28/01/2010 3 South Westland Waipara River Middle Flat - ApparitionSix double Spur notes - larger than tui with long tail - bird observed as a silhouette only Keith Kelly 1255874 5084835 main Soth Coast The behaviour of the bird was quite unusual (i.e a larger bird ‘flitting’/ bouncing back and forth thru the canopy of a fruiting 206 12/04/2010 3 Southland Waitutu Forest Alec Milne 1153296 4861603 track miro 73 1/06/2010 3 Aspiring flew across road Glen Brown 181 14/06/2010 3 South Westland Whakapohai River Venture Creek Exalted tui note, quiet chattering, quiet flute note, large bird, long and broad tail. Bird observed briefly as a silhouette only Rhys Buckingham 1296684 5151423

193 1/12/2010 3 N.W. Nelson Adalaide Tarn just below the ridgegrey in low below, forest didn't about flap 1km its northwings. of Similar the Needle's size to Eyepigeon but not as plump Dave Baldwin 1562500 5468674 285 1/02/2011 3 South Westland Waiatoto River seen from road kokako seen flying across road Ruud Kleinpaste 1264706 5122985 217 1/03/2011 3 Otago Naseby Naseby Forest bird was about the size of a magpie, and a beautiful blue colour Kevin Stentiford 1372130 5011986 Mt Arthur 225 29/03/2011 3 N.W. Nelson bird photoed by backpacker, described by passing tramper as having "muddy yellow wattles" Logan Watson 1568776 5440796 Tableland Landsborough Solution Stream bird flew out of understory pepperwood at about knee height and only flew about 50m max. before landing at about shoulder 189 11/04/2011 3 South Westland Max Wenden 1334963 5133199 River fan height. There was never a call, it was silent in flight and greyish colour bird flew out of understory pepperwood at about knee height and only flew about 50m max. before landing at about shoulder 310 13/04/2011 3 South Westland Landsborough RiverSolution Stream fanheight. There was never a call, it was silent in flight and greyish colour …. it flew through shafting sunlight and the grey colour Friend of Max Wenden1334963 5133199 was apparent Approx 4km south of 191 1/05/2011 3 South Westland Hannah's Clearing Hannah's Kokako -like calls heard, organ notes, bird flew across road 30m from observer 1265637 5124006 Clearing on road to Jackson Bay 194 20/10/2011 3 N.W. Nelson Waingaro Saddle On bushline on WaingaroThe bird side flew of 100-150m saddle to antoher tree, then flew back again. Strong flight. Not a tui, colour was greyey-blue. John Nicholls 1561120 5456000 on the true right of the Blue River at a point where an old creek Clare Murphy & 196 1/02/2012 3 Aspiring Blue River wash out has two largish (tall rather than bulky), distinctly grey birds with long tails flew out of the top of the tree canopy 1300300 5106800 Guy Channer killed the trees and bush and created a large open area

grey bird 30cm or so long glide from the pine trees a distance of 50 m or so to a tree across the road from where it went from 195 26/02/2012 3 N.E. Nelson Whangamoa Saddlea few km from the top of the Whangamoas scott meyers 1638201 5437694 my sight. I didn't notice a wattle as it was about 20 -30 m from me. it had a rounded wing shape and a short rounded tail shape

beside road 400 311 3 North Westland Oparara m from end of flew from perch on vine into shrubs under trees Alec Milne 1532123 5445947 Oparara road South Branch - 18 15/11/1993 Other Canterbury Hurunui River Hurunui Moss grubbing 20 x 20m John Kearvell Mainland Island A greyish-blue feather was found near a grubbing site. In appearance similar to NI kokako contour feather. Afterfeather, 51 11/12/1995 Other North Westland MaiMai SF Burton Ck although relatively long, may not typify characteristics of wattlebird family. Subsequent DNA analysis found feather to be likely Alan Knowles 1487339 5329651 from a blackbird (however problem of contamination cannot be discounted). Hunter reported large area of intensive moss grubbing on forest floor. Large patches (size of living room) disturbed. Moss 83 1/06/1997 Other Nelson Lakes D'urville R near Bull Ck Brent Boyce 1569406 5357047 clipped off rather than grubbed. Had never seen sign like this before. 251 1/01/1987 Aural Nelson Lakes Lake Rotoroa heard Ron Eddy 1566440 5372902 Koka Basin - 303 2/11/1990 Aural Stewart Island Rakeahua River "Hollow's Heavy wing flapping Rhys Buckingham 1204456 4784615 territory" 10 3/12/1990 Aural Fiordland Lake Hauroko End of Lill Burn RoadKokako-like near lake calls edge at dawn and dusk -mimicry from tui and bellbirds - bird sighted near here in 1983 Rhys Buckingham 1165259 4891619 Location: Mount Misery track about 2/3 up. Call composed of 3-4 deep bell-like notes, repeated again within five minutes. 11 26/01/1991 Aural Nelson Lakes Lake Rotoroa Mt Misery Investigated to find tui. Surprised tui could produce such melodic notes and thought of possible mimic (see J Kendrick record Marilyn Somerville 1572196 5358856 at Boulder Creek, 1975) 12 1/03/1991 Aural South Westland Whataroa River Abuts Head they heard a loud organ or flute-like note in a tree about 10 metres above them Barry Donovan 1381030 5223086 Open flat leading to a low saddle 13 15/03/1991 Aural Stewart Island Deceit Peaks Loud click, two hollow notes, single ringing "tong" of exceptional clarity, mimicry from tui and bellbirds Rhys Buckingham 1197997 4767569 with Longuet Creek 14 24/05/1991 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Head of the HowardHollow River notes, long flute-like notes after playback of N.I. "mew" calls - mimicry from bellbirds and tui after the bird called. Rhys Buckingham 1574496 5363454 15 26/05/1991 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Head of the HowardWing River flapping, - near same quiet site"took" as abovecalls heard Rhys Buckingham 1574496 5363454 Heard from a Susanne and 17 2/01/1993 Aural Fiordland Lake Monowai boat inland from Loud resonant tui-like calls - different from tui in their reverberating quality 1161438 4904097 Andrew Petersen June Bay

Rhys Buckingham 19 21/12/1993 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Cedric Stream Kokako mew heard at close range 1576215 5364724 Alan Knowles

Rhys Buckingham 20 22/12/1993 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Cedric Stream Wing flapping, "took" calls very close - heard after playback of N.I. song 1576215 5364724 Alan Knowles

23 5/01/1994 Aural Stewart Island Freshwater River Near the head of theKokako-like Scott Burn call of four notes - last in descending scale, very mournful sound Jill West 1209733 4795346 Two loud unidentified calls - described as "very strange" - as though bird was "throwing its voice". From directly across river a end of road Louis 24 13/01/1994 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River strange bird call was heard. This was repeated several times over about 10 minutes. At times the bird appeared "to be throwing Graeme Omlo 1569819 5375421 Creek its voice". Mew and organ notes heard. Loud call consisting of a 'mew' and two organ-like notes identical to North Island kokako. The 26 26/03/1994 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Duffers Creek Headwaters'mew' was immediately copied by a bellbird then a marked increase in bellbird calling was noted (highly influenced five-minute R. Buckingham 1491435 5311855 count) 30 25/10/1994 Aural North Westland Granville SF Half Ounce Ck Three loud ringing 'chimes' heard. Each note lasting 2–3 seconds R. Nilsson 1489535 5311056 31 28/10/1994 Aural North Westland Granville SF Half Ounce Ck A single chime note heard R. Nilsson 1489535 5311056 Confluence of Burgoo Stream Jeff Elliot, 32 1/01/1995 Aural N.W. Nelson Burgoo Stream Organ song at dawn 1553984 5471823 and Aorere River Graham’s brother * Angus Burn 34 15/02/1995 Aural Fiordland Waitutu Forest Kokako mimicked a North Island song on playback tape by observer Pete Shaw 1146586 4864565 Ridge Loud bonging sequence of resonant calls heard near Howard Hut. The response from tui and bellbirds was immediate and 36 1/04/1995 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard Valley Near Howard Hut dramatic. Lloyd has extensive experience with North Island kokako, and thought the calls he heard in the Howard Valley were Lloyd Robbins 1574196 5367693 likely to be from kokako. mimicry from tui and bellbirds Eastern side of 38 15/04/1995 Aural North Westland Lake Kaurapataka Loud kokako-like calls 1493976 5262267 the lake

On road between Tautuku Lodge and Lenz 40 1/05/1995 Aural S.E. Otago Fleming River heard Stephen Close 1327446 4835795 Reserve - a bird observed near this site in 1990

Headwaters of un- named creek 41 28/05/1995 Aural Stewart Island Paterson Inlet Loud bell-like notes with a distinctive downward note, i.e. mournful - two birds calling from 150m either side of track Bruce Craigie 1221847 4796882 draining into Sawdust Bay Resonant "bong" calls, hollow note. Awoken by a very loud, hollow, organ-like note. Bart and Lorraine also heard this call and 43 28/10/1995 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Cedric Stream R. Buckingham 1576151 5364640 came over to ask me what it was. No further calls or sign, and no response to tape playback. A single loud ringing note heard during a five-minute count. Thirteen minutes after this call a long sequence of loud 45 3/11/1995 Aural North Westland Granville SF Half Ounce Ck R. Buckingham 1490335 5311455 reverberating bell notes was heard, distinct for their clarity and non-locating quality. Single loud ringing "chime" call, series of loud bell notes of exceptional clarity. A loud flute note was heard, followed by song 44 3/11/1995 Aural North Westland Grey Valley McDonalds Ck R. Buckingham 1490635 5310556 copying and increased vocal output by bellbirds

Loud bell notes - answered by second bird est. 600m away, three "mew" calls, single organ note, moss grubbing. Loud, ringing kokako-like bell notes were heard. This call was answered by another bird producing an identical call at an estimated 48 22/11/1995 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Burton Ck R. Buckingham 1487039 5329051 distance of 600 m from the first caller. Extensive areas of fresh moss grubbing sign found at both sites estimated to be where the calls were heard. Song copying, and increased output of tui vocalizations heard after the presumed kokako called

49 1/12/1995 Aural South Westlans Jackson Bay Smoothwater ValleyUnusual Track call heard early morning (first light) about 20 minutes up track to Smoothwater Valley from Jackson Bay. Erik van Eyndhoven1248050 5121032 Single distinct "mew" after playback. A single distinct kokako 'mew' call heard in response to playing juvenile North Island 50 11/12/1995 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Slaty Creek kokako calls. No sign of the caller. The area is one of the most floristically diverse forests investigated in the Buller/lower Grey R. Buckingham 1477540 5321855 area. Smoothwater 54 25/12/1995 Aural South Westland Smoothwater River Unusual calls heard at dawn 1248060 5121112 Track

Rhys Buckingham Valley S.E. of Wing flapping, bird disturbed at fresh moss grubbing but not seen - four areas. As the distance between each site exceeded (Ph 03 5402365), 55 4/01/1996 Aural Stewart Island Tupari Bay 1183106 4756604 Tupari Bay 500m it was assumed that they represented different territories of moss grubbing birdsof fresh moss grubbing found John Hall-Jones, Robin Campbell

58 8/04/1996 Aural South Westland Whataroa River Abuts Head High pitched yelping call Barry Donovan 1381030 5223086

Long kokako-like calls heard at dawn, fresh moss grubbing. repeatedly copying some of the notes of the presumed kokako. Occasionally, throughout the morning, short sequences of calls presumed to be made by a kokako were heard, each time 60 29/05/1996 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Howard Saddle J. Kendrick 1574366 5364344 followed by songbird reaction. Extensive fresh moss grubbing sign was observed in the locality between 28 and 29 May. It had been freshly worked over a very large area (i.e. 200 x 200 m) in the same locality as where the calls were heard that morning.

Near the head of A loud, unidentified and "eerie" bird call heard. Bellbird-like but much louder. Observer admitted call could be from a kaka, but 61 1/07/1996 Aural Marlborough Linkwater Jim Stuart 1672681 5422156 Cullens Creek not a tui Loud calling of an unidentified bird, hidden in the top of a large beech tree. Calls described as being of double notes, low, 63 4/10/1996 Aural Fiordland Lake Monowai June Bay S. Peterson 1162240 4903628 resonant organ notes that were repeated loudly. On 26/10/1996 movement of a bird in dense understorey was accompanied by heavy wing-flapping like a kokako. The 68 27/10/1996 Aural NW Nelson Heaphy R Gunner River following day, at exactly the same site, repeat of same activity. This time loud, kokako-like calls (three organ notes) were heard R. Buckingham 1527447 5465488 soon after the bird was disturbed. No visible sign of the bird responsible for the calls and wing-flapping. Bird call quite different to anything ever heard before. Described as a very high-pitched call, flute-like, or notes from the very high octaves of a pipe organ. The call seemed as though it was immediately overhead, though no one could locate it. The call 74 23/02/1997 Aural Buller Buller River Roger Frost's propertywas loud and clear, and seemed to resound throughout the forest (E. Shaw). The call heard was a strong one, about the E. Shaw 1532503 5374967 intensity of kaka. It consisted of more or less single-toned notes, repeated at most half a dozen times. Investigated, but no sign of bird. This thought to be unusual if had been kaka (R&S Frost). 77 10/04/1997 Aural North Westland Oparara River Adams Clearing Kokako-like calls Sandy King 1534141 5439100 78 6/05/1997 Aural Buller Buller River Iron Bridge Kokako-like flute note heard 1519807 5373699 Adams Clearing 79 7/05/1997 Aural North Westland Oparara River and Scorpion Mew and organ-like notes heard 1534141 5439100 Creek 2km east of Moria 80 9/05/1997 Aural North Westland Oparara River Kokako-like calls Hollow and organ notes Abrupt Pip heard Rhys Buckingham 1534541 5443897 Gate 253 1/10/1997 Aural North Westland Mokihinui Gate Creek Loud call - 10 min Simon Foster 1533225 5393409 Half Ounce Creek - heard 88 14/11/1997 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Mew, Flute-like and hollow notes Ron Nilsson 1489935 5311655 just before heavy rain 89 14/11/1997 Aural North Westland Granville SF HalfOunce CK A single distinct kokako 'mew' heard from nearby forest. Difficult to establish the direction and locality of call R. Nilsson 1489935 5311655 90 14/11/1997 Aural North Westland Granville SF HalfOunce CK Three flute/organ notes of high pitch which appeared to come from the north side of German Gully R. Nilsson 1489935 5311655 91 14/11/1997 Aural North Westland Granville SF HalfOunce CK A single low kokako resonant note repeated three times at intervals over a 30 minute period R. Nilsson 1489935 5311655 Just below the 313 1/01/1998 Aural N.W. Nelson Parapara Ridge Unusual call, experienced observer, thought it may be kokako, on leading ridge just below bushline on Parapara Ridge John Mitchell 1572925 5480479 bushline 96 15/03/1998 Aural Canterbury Hurunui River South Branch -bellbirdsLoud bongin the callsarea -alarmed like loud significantly and carrying after bellbird the calls notes but significantly different Andy Grant 102 1/01/1999 Aural N.W. Nelson Aorere River Between Aorere ShelterKokako and -like Perry call, Saddle organ -notes location and was very where mournful scree on left and cliff on right heading up Warrick Blair (03 5485721)1552785 5472783 Bell-like mournful song. Loud, bell-like, mournful song heard. Strongly believed to be that of kokako. Observer claims to know 105 2/02/1999 Aural South Westland Lake Ellery B. Wilson 1253997 5111653 calls of other forest species. His opinion did not change after I sent Barry a tape of North Island kokako. 10km above end 106 15/04/1999 Aural Canterbury Wilberforce River Kokako-like calls Rob Nairn 1468347 5221987 of road

Unidentified calls heard after tape playback from 0700 hours. Heard intermittently throughout morning and at midday. Notable 107 9/05/1999 Aural Buller Glenroy R Glenroy R R Buckingham 1544123 5338338 response (vocal and activity) from tui and bellbirds

Loud, kokako-like wingflapping heard close to ground. Twenty or more tui in area vocal and active, making frequent alarm 108 9/05/1999 Aural Buller Glenroy R Glenroy R R Buckingham 1544123 5338338 calls. Appeared to be mobbing an animal in branch of large beech tree, but this animal was not seen A loud but distant unidentified call heard. Noted that bellbirds immediately changed their call repertoire after each unidentified 109 22/05/1999 Aural Buller Glenroy R Glenroy R R Buckingham 1544322 5338637 call sequence heard. 236 1/07/1999 Aural Canterbury Hurunui River "kokako" call heard Fred Murry unusual calls heard which appeared to be copied by tui. Calls described as a melancholy kind of "honk" that were quite Marlborough 110 13/07/1999 Aural Tennyson Inlet Deep Bay piercing and carried long distance. Call consisted of 4 "honks" repeated. Tui produced a similar sounding note as if copying Ross Nicholson 1664844 5453149 Sounds the call, but the tone was different, and the tui version was softer. 113 16/11/1999 Aural N.W. Nelson Brown Cow Ridge Between Aorere RiverKokako-like and Boulder call Lake * Janice Lord 1564459 5476051 Russell Frost, 201 1/12/1999 Aural North Westland Buckland Creek Unusual calls heard 035239371 Approximately 1 km from Milford highway on misty morning Fraser and his girlfriend heard a very kokako-like call once, then a Tutuko Valley, c. second call quite close. When fraser called back to the bird he heard calls from further away; seven or eight further kokako-like 114 1/01/2000 Aural Fiordland Tutuko Valley Fraser Maddigan 1201390 5041524 1 km from road calls. almost certainly not tui or kaka which observer is familiar with. Fraser has worked with North island kokako, on surveys with DoC Rotorua. 115 2/01/2000 Aural Buller Glenroy River Flute-like, and hollow calls, moss grubbing Ron Nilsson 1544222 5338637 Kokako calls, "mews", organ notes, hollow notes, wing flapping. Calls in response to playback, moss grubbing also found - 117 4/01/2000 Aural South Westland Whakapohai River Venture Creek Mick Collins 1296781 5151488 exceptionally diverse shrub-hardwood forest Approx 1 km from 118 5/01/2000 Aural Fiordland Tutuko River Milford Sound Kokako-like calls heard 1201390 5041524 road Approx 1 km from Milford Sound Kokako-like calls in response to playback, wing braking - habitat considered suitable as forest diverse and free of deer 119 10/01/2000 Aural Fiordland Tutuko River 1201390 5041524 road Same site browse as 5/1/2000

121 17/01/2000 Aural South Westland Between Franz Josef and Fox GlaciersKokako - like calls 1364422 5187482 124 18/11/2000 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Duffers Creek. Alarm call, hollow notes, wing flapping Ron & Kit Nilsson 1491435 5313455 128 12/12/2000 Aural Fiordland Tutuko River Kokako-like calls, wing braking 1201390 5041524 Bald 298 1/01/2001 Aural North Westland Alexander River Hill/Absolum heard Les van Diijk 1513309 5314520 Junction 131 3/01/2001 Aural South Westland Whakapohai River Venture Creek Mews, organ, hollow notes, wing flapping, moss grubbing Rhys Buckingham 1296781 5151488 134 8/03/2001 Aural Canterbury Hurunui River South Branch - HurunuiFive hollow Mainland notes Island - described -after these as "submarine calls were hollowheard keasounds" calls came from the same site and a falcon noted Between DoC Hurunui River Mainland Island 135 18/09/2001 Aural North Canterbury Reported unusual loud calls heard from bush "…went on almost monotiously for at least a couple of minutes". Stuart Harris (South Branch) hut and South Branch Bivvy 45min up river from 136 22/10/2001 Aural South Westland Smoothwater River Organ/chime-like notes Tom Jolly 1247519 5118499 Smoothwater Track Brandy Jacks Kokako-like call at dawn, three note sequence repeated every 30 sec - call likened to an exalted tui call, powerful yet 137 15/11/2001 Aural North Westland Grey Valley Johnny Groome 1487176 5313425 Creek possessed softness Paul van Klink (DOC Biodiversity Officer based at the Haast Office) reported to Rhys Buckingham that “ a cyclist claiming a good knowledge of birds and familiar with North Island kokako heard what he claimed was definite kokako loud organ song 47 1/01/2002 Aural South Westland Haast-Jacksons Road2-3 km south of Hannah’s Clearing Swiss ornithologist 1266387 5124947 while cycling in the early morning along the forest flat a few kilometres south of “Hannah’s Clearing” near the Waiatoto River” The date or month was not recorded by Paul! few kilometres south of 139 15/02/2002 Aural South Westland Waiatoto River Organ song 1265757 5124316 “Hannah’s Clearing” 140 15/05/2002 Aural North Westland Lake Kaurapataka Wing flapping 1492656 5262147 During count I heard v k-like flying wingbeats behind me (soft & loud unlike tui or kereru) then shortly after a deep 'hollow' Upper Rainy 314 29/07/2002 Aural Buller Inangahua River 'onk' like fog horn. Tui began copying this incredible note soon after. More grubbing sign in this area than I have seen for long Rhys Buckingham 1510931 5329034 Ridge time 141 15/10/2002 Aural South Westland Whakapohai River Venture Creek Kokako-like call - 20m Guy Salmon 1297121 5151668

March Renee and 143 31/03/2003 Aural North Westland Lake Kaurapataka Across the lake Full organ song 1493326 5262067 Jason Leppens

Across the lake 145 8/05/2003 Aural North Westland Lake Kaurapataka and Lake Creek Kokako-like calls 1493526 5262067 outlet Smoothwater 146 15/05/2003 Aural South Westland River, Stafford Mews, organ-like notes, flute-like notes, moss grubbing. Sign heard and seen in at least six sites 1248050 5116137 Range Lower valley flats 147 17/05/2003 Aural South Westland Waiatoto River Organ notes, flute-like calls 1265667 5124046 - two sites Between Franz 148 24/05/2003 Aural South Westland Josef and Fox Kokako-like bongs (flute-like notes) Rhys Buckingham 1364222 5187382 Glaciers Nimrodel Ridge - 149 11/06/2003 Aural North Westland Oparara River Kokako -like calls several sites 246 1/10/2004 Aural Happy Valley call heard Peter Rudolf. Morgan Newburry Ian (Moses) 153 9/02/2005 Aural Fiordland Big River Flute-like calls followed by a click. Heard over three consecutive days Turnbull and 1129471 4881617 Duncan Ritchie 276 1/04/2005 Aural Fiordland Greenstone heard Dr R John Wilson 1228291 5011939 Mountain Bike 154 5/05/2005 Aural North Westland Oparara River Full kokako organ song Mike Bygate 1531783 5444697 Track 155 28/12/2005 Aural North Westland Lake Kaniere Hokitika end of lakeKokako-like tolling - 5 min Peter Wanrooy 1446434 5258205 278 1/01/2006 Aural Otago Dunedin heard Kate Ball 1406486 4919282 255 1/01/2006 Aural North Westland Oparara Narya Stream heard Mike Bygate 156 28/01/2006 Aural Fiordland Big River Flute-like calls. 30 calls in one day 1129471 4881617

to the old historic cemetery 299 15/04/2006 Aural Buller Lyell adjacent to the Kathy Varcoe 1521006 5372529 Lyell Creek Picnic Reserve

300 1/12/2007 Aural South Westland Lake Kaniere Sunny Bight heard calls Ian McCann 1445835 5259095 500m upstream 162 2/02/2008 Aural N.W. Nelson Heaphy River of Gunner River Loud organ like calls heard from 30m Andrew Coutts 1528027 5465278 bridge 165 15/04/2008 Aural Nelson Lakes Howard River Louis Creek - from Kokakobatch near calls Porika heard Track for 20min Craig Jaquiry 1569289 5376191 245 1/12/2008 Aural North Westland Globe Hill heard G Crosslett 1509550 5328199 265 22/12/2008 Aural Buller Boatmans Creek On Kirwins Track fromKokako-like Capleston calls to heardKirwins twice Hut Glen Johnstone 1515559 5339929 233 1/01/2009 Aural North Westland Runanga heard Marg Conal 1456742 5303474 Alec & Timmo 169 24/01/2009 Aural N.W. Nelson Waingaro Stanley River Goat-like bird calls in response to tape play-back NIK 1564869 5462457 Milne Alec Milne Tony 170 13/02/2009 Aural N.W. Nelson Waingaro Stanley River Harsh guttural notes, next day a 'duk' and wing-flaps (30-40m) 1564799 5462537 Salmon Approx two hours 171 15/04/2009 Aural Fiordland Hump Ridge above Port Craig Haunting call that lingered 1161970 4868266 Hut 150 m above car Mark Martini & 173 22/04/2009 Aural North Westland Oparara River Kokako-like call 1532033 5446107 park other below Xenicus 172 22/04/2009 Aural N.W. Nelson Burgoo Stream Three 'hollow coughs' in response to mimicked 'goat calls' 1558981 5455960 Basin 174 3/06/2009 Aural N.W. Nelson Aorere River Aorere Shelter, sameFlute-like site as notes1996 sighting * 1552785 5472783 150m above road Mike Bennett's 175 20/09/2009 Aural South Westland Jackson River from old cattle Distinct kokako-like call heard 1246750 5105425 friend yards 243 1/01/2010 Aural North Westland Croesus Track calls heard Kerrie McGirr & Karl1463724 Nelson 5320949 1.5km west of 177 15/01/2010 Aural Fiordland Waitutu Forest Organ note recorded in response to playback operation Glenn Brown 1149920 4861375 Crombie Creek 258 14/02/2010 Aural N.W. Nelson Cobb heard Peter Rudolf / Tony1574144 Hitchcock 5449302 271 12/03/2010 Aural N.W. Nelson Cobb Chaffey Spur heard Alec Milne R Stocker1563139 5451182 Most based on Sign in three sites over 11 over km of podocarp forest - Kokako- like calls heard - anvil, flute notes in descending scale, duk, 179 14/04/2010 Aural Fiordland Waitutu Forest the Angus Burn 1146546 4864535 tooks Ridge 260 14/05/2010 Aural N.W. Nelson Aorere heard Peter Barrett 1567847 5488345 I heard a very loud single “bong” note ... The call was almost metallic in timbre and was unmistakably kokako-like... heard and 180 26/05/2010 Aural South Westland Whakapohai River Venture Creek recorded a similar note at a close distance followed a few minutes later by a haunting double-note call from the direction of the Rhys Buckingham 1296684 5151423 first call. 240 1/06/2010 Aural Fiordland Lake Alabaster Lake Alabaster huttwo birds heard calling to each other Andrew Penniket 1214283 5056033 Western end of Rob & Linda 183 25/10/2010 Aural Buller Inangahua Valley Distinct mournful kokako-like call - call echoed in bush 1514484 5325093 Craigs Clearing Eagle 274 1/12/2010 Aural South Westland Okarito heard Kerri Hulme 1369686 5210306 gorge between 242 1/12/2010 Aural Marlborough Clarence River Ouse stream and heard kokako-like song Beverly Holster 1672941 5348186 Mole Hill 239 19/12/2010 Aural N.W. Nelson Cobb Peel Ridge track, 10long minutes mournfull above call Myttons Hut alistair bradley 1568227 5445894 John O Groats Bell-like calls heard very loud with a reverberation effect - call taped on Mp3. Calls sounded like bellbirds but observers 185 24/01/2011 Aural Fiordland Roger Woods 1196546 5056325 River adamant that recorded calls were from a more distant bird main South 56 7/04/2011 Aural Fiordland Waitutu Forest Alec Milne 1153296 4861603 Coast track Most based on Sign in three sites over 11km of forest (same sites as 2010) - Kokako-like calls heard -double noted flute, hollow, mew, 186 9/04/2011 Aural Fiordland Waitutu Forest the Angus Burn 1146546 4864535 jumbled notes Ridge 241 1/06/2011 Aural South Westland Copeland Track unrecognised call heard Keith Upson 1351538 5165795 Gary and Lis 244 13/06/2011 Aural South Westland Lake Ellery call heard 1254447 5111803 Nicholls 252 1/09/2011 Aural Buller Rainy Creek heard Glen Johnstone 1509737 5329206

North Island kokako like timbre and metallic, and liquid like those of North Island kokako that we had heard North Island 312 25/12/2011 Aural N.W. Nelson Cobb Valley Cobb Valley track adjacentkokako make to Thorns on Tiritirimatangi Creek Island. Of medium volume, and each call was made up of 3 or 4 notes. The call was repeated B & S Hand 1566497 5447293 approximately every minute, and the bird called for approximately 15 minutes. We were about 20-50 metres form the bird

The bird made a series of flute like calls which haunted across the valley. It uttered 4 sets of calls, each set consisting of up Mitch de Vries 215 14/01/2012 Aural N.E. Nelson Brook Sanctuary 1624775 5425678 to 9 distinct chimes and Pete Bale 308 12/05/2012 Aural N.W. Nelson Kill Devil 10 minutes into thestrange bush from ‘crow-like’ Riordans calls Hut Robin Manson John1576754 Campbell 5456189 1 km below Tent Logan Vickers 218 16/06/2012 Aural N.W. Nelson Cobb Valley Camp on true heard 3-4 low frequency notes 1561770 5453351 027 6343087 right 25 15/02/1994 Doubtful N.W. Nelson Whanganui Inlet Muddy Creek Calls were tui-like but melodious, raucous calls at end, bird noisy in trees. More kaka-like than kokako Pat Cooper 1567647 5506646 199 1/01/1999 Doubtful N.E. Nelson Richmond Range Lake Chalice saw a bird fly across creek bed and into a tree Rob Mills 1626962 5398377 Raymond & Eve 279 1/01/2011 Doubtful Otago West Taiere heard 1380515 4918222 Beardsmore

Kokako Report – Lake Manapouri May – 2008

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

In August 2010, Rhys Buckingham sent an email to me stating that a Brian Flintoff had rung to say that his sister (Catherine Hill of Riverton – Phone 03 ) had heard from a hunter who had seen a kokako near Lake Manapouri. I rang Catherine Hill who put me on to the hunter Neil Lynscott (03-2246388) from Riverton and I rang him on the same evening. It transpires that Neil was hunting near Shallow Bay (N.E. corner of Lake Manapouri) in early winter two years ago when he observed a kokako perched in a tree on a cold frosty evening only 300m from the hut. He described the bird has being slightly bigger than a tui, streamlined in shape, spindly legs, long tail, having a light area about the eye, curved bill and orange wattles. Neil stated that the colour was a uniform grey but that were highlights of blue on the plumage as in the colour found on a kingfisher. The bird sat still in the fading light even though Neil was making noise and moving. The nearby hut is part of the Kepler track-tramping route visited by thousands of people each year but during the winter period is almost disserted. The habitat in the area is tall red beech forest with areas of pakahi - scrub, small oxbow lagoons and open swampy flats. Neil reported his sighting to D.O.C. in Te Anau but apparently they took little interest. He did indeed contact Glenn Brown whom he told of the encounter Richard Stocker

From: Ron Nilsson [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 10:30 a.m. To: 'Richard Stocker' Subject: RE: Lynscott

Richard checked my diary but nothing there. He must have been close because he talked of fading light & at the same time gave a pretty good description. This was the guy that I found pretty grumpy & couldn’t wait for me to go!

Ron

From: Richard Stocker [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 6:57 a.m. To: 'Ron Nilsson' Subject: Lynscott

Ron, do you remember how far away was the bird Neil saw??

Ta.

Richard

1

South Island Kokako – 2007

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Mt Xenicus (N.W. Nelson)

Alec Milne, a Contract Worker for DOC in Nelson was surveying for Rock Wren in the upper Cobb region when he wrote the following email to DOC colleagues. “Mid morning, Sunday 27th November I was stalking quietly thru a small boulder field just above bush-line in a small hanging valley on the north side of Mt Xenicus. Peering around a large boulder, I spied 20m away a uniformly coloured slate grey bird (the grey of a Californian Quail) body size slightly larger than a Californian Quail with some bright orange colouring at the base of its bill. Its tail was semi-erect and lightly fanned. The bird seemed very shy, for though I was mostly concealed and in shadow, it moved off with 5-6 hops along a boulder (approx 2.4m) then onto the ground. The Sighting was only for 10seconds and I never saw it again, despite it being in a relatively confined area that I watched for a further hour. At the time of the sighting I could not make sense of it and later decided the only bird fitting the general description was that of a kokako. Having recently returned from a trip south where I saw S. I. Kokako specimens in both the Otago and Southland museums, I am in no doubt the sighting was of a kokako.”

(2) Glaisnock River (Fiordland)

6th December. Ian Southey in an email to Rhys Buckingham and Chris Caskin. “I have just been talking with Les Gorman who is a long time friend and has been going into Fiordland for decades. He mentioned a strange bird he heard and then glimpsed in the Glaisnock Valley and from the conversation I think it may have been a kokako. It was about an hour and a quarter up from the lake and he could take you to the exact spot. The following is the gist of the notes I took. About 9-30am near the river a persistent call was heard over several minutes that was described as pip-pip-pip …. Repeated about 8 times with a pause of about 15-20 seconds between bursts. Like nothing I’d heard before without a doubt most unusual. After speculating what the bird may be Les sneaked up and got directly below the bird managing to see it briefly as it flew from one tree top to another. It was a fine day and he was in a good position for the light. He describes the bird as a little larger than a tui and particulary noted broad wings, quite dumpy looking. It seems to have been a more or less gliding flight with no wing noise and the colour was a deep grey. The bird was in tall silver beech forest on the river flats maybe 15m from the river and in the top of the tallest tree. Ian Southey went on to say that Les Gorman has been a deerstalker in Fiordland for 30 years, and I have every confidence that he knows his birds well enough to make this report interesting. The suggestion that the bird was a kokako was Ian Southey’s. Les Gorman did not ID as such in fact after finding and hearing N.I. kokako song on the web he considered it unlikely and was asking Ian Southey for other suggestions. Ian Southey could only think of kokako.” Ron Nilsson took a keen interest in this report because the calls showed a similarity to those heard by Moses (Ian) Turnbull in the upper flats of Big River in February 2005.

(3) Rainy Creek, Reefton. (Buller)

On 21st March at 0945hrs Len Turner was carrying out predator control work for Oceania Gold Ltd when he heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 min later he saw at close range (10-15metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the side of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange-brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re- visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately identification wasn’t possible due to the position of the sun. Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, colour (a light grey) its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3degrees approx”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound). This kind of flight is characteristic of North Island kokako. The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations Peter noted extensive moss along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than weka could reach. On the 23rd March Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus but some of these were made by tui and bellbirds. At 0800 hrs 80m further up the ridge from Lens 21st March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu tree. After about 20 min the bird rustled leaves in the tree. And few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”) though quite soft. From the 1st-3rd April, Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s report. No kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found in the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. The sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks. The grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. The sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting.

(4) Rai Saddle (N.E. Nelson)

Pauline Earle was travelling between Blenheim and Nelson in early February (approx 0630 hrs) when she observed an unusual bird fly across her vision on the Blenheim side of the Rai Saddle. The bird was blue-grey in colour, larger than a tui, initially flapped (like breast-stroke) then glided into indigenous forest. Definitely grey in colour and no white under parts noted. Wings distinct in the way the feathers fanning out (“fingers on end of wing”) but this latter description given after Pauline looked at books on N.Z. birds (specifically referring to N.I. kokako). Tail not noted. Rhys Buckingham interviewed Pauline, and thought that the mystery bird may have been a kereru, as the white under belly does not always show in flight. There are other kokako reports from the same area.

(5) Nina River (Canterbury)

On the 7th March, Jim Greeks was fishing in the Nina River. On his return to the car park he observed an unusual bird. The bird was blue-grey, 1.5 times larger than a blackbird, leapt off a low perch at 45-degree angle then hopped and bounded along the ground out of sight. It made no inclination to fly. Blue- grey feathers distinctly seen on back. Head seemed darker than the rest of body. Jim did not recall details of the legs or tail, the habitat was broken beech forest, open clearings with matagouri and other shrubs. Jim is a retired “Forester” from the old N.Z. Forest Service and has a fair knowledge of N.Z. birds. He was clearly excited about his observation and came to the conclusion that his mystery bird must have been a kokako.

(6) Lake Kaniere (North Westland)

In early December, Ian McCann a resident of Hans Bay at Lake Kaniere visited Sunny Bight at about 0900 hours on a calm bright sunny morning. Ian’s description is as follows “I have never heard any bird song quite like that of the kokako so I know it was not a tui or bellbird. After I heard it I came home and searched the net for kokako songs and confirmed that it was what I had just heard. At the time I was unaware that there was a separate South Island species. I was just surprised to hear them thinking they were a long way from the North Island. No definitely not anything else. I have never seen or heard kaka here but we do regularly see kea. We have plenty of tui around here including a couple living in a rimu tree in my back yard so I am familiar with them and the local bellbirds, but this was definitely different. Hard to describe really, but I have heard them described as a haunting melody which I would definitely agree with. I don’t know why I didn’t try harder to sight it on the day and when I left it was still singing. If I heard it again today it would be straight home for the camera and the binoculars. I was present for about 10 minutes during which time the calls were quite constant. One bird was definitely very handy, probably within 50-100m and the other was calling back to it from quite a distance, possibly up to a kilometre away. The songs were quite loud and I was amazed to hear the second bird, which as I said was quite a long away back in the bush. Sunny Bight is a bay on the N.W. end of Lake Kaniere and is part of the 8,000ha Lake Kaniere Scenic Reserve. The surrounding bush is undisturbed native rimu and kahikitea forest and contains a large flat area which then slopes up to Conical Hill and Mt Graham”.

(7) Nina Valley (Canterbury)

In the latter days of March, Ron Nilsson and Sue Ross investigated the area where Jim Creek’s sighted a large grey bird that bounded away from him in to the nearby forest. No unusual calls were heard but an area of unusual moss grubbing was found. This grubbing site was unusual in that it was large, 2m x 1.5m and between 2cm x 5cm in depth. The moss appeared to have been pulled and clipped from the base of the “rootlets” There are no weka or feral pigs in this region of Lewis Pass Forest. Ron Nilsson and Jill West returned to the area in early June and again in late August including an overnight stay near the site. No unusual birdcalls were heard but the unusual moss grubbing sites were considered “fresh” and scattered over an area of several hectares. What was of particular interest was that each site had a strategic branch or was placed beneath a matagouri shrub as if a bird needed to escape from predators or intruders. The average site measured 60-75cm x 60cm and was 3 -5cm in depth. Some of the sites were photographed. Jill West and Ron Nilsson returned to the sites in February 2010 but on this occasion the sites had all but disappeared. It was clear that there had been no moss grubbing in the area for at least two years! Kokako report, upper Inangahua valley, Reefton March 2007

Location

Upper Inangahua valley, Reefton March 2007 report: description by Len Turner

On 21 March 2007 at 0945 hours Len Turner heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 minutes later he saw at close range (10-15 metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the sides of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange- brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight, and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re-visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after this Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately identification wasn’t possible due to the position of the sun. Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, colour (a light grey), its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3° approx.”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound).” The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations, Peter noted an extensive area of fresh moss grubbing along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than he thought weka would reach. On 23 March 2007, Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus but some of these were made by tui and bellbirds. At 0800 hours, 80m up-ridge from Len’s 21 March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu. After about 20 minutes the bird rustled leaves in the tree. A few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”) though quite soft. Earlier reports

Reports of kokako (calls and sightings) are known from the upper Inangahua River area (G. Boffelman pers. comm. may 1998; H. Trembath pers. comm. October 2000, June 2001). In July 2002 while carrying out five-minute bird counts for GRD Macraes

1 Ltd (now Oceana Gold (NZ) Ltd, Rhys Buckingham heard distinct kokako-like calls including soft, short organ-like calls and found intensive fresh moss grubbing sign very close (c. 200m) to the location of Len’s recent sighting. Ron Nilsson and Euan Kennedy investigated the area in August 2002 but did not encounter kokako or any potential sign other than the moss disturbance. Two year’s later Peter Rudolf reported hearing a kokako-like call while carrying out predator control in the same general area as the recent sighting. Search investigation, April 2007

Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s kokako report between 1st and 3rd April 2007. Len tramped into the site on 2nd April and pointed out the location and described details of the report (as above).

Objective and Methods The objective of the investigation was to positively identify the bird seen by Len on 21 March 2007. Technical equipment carried included a mini DV cam recorder, two digital cameras, DAT and Hi-MD digital recording equipment and Zeiss binoculars. The search involved quietly traversing the report site and vicinity and playing back recordings of juvenile North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako recordings from various locations. These recordings were played very quietly while walking, or at moderate volume during times when recording equipment was set up and running. Cameras were carried (and usually set for instant action) at all times. Listening for calls at dawn and dusk was also carried out.

Results No definitive sign of kokako was found and no kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found within the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. This sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks and being neatly cropped. A weka was filmed pulling out moss but the sign differed in being comparatively rough with clumps of soil pulled out with the moss. In contrast, the unidentified grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss, and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. This sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting.

Discussion South Island kokako have recently been classified as extinct (Hitchmough et al. 2007) due to the lack of confirmed sightings for 45 years. The association of intensive moss disturbance and the presence of South Island kokako was first noted by K. McBride in the mid 1960s (McBride 1981), and subsequently observed during lengthy searches for kokako on Stewart Island and elsewhere from 1983 (Buckingham 1986, 1996).

2 Acknowledgements

I thank Oceana Gold (NZ) Ltd (OGL) for financing the investigation of Len’s report, and Simone Vellekoop (OGL) for advice and logistical support. I thank Mike Bygate for his prompt action in allowing MBC Contracting Ltd staff, Peter Rudolf and Len Turner, to follow up the report immediately after the sighting. Ron Nilsson assisted voluntarily in the subsequent search. I thank Russell Andrews for permission to use his land as access.

References

Buckingham, R. 1986. South Island kokako on Stewart Island (evidence as to their current existence). Unpublished report for New Zealand Forest Service, Invercargill. 14 pp. Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island: A discussion document prepared for the Department of Conservation. Unpublished Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Hitchmough, R.; Bull, L.; Cromarty, P. (Compilers) 2007. New Zealand threat classification system lists 2005. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 194 pp McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount AspiringNational Park. Notornis 28: 255–256.

18/07/2007

3 Kokako report at Rainy Creek, Reefton

March 2007

Rhys Buckingham, Peter Rudolf and Len Turner

1. Description of March 2007 report (updated July 2010)

On 21 March 2007 at 0945 hours Len Turner heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 minutes later he saw at close range (10-15 metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the sides of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange- brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight, and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re-visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after this Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately, identification and a photographic opportunity for Len was not possible due to the glaring position of the sun. Also, Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk, but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, shape, colour (a light grey), its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3° approx.”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound).” This kind of flight is characteristic of North Island kokako. The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations, Peter noted an extensive area of fresh moss grubbing along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than he thought weka would reach. On 23 March 2007, Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus, however these calls were too distant to clearly verify their source. As Peter gained close proximity to the site where he suspected the calls originated from (approximately twenty minutes after first hearing them), he observed tui and bellbird mimicking full organ notes. Such mimicry is a characteristic feature of tui and bellbird when they hear kokako full organ song at close range. At 0800 hours, 80m up-ridge from Len’s 21 March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu. After about twenty minutes the bird rustled leaves in the tree. A few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”), though quite soft. 2. Earlier reports

Reports of kokako (calls and sightings) are known from the upper Inangahua River area (G. Boffelman pers. comm. May 1998; H. Trembath pers. comm. October 2000, June 2001; Newburry & Colello pers. comm. February 2006; Crossett pers. comm. February 2008). In July 2002 while carrying out five-minute bird counts for GRD Macraes Ltd, Rhys Buckingham heard distinct kokako-like calls including soft, short organ-like calls and found intensive fresh moss grubbing sign on the ridge south of Rainy Creek very close to the location of Len’s recent sighting. Ron Nilsson and Euan Kennedy investigated the area in August 2002 but did not encounter kokako or any

1 potential sign other than the moss disturbance. Two year’s later Peter Rudolf reported hearing a kokako-like call while carrying out predator control in the area. This was in the same general area as the recent sighting. 3. Search investigation, April 2007

Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s kokako report between 1st and 3rd April 2007. Len tramped into the site on 2nd April and pointed out the location and described details of the report.

3.1. Objective and Methods The objective of the investigation was to positively identify the bird seen by Len on 21 March 2007. Technical equipment carried included a mini DV cam recorder, two digital cameras, DAT and Hi-MD digital recording equipment and Zeiss binoculars. The search involved quietly traversing the report site and vicinity and playing back recordings of juvenile North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako recordings from various locations. These recordings were played very quietly while walking, or at moderate volume during times when recording equipment was set up and running. Cameras were carried (and usually set for instant action) at all times. Listening for calls at dawn and dusk was also carried out.

3.2. Results No definitive sign of kokako was found and no kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found within the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. This sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks and being neatly cropped. A weka was filmed pulling out moss, but the sign differed in being comparatively rough with clumps of soil pulled out with the moss. In contrast, the unidentified grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss, and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. This sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting. Birds in general were relatively quiet, the only commonly encountered and vocal species being bellbirds, tomtits and silvereyes (Appendix 1). Tui were moderately common but quiet. Three to four kaka and a similar number of weka were heard regularly at dusk (Appendix 2). No kiwi were heard at night. 4. Discussion

It is of interest to compare Len’s description of the wattles with that of the top illustration on the cover of this report. The top bird is a South Island kokako and the bottom bird a North Island kokako. South Island kokako have, recently been classified as extinct (Hitchmough et al 2007) due to the lack of confirmed sightings for 45 years. Unfortunately, this classification change was made without consideration of the considerable evidence obtained in recent years for the continued existence of very low numbers of South Island kokako in relatively remote, diverse forests (Buckingham 1996). Nor, was consideration given to conclusions reached from a meeting with experts in 1996 that stated “The

2 accumulation of evidence is significant enough to recommend the Department of Conservation should act on the reports within the next year”, or the opinion of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand Rare Bird Committee in February 2001 “The committee agreed that there is sufficient positive evidence to suggest some urgent and concerted effort in the ‘hottest’ and most recent sites of observations”. The detail of Len’s report and the observations made during the following days by an ornithologist who has worked with North Island kokako exemplifies the need to take the evidence for the continued existence of South Island kokako seriously. There is strong circumstantial evidence gathered over a number of years correlating the presence of a particular moss disturbance sign with kokako. This sign may provide the most practical means of identifying areas where South Island kokako are present and where investigations, research and management should be focussed. The association of intensive moss disturbance and the presence of South Island kokako was first noted by K. McBride in the mid 1960s (McBride 1981), and subsequently observed during lengthy searches for kokako on Stewart Island and elsewhere from 1983 (Buckingham 1986, 1996). Len’s report also highlights the extremely furtive and quiet behaviour of South Island kokako compared to the North Island subspecies. Although predator control staff (MBC Contracting Ltd) frequently visits the area, and bird monitoring is carried out in the area annually, there have been few times when calls believed to be from possible South Island kokako have been heard. Significantly though, when calls are reported from the Rainy Creek restoration area, they are always reported from the area near Len’s sighting. It appears that this subspecies is generally very quiet throughout much of the year but, becomes vocal and conspicuous for short periods of the year, particularly during spring and autumn. This secretive behaviour along with the rarity of the bird makes verification of reports extremely difficult. 5. Recommendations

Given the detail and authenticity of Len Turner’s report, it is highly recommended that further investigations be made in the area. These should be made on a regular basis involving staff working on the predator control maintenance programme and by appropriately skilled ornithologists. Members of The South Island Kokako Investigation Team (SIKIT) are happy to carry out investigations on a voluntary basis though financial support to cover costs is always welcome. The following suggestions are given below. • MBC Contracting Ltd staff that carry out the pest control in the area should carry a digital camera (preferably a small video camera) when traversing Len’s report area. • Experienced kokako ornithologists should investigate the area periodically. Recommended times of search when the bird is likely to be vocal are May and early spring (e.g. from late August). • Details of the site location should remain confidential except to those managing, or participating in, the search.

3 • An edited copy of this report should, be sent to the Rare Birds Committee, New Zealand Ornithological Society (OSNZ). Publication of the report as a paper or “Short Note” in the OSNZ journal “Notornis” should also be considered.

Acknowledgements

We thank Simone Vellekoop and Oceana Gold Ltd for financing this investigation. Mike Bygate is also thanked for his financial help in providing MBC Contracting Ltd staff to follow up the report. Ron Nilsson assisted in the search following the report. Encouragement given by these people is also appreciated. We also thank Russell Andrews for permission to use his land as access.

References

Buckingham, R. 1986. South Island kokako on Stewart Island (evidence as to their current existence). Unpublished report for New Zealand Forest Service, Invercargill. 14 pp. Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island: A discussion document prepared for the Department of Conservation. Unpublished Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Hitchmough, R.; Bull, L.; Cromarty, P. (Compilers) 2007. New Zealand threat classification system lists 2005. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 194 pp McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount AspiringNational Park. Notornis 28: 255–256.

4 Appendix 1 Bird list and comments

Common Name Scientific Name Encounter Status

Paradise shelduck Tadorna variegata Occasional

Western weka Gallirallus australis australis Moderate numbers

South Island kaka Nestor m. meridionalis Moderate numbers

Kakariki Cyanoramphus auriceps Occasional

Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae Moderate numbers

Grey warbler Gerygone igata Very quiet

Fantail Rhipidura f. fuliginosa Uncommon

Tomtit Petroica m. macrocephala Common

Robin Petroica a. australis Common

Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Common

Bellbird Anthornis melanura Common

Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae Moderate, quiet

Blackbird Turdus merula Occasional

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Occasional

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Occasional, rare

5 Appendix 2 Weka and other birds heard in one hour from sunset. Rainy Creek campsite

Date Sunset # Weka # Kaka # Morepork

01/04/2007 1826 3 (one pair) 3 2

02/04/2007Apr07 1824 4 (one pair) 3 2

6

From: Rhys Buckingham [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, 30 December 2011 3:31 p.m. To: ammilne; ron nilsson; Peter Rudolf; R V Stocker; Euan Subject: Re: New SIK report- Shanandoah

To hell with wattles, with enough Pinot I can see one on the neighbour’s dove :-) but the movement described is more telling in my opinion, as this scampering is a trade mark of the one and only wattlebird legend! And this observation is less likely imagined from bird books. Happy New Beer! R

On 29/12/11 12:51 PM, "ammilne" wrote: Hi guys, a John (?) Greer, at Shanandoah ( between Murchison and Springs Jnxn) has had 2 sightings on their property, 7 yrs and 3 yrs ago. Once across drive (‘ grey bird, larger than a blackbird, smaller than a magpie, flew across drive , landing in a beech tree then ran along branch like a 4-legged animal’) , second sighting was from their recently built home while looking thru their panoramic lounge windows. They have been trapping possums and stoats etc for a number of yrs. Hopefully he’ll put in a report via website. They intend developing a nature tour type business. So perhaps their new home is inside a SIK territory and with their panoramic windows (300 degree view!) they are ideally placed to observe response to playback etc. So if someone is up that way, perhaps a golden opportunity for that elusive photo…. Have a good New Year, Alec

Internal Virus Database is out of date. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.453 / Virus Database: 270.13.65/2324 - Release Date: 08/24/09 12:55:00 From: Bob Greer [[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, 26 July 2012 12:02 p.m. To: [email protected] Subject: Grey ghost at Mill Stream Maruia (historical)

Encounter 1 of 2 at Maruia, both historical. Address: 844 STHWY 65 Maruia. First encounter: Spring/Summer 1999/2000 (approx.) Bob Greer (owner).

Mill Stream is an old saw mill worked during the late 1940s and early 1950s not much had happened here since until we purchased the place for recreation in 1984. We were working in the vegetable garden in a sheltered area surrounded by large silver beech trees, close (10m) to a stream and not far (25m) from the highway. I turned to look North to talk to my wife and was distracted by a low flying grey coloured bird coming from the stream area over my head and alighting on a major low branch of a silver beech on the south side of our access driveway. I spun around to watch because we had become used to the social antics of the local Wood Pigeons and we were always keen to witness their antics. However I was almost immediately conscious that this bird was small, less than half the size of a Woody and as far as I could tell, completely grey. It wasn't this though, that left me pondering so much as the way it alighted onto the beech branch and ran down and along inward out of sight like a rat running down a log. This struck me as quite odd. from this point the encounter was in my memory I did not discuss the encounter again for about 7 or 8 years when the subject of the Kokako's was raised and I had the opportunity to see footage on TV of the North Island Kokako's which were in the news at that time. It was then that I noticed the strange way they got around. Later, I passed the sighting on to a friend who (as it turned out) had some knowledge of the Southern sightings and he passed my comments on the someone at SIKIT.

Encounter 2 about spring 2007.

The second sighting was, yet again a momentary thing. We had by this time built our new house and I was looking out the North windows when a grey bird flew down the length of the driveway between the house and the terrace bank. At its closest point to me it would have been less than 5m away momentarily. It was all over in a few milliseconds but I recall that once again it had struck me that this bird was small compared to the usual passing Woody and there was no sign of a white breast or darker back and neck. It took about 4 seconds for the bird to travel past the house down the driveway and disappear into the beech trees. I saw it for less than 3 seconds, I did not see it until it was opposite me, so, again I did not get a head on view.

In conclusion:

In both cases I did not notice any wattles. I have never heard a noise that I could ascribe to a Kokako, but then again I have only recently been made aware of the importance of such sounds.

I have been contemplating this for some time before making this report as I did not wish to add unworthy reports on such an important record, but the more I have thought about it the more convinced I have become that there is no other explanation for what I saw. The most likely mis identity would have to be a Wood Pigeon as I have been unable to identify another grey bird that could have confused me. We have become very aware over the years and we have marvelled at the Wood Pigeons grace and precision when they show off to us. We also witnessed a Woody fly full speed into our double garage with widows at the far end and fully expected to hear the crash and smash as it was just going too fast, but no, to our astonishment it managed a u turn and came out about as fast as it went in. I say this to sincerely convey that I know very well what a Woody looks like in all possible attitudes of flight.

I would welcome anyone's input as to what else I might have seen.

Bob Greer

e mail: [email protected] Beech Communications Limited GPS Radio Solutions tm Phone: 643 523 8992 Skype: beechnz This Skype will transfer your call to my cell phone if not answered after 7 rings - no cost to you. Skype Chat: doctorbobgreer This Skype displays my sms and chat text calls on my desktop when I get in to work. Disclaimer: This message is only for the information of the named recipient(s) and may contain confidential information. If you have received this e-mail in error, please advise me by return e-mail and delete this message and any attachments. Any unauthorised use or distribution of this information is prohibited.

Summary SIK Trip Report- Paringa Cattle Track, Lake Moeraki, 24-26th April 2011

Background: Pieter Hensen reported a close encounter (6-10m for several min.) with a presumed juvenile or sub-adult kokako on 11/4/’11 at this location.

Present: Marian Milne, Timo Milne, Alec Milne

Weather: Scattered showers on the 24th April, clearing over-night followed by fine weather. Moderate S-E winds and mild temps on the 26th April.

Results: No SIK call-types were heard. A probable SIK was seen on 25th April as described below approx. 200m S-W of the Pieter Hensen’s sighting.

On 25th April I heard rapid heavy wing flaps below the area of Pieter Hensen’s sighting, in tall podocarp near the wetland margin .Returning toward the area in the afternoon, I played a N.I.juvenile mew just 40m below the track and appeared to receive a short tui-like note in response. I think this occurred twice and then the responding bird flew straight In, landing on the side of a leaning tree 30m away and staring at me. I viewed it thru binoculars but the bird was in shadow and I had a veiled view thru light foliage .It was lighter coloured than a tui and slightly larger with a splash of colour on the side of its head- not orange or yellow but pale, perhaps a light blue. It then proceeded to walk up the steeply leaning tree, parrot-like (it was not a kaka), pausing every metre or so to look at me .I was in no doubt this was our bird. This was confirmed when the ‘luck of the ghost’ came into play and the video camera started beeping and flashing a red light. The bird had climbed at least 3m up the trunk (120mm diam.) but then I lost track of it as my focus shifted to getting the VCR operating. This was to no avail so I hastily retreated to find the others who had a camera. 30 minutes later the 3 of us were at the site. The same short tui note received in response earlier now came from a miro and rimu 30m to our right. The sun was low and in this direction, never-the-less Marian (who is very cautious in these matters) saw what appeared at first impression to be a grey bird slightly larger and plumper than a tui (and she took an un-zoomed photo so we may have a one pixel SIK pic!). And that was that. The bird stopped responding when the 3 of us arrived and I received no more apparent response for the remainder of the trip.

Alec Milne

.

From: Pieter Hensen [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 10:47 p.m. To: [email protected] Subject: register encounter

Sorry I sent this message to contact us by mistake.

Hi there, My name is Pieter Hensen and I feel my son and myself recently were pleasured by a young kokako on a hunting trip in the Lake Paringa area. The bird approached us and fluttered from branch to branch at approx 6 to 10 metres away, my son commented what this bird was and I said I think it’s a kokako as the black grey colour, size and shape had me say that. I have only seen them in videos and books but I was pretty sure. After listening and looking at images and calls on the internet I now feel I am 90% certain that is what we saw and heard (although I could be wrong). The exact location was on the old Paringa cattle track, where you enter before the Moeraki bluff and can head back to the lake or north towards Paringa. The gps coordinates I recorded were NZTM E1307092 N146558. It was on the 11th April at approx 8.00am.I don’t know if others have heard or seen them in this region, but I would be interested to know. The antics and curiosity of this bird had us enthralled for minutes. I just had to write and inform someone and your website seemed worthwhile. Good luck in what you are endeavoring to do. Thanks Again Pieter Hensen Please contact me on 021213297 or this email address or [email protected] I hope that there are people able to verify this as we were very excited.

Second Email (Note that Ron Nilsson had asked Pieter a lot of questions and these are his answers):

- Show quoted text - - Show quoted text - I didnt get a close look at the head, im sorry and again the reason i thought it was young as i thought the wattles may be more prominent in an adult bird. 8/ Did you have a camera with you? Yes i did and i wish now that i had actually taken some shots, i think i was mesmerised by this bird. (Ahhhhhh!_Rhys added) 9/ You mentioned the shape of the bird. Can you describe the wings, legs and general shape? The wings were short like say a bellbird or tui and noisy in flight, legs long and set well back towards the tail. 10/ What calls did the bird make and can you describe them? The sounds were like a bellbird i guess very piercing in the bush though and deeper. 11/ Thank you for the G.P. co-ordinates. I have never been on the old Paringa Cattle Track. Could you describe the general area for me e.g. were you in the bush?, near a clearing? I am guessing that you were near the Moeraki River but I have no idea where the track goes, whether it stays in the bush the whole way etc? If you head up from Lake Moeraki towards Lake Paringa the track entrance is clearly marked a couple of kms past the Moeraki Bluff. It is less than an hour down the track that we encountered the bird.The track that we were on had quite thick bush with vines and fern groundcover on the side but the track itself is easy walking with clear track all the way as its a popular hunting track and walking track in summer. 12/ Anything else that you think may be useful?, No I wish i had taken my video camera out that day and recorded this awesome bird, but i guess i will commit it to memory. I wish you guys every success in locating the kokako, here or anywhere else in the south westland area as it is truly a beautiful piece of New Zealand which hasnt been too badly changed over the years. We met hunters there last year who were in their 70's who told us of encounters with kiwi during the day and i can believe it as the birdlife in the bush is very inquisitive and not fearful of man.

Kind Regards

Ron Nilsson

Phone – Christchurch 03 9426484

Moeraki Report April 2011

12 April 2011 Hi there, My name is Pieter Hensen and I feel my son and myself recently were pleasured by a young kokako on a hunting trip in the Lake Paringa area. The bird approached us and fluttered from branch to branch at approx 6 to 10 metres away, my son commented what this bird was and I said I think it’s a kokako as the black grey colour, size and shape had me say that. I have only seen them in videos and books but I was pretty sure. After listening and looking at images and calls on the internet I now feel I am 90% certain that is what we saw and heard (although I could be wrong). The exact location was on the old paginga cattle track, where you enter before the moeraki bluff and can head back to the lake or north towards paringa. The gps coordinates I recorded were NZTM E1307092 N146558. It was on the 11th April at approx 8.00am.I don’t know if others have heard or seen then in this region, but I would be interested to know. The antics and curiosity of this bird had us enthralled for minutes. I just had to write and inform someone and your website seemed worthwhile. Good luck in what you are endeavouring to do. Thanks Again Pieter Hensen Please contact me on 021213297 or this email address or [email protected] I hope that there are people able to verify this as we were very excited.

Thank you Ron for replying to my email. Just to give you a little background about who i am. I am 47 years old and a primary school teacher living in Whangarei. We were hunting in the Paringa area based at the Lake Paringa motel from the 6th to 13 April. My love of birds and the bush was fostered by my father when i was younger, we lived in auckland and had a variety of both parrots, finches and parakeets in avairies through my teenage years. I love the bush in the south as it has such a variety of birds as opposed to up here, although it is gettting better. The birdlife down around Paringa is unreal, there are grebes on the lake as well as teal, in the bush, keas, kakas, kakarikis, pigeon, tits, fantails, riflemen, wrens.. i love it. I have answered the questions the best i can and i know next year when we come down again i will make sure if we see another one i will make sure i vdeo it and capture as much as i can of this cool bird.

My name is Ron and I am one of a small group of biologists who have been researching the supposed extinct South Island kokako for the past 30 years. It would appear that you may have had an extraordinary experience with a kokako and I can see why you and your son were very excited . To help clear up a few loose ends I wonder if you would be good enough to answer a few questions for me.

1/ Why did you think the bird was a young bird? The way it seemed curious about us, it seemed inquisitive and a little clumsy when it moved around the trees. 2/ How big was the bird? (e.g. compared to blackbird or say a Wood Pigeon) Definitely bigger than a blackbird, but smaller than a wood pigeon. i would say about the same size as a diamond dove( we had them at home in avairies, when i was a kid). In fact their whole body configuration would be similar with a long tail, bout same length as body( say 8 inch body. beak to start of tail and tail about the same length. 3/ Can you describe the movement of the bird? (e.g. did it fly? Hop? or run? When it moved around the tree it ran along the branches then sort of jumped to other branches. 4/ You say that the bird had a curiosity and displayed some antics – can you be a little more specific

2

Yep the curiosity was the way the bird ran along the branch sort of showing off to us, then flew up the tree a short way then back to where it was. 5/ What was the weather like at the time? Weather was overcast, with low cloud cover. 6/ How long in total did you observe this bird for? And what happened at the end of the observation? Probably bout 5 to ten minutes max, then we and the bird both moved off. 7/ You state that you observed the bird for some minutes and observed a black/grey colour. Can you tell me what you noticed about the head of the bird? I didnt get a close look at the head, im sorry and again the reason i thought it was young as i thought the wattles may be more prominent in an adult bird. 8/ Did you have a camera with you? Yes i did and i wish now that i had actually taken some shots, i think i was mesmerised by this bird. 9/ You mentioned the shape of the bird. Can you describe the wings, legs and general shape? The wings were short like say a bellbird or tui and noisy in flight, legs long and set well back towards the tail. 10/ What calls did the bird make and can you describe them? The sounds were like a bellbird i guess very piercing in the bush though and deeper. 11/ Thank you for the G.P. co-ordinates. I have never been on the old Paringa Cattle Track. Could you describe the general area for me e.g. were you in the bush?, near a clearing? I am guessing that you were near the Moeraki River but I have no idea where the track goes, whether it stays in the bush the whole way etc? If you head up from Lake Moeraki towards Lake Paringa the track entrance is clearly marked a couple of kms past the Moeraki Bluff. It is less than an hour down the track that we encountered the bird.The track that we were on had quite thick bush with vines and fern groundcover on the side but the track itself is easy walking with clear track all the way as its a popular hunting track and walking track in summer. 12/ Anything else that you think may be useful?, No I wish i had taken my video camera out that day and recorded this awesome bird, but i guess i will commit it to memory. I wish you guys every success in locating the kokako, here or anywhere else in the south westland area as it is truly a beautiful piece of New Zealand which hasnt been too badly changed over the years. We met hunters there last year who were in their 70's who told us of encounters with kiwi during the day and i can believe it as the birdlife in the bush is very inquisitive and not fearful of man.

Pieter I am sorry if I sound like a “pain in the behind” but we have to be careful when collating data about observations. Would you please be good enough to answer the questions without looking at a book! By all means discuss it with your son but we have to be seen to be not biased or putting words in ones mouth when trying to describe something. Our kokako in the South Island is a different beast to the one found in the North Island. It is normally very shy, mysterious and only calls on rare occasions. Experienced observers often have difficulty getting closer than 50 metres to a bird so perhaps you can now see why I asked so many questions and why your experience was very special. There were a few reports of birds being seen in the Paringa Valley during the 1970’s. We know of birds probably only 10 -20km as the “crow flies” from your observation but because it is adjacent to the main highway we have kept it secret – two birds were heard and one sighted in June 2010 and we plan to go back into the area this coming May or June.. Finally many thanks for your patience with the questions and your foresight in taking the time to seek out our website. The internet has become such a powerful tool in the past few years. In the past observations like yours would have rarely surfaced and could be lost for ever!

Kind Regards Ron

2

KOKAKO REPORT FROM WAIMAHAKA FOREST, MOKORETA, C ATLINS

Phone conversation with Wayne Clare (03 236 8405), 30 March 2011

Location of report: Uncertain until diary found. Known as Waimahaka Forest, southern part of Mokoreta SF. The forestry road was quite high in altitude. Heard and saw unusual birds in dense native forest about 20m from forest edge. A forestry track separated native forest from exotic plantation.

Date, month, time of Report: Uncertain until diary found. At least 3 years ago. Month October. Time of observations between 17:30 and 17:45 hrs.

Descriptions: While near edge of plantation at around 17:30 hrs Wayne heard a loud “eerie tooting” call coming from nearby native forest. He had never heard a bird call like it. On entering the forest about 20 metres in he saw two unusual birds he had never seen before about 4 metres (“12 feet”) away. They were grey in colour, and each was different in size and colour around bill. One had a pink marking around face, not quite as big as a tui. The other was larger and had an apricot colour around its bill. Both birds hung around for about 20 seconds. The larger remained higher up a tree. They had unusual movement. The young one “fell out of a tree, catching branches as it fell” Wayne thought it might be dead but it sprung up and “bounced through branches”. I asked Wayne to describe movements as he could remember them. He said the birds did not fly but rather “Jumped through branches and occasionally fluttered” I asked if the birds made any calls when he got close to them. Wayne said not, but those first eerie calls were organ-like “tootings”. He then described other birds he remembered calling, tui, bellbirds and grey warblers. The birds were quite vocal at that time of day. Falcons were quite common in the general area.

Habitat: Wayne described the forest as very dense. I could relate to that if the area was the Mokoreta Forest, as it is one of the tightest bits of vegetation I have ever set foot in. The trees tend to grow horizontal there, and the understorey is dense. I remember a lot of rata, kamahi, and stunted podocarps too (no beech). Sign of possum and deer was very scarce there 30-35 years ago. This is a clear though distant memory for me as I remember my long day surveying for birds there. The tui had a very kokako-like dialect then, and now perhaps I know the reason why
 Wayne said both possums and deer were present in the neighbouring exotic forests but wasn’t sure if they ranged back far into the native.

Appendix

Emails from observer’s wife, Lisa

              !"# $%%#%#&'%()*+%%  Hi there,  I have just read with interest the article in The Southland Times about the kokako.

My husband works in the forestry and when he was over in a forestry block near Tokanui/Waimahaka be saw a pair of these birds. He was sitting having his lunch when he heard a distinctive call then he noticed one of the birds 'free falling' in a tumbling way out of a tree. This caught his attention and he watched them closely. They were a grey colouring with the blue on their heads. He has seen and heard so many different birds over the years but never these ones, they were distinctive and different.  Regards Lisa Clare  
              !"# $%%#*,$-**)*+%%  Further to my email this morning,  My husband also said that one of the birds had a pink colour around the beak and was the one being silly.

The other bird stayed higher up in the tree and watched. They both had black around their eyes. We are going to go back up to the area where he saw them and take the camera this time. We didn't realise they were rare.  Regards Lisa Clare

Map of possible report locations at southern part of Mokoreta Forest (blue polygons). Red line denotes approximate bird count transect of mine in the 1970s or early 1980s

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- Alec Milne, 15/10/2009

28/11/’05 Partway through a 2 week stint working with rockwren in Hendersen Basin, Kahurangi N.P, I went to survey areas around the head of the Cobb valley that held previous records of them. Mid-morning found me stalking quietly through a small alpine boulder field near the bush-line on the north side of Xenicus. Rounding a large boulder, I had a clear view of a bird I had never seen before. It was 18m away, perched on a slab of rock and I viewed it for approximately 10sec. before it hopped along the slab (2.5m in 5 - 6 hops) and went to ground amongst the boulders and hebes. From the notes I made straight after the sighting, it was “ slatey grey; slightly larger than a Californian quail; tail slightly fanned and semi-erect; orange at the base of its bill; didn’t see any wattles; heard nothing” . I didn’t see how this bird could possibly be a kokako but couldn’t think of anything else fitting the general description. To me, a kokako was a forest dwelling bird with blue wattles, a black face mask and the southern species supposedly extinct.

I slowly retired 100+m from the area where I watched through binoculars for an hour hoping the bird would surface. I had a DoC mountain radio and called a friend who rang Rhys Buckingham to enquire of any kokako sightings in the area but he wasn’t in. I then continued with the rockwren survey, returning after 2 hours to spend a further hour watching the boulder field but could not locate the bird.

Back at Fenella hut I read that south island kokako had yellow wattles. That evening Nick Ledgard ( Canterbury)and Piers McLaren ( a previous ranger for the Cobb) stopped for the night and we discussed the sighting. Returning from my trip a week later, I was very cautious about the sighting and only told our rockwren team and immediate family. Over the following year, every reason I put up as to why the bird could not have been a SIK fell over. They had been seen on the alpine margin; facial masks were variable, wattles often deflated and folded under the lower jaw.I sifted through Australian bird books, looking for possible vagrants but nothing fitted the description. The only part of the puzzle outstanding was the bird’s presentation with tail lightly fanned and semi-erect. Then in June ’07 we visited the Otago museum on a trip south and there was my bird, a SIK specimen presented exactly as seen at Xenicus. I was exultant, the last doubts gone from my mind.

On returning to Golden Bay, I filed a report of the sighting with DoC and some months later followed with a report to the Rare Bird’s Committee of OSNZ.

Rhys Buckingham sent me a tape of juvenile north island kokako calls to try and stimulate a response from the bird but cautioned that I was better off putting effort into birds like rockwren that we still had a chance of saving. I visited the area several times but no response to the tape. Then on 8th march ’08, wondering whether or not this would be the last visit and deciding to leave the tape recorder at Cobb hut because of the blusterous conditions, 3 of us ( Tim Ekert, Jordan Gray and myself) were treated to the most incredible organ notes –loud notes that just hung in the air, that reverberated and echoed in that small alpine valley. It was mid-morning with increasing wind and cloud signalling an approaching front after a period of settled weather. The bird called 4 times over approx. 1 ½ hours, each call a series of 2-3 single or double notes. The calls came from a ½ ha of isolated beech forest 200m from the sighting in November ’05. The area was heavy with alpine berries. Two follow-up trips failed to locate any SIK or hear any recognised kokako calls yet there seemed no reason for the bird to leave the area with the heavy concentration of alpine berry fruit adjacent to the forest. The weather remained clear and settled throughout .During one day, 4 single loud whistles were heard from high in the forest , though no kaka were seen nor their more usual calls heard during 8 days camped at the site. In hind-sight, these whistles were likely from the SIK (having since heard NIK whistles not dis-similar to those heard). On another occasion, a goat was heard calling one evening (this may also have been SIK as discussed later). The frustration of having a bird in a reasonably confined area yet not being able to locate it was palpable- yet that seemed to be the hallmark of SIK, which has frustrated all previous follow-ups of sightings.

An article in our local paper generated interest. A local hunter told me of seeing a bird 3km downstream of the Xenicus bird in 2002. He described it as “bigger than a tui, reminded him of a jackdaw. It ‘bounced’ up a leaning dead tree”. Another hunter contacted DoC to report a probable SIK seen twice up Chaffey’s stream in the Cobb valley ‘93/ ’94.

In January 2009, Jeff and Chris salmon (experienced Golden bay trampers) were entering the headwaters of a neighbouring catchment (Stanley river). While seated having lunch by a prominent rocky outcrop on the alpine margin, they had a clear view of a blue-grey magpie sized bird gliding between patches of forest.

The only bird fitting the description of the ‘bouncing’ bird in the Burgoo, and the Stanley sighting is the SIK. Buller had noted they were more vocal when rain was coming and Rhys Buckingham had mentioned an approaching change after strong anti-cyclonic weather seemed a better time for hearing calls. To this end, my son and I went to the area where the Stanley bird had been seen 10 days after the sighting and just before the next front came through. The front failed before it reached the top of the South Island, a drop in temperature and breeze late afternoon, its only indicators. That evening from 8.30- 9.00p.m we received a repeated strange call in response to the N.I. juvenile kokako tape. It was a ‘flat’ bleat, somewhere between the ‘cark, cark’ of the paradise duck and a bleating goat, coming from 350m away in beech forest.

Returning from the trip I described the strange call to Rhys Buckingham who sent me a sound file of something similar recorded from the tree above him. This justified a second trip to the area so again when the next front came through I returned with Tony Salmon (Jeff and Chris’ son). This time the front came through properly with a full day of rain. Nothing unusual was heard before the rain but over the period of an hour mid-morning after it had cleared, a number of harsh guttural calls (they were not deer or goat) emanated from the same location as the ‘goat-like’ calls of the previous trip.

In April I wanted to further explore the Burgoo catchment. I overnighted at Xenicus and at dawn imitated the goat-like call mentioned above. It received an immediate response of 3 ‘hollow coughs’ from 100-120m away, an area of sparse stunted vegetation and slab rock surrounding the small stream that drained the basin. (The boulder field where the SIK was sighted in ’05 was 300m further up this stream). I searched for 1 ½ hrs but could find nothing. Buller had noted a ‘hollow cough’ from SIK though I did not know this at the time.

These observations are submitted along with those of Peter Rudolf’s to request a reconsideration of the status of south island kokako. Also submitted is a copy of the McBride report which was accepted as the last confirmed sighting of SIK. We believe our reports contain sufficient detail of description, behaviour and vocalisation to confirm the extant status of SIK. The current ‘extinct’ status is misleading and causing poor decision-making from conservation managers. Lessons learnt from a decade of successful NIK management should be applied to areas holding multiple reports of SIK. Despite their cryptic nature, modern technology offers methods of surveying not previously available and assuming a positive population response in managed areas, detection will become easier.

Thankyou for your consideration.

Kokako report, upper Inangahua valley, Reefton March 2007

Location

Upper Inangahua valley, Reefton March 2007 report: description by Len Turner

On 21 March 2007 at 0945 hours Len Turner heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 minutes later he saw at close range (10-15 metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the sides of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange- brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight, and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re-visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after this Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately identification wasn’t possible due to the position of the sun. Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, colour (a light grey), its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3° approx.”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound).” The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations, Peter noted an extensive area of fresh moss grubbing along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than he thought weka would reach. On 23 March 2007, Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus but some of these were made by tui and bellbirds. At 0800 hours, 80m up-ridge from Len’s 21 March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu. After about 20 minutes the bird rustled leaves in the tree. A few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”) though quite soft. Earlier reports

Reports of kokako (calls and sightings) are known from the upper Inangahua River area (G. Boffelman pers. comm. may 1998; H. Trembath pers. comm. October 2000, June 2001). In July 2002 while carrying out five-minute bird counts for GRD Macraes

1 Ltd (now Oceana Gold (NZ) Ltd, Rhys Buckingham heard distinct kokako-like calls including soft, short organ-like calls and found intensive fresh moss grubbing sign very close (c. 200m) to the location of Len’s recent sighting. Ron Nilsson and Euan Kennedy investigated the area in August 2002 but did not encounter kokako or any potential sign other than the moss disturbance. Two year’s later Peter Rudolf reported hearing a kokako-like call while carrying out predator control in the same general area as the recent sighting. Search investigation, April 2007

Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s kokako report between 1st and 3rd April 2007. Len tramped into the site on 2nd April and pointed out the location and described details of the report (as above).

Objective and Methods The objective of the investigation was to positively identify the bird seen by Len on 21 March 2007. Technical equipment carried included a mini DV cam recorder, two digital cameras, DAT and Hi-MD digital recording equipment and Zeiss binoculars. The search involved quietly traversing the report site and vicinity and playing back recordings of juvenile North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako recordings from various locations. These recordings were played very quietly while walking, or at moderate volume during times when recording equipment was set up and running. Cameras were carried (and usually set for instant action) at all times. Listening for calls at dawn and dusk was also carried out.

Results No definitive sign of kokako was found and no kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found within the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. This sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks and being neatly cropped. A weka was filmed pulling out moss but the sign differed in being comparatively rough with clumps of soil pulled out with the moss. In contrast, the unidentified grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss, and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. This sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting.

Discussion South Island kokako have recently been classified as extinct (Hitchmough et al. 2007) due to the lack of confirmed sightings for 45 years. The association of intensive moss disturbance and the presence of South Island kokako was first noted by K. McBride in the mid 1960s (McBride 1981), and subsequently observed during lengthy searches for kokako on Stewart Island and elsewhere from 1983 (Buckingham 1986, 1996).

2 Acknowledgements

I thank Oceana Gold (NZ) Ltd (OGL) for financing the investigation of Len’s report, and Simone Vellekoop (OGL) for advice and logistical support. I thank Mike Bygate for his prompt action in allowing MBC Contracting Ltd staff, Peter Rudolf and Len Turner, to follow up the report immediately after the sighting. Ron Nilsson assisted voluntarily in the subsequent search. I thank Russell Andrews for permission to use his land as access.

References

Buckingham, R. 1986. South Island kokako on Stewart Island (evidence as to their current existence). Unpublished report for New Zealand Forest Service, Invercargill. 14 pp. Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island: A discussion document prepared for the Department of Conservation. Unpublished Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Hitchmough, R.; Bull, L.; Cromarty, P. (Compilers) 2007. New Zealand threat classification system lists 2005. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 194 pp McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount AspiringNational Park. Notornis 28: 255–256.

18/07/2007

3 South Island Kokako – 2007

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

Rainy Creek, Reefton. (Buller)

On 21st March at 0945hrs Len Turner was carrying out predator control work for Oceania Gold Ltd when he heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 min later he saw at close range (10-15metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the side of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange-brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re- visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately identification wasn’t possible due to the position of the sun. Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, colour (a light grey) its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3degrees approx”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound). This kind of flight is characteristic of North Island kokako. The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations Peter noted extensive moss along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than weka could reach. On the 23rd March Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus but some of these were made by tui and bellbirds. At 0800 hrs 80m further up the ridge from Lens 21st March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu tree. After about 20 min the bird rustled leaves in the tree. And few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”) though quite soft. From the 1st-3rd April, Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s report. No kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found in the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. The sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks. The grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. The sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting.

Richard Stocker

From: Rhys [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 9:22 a.m. To: 'rv.stocker' Subject: FW: bird sighting: More on Nina

From: Jim [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, 24 March 2007 1:27 a.m. To: [email protected] Cc: Rhys Buckingham Subject: Re: bird sighting

Hi Peter

Rather than fiddle about, here is my version of events. I ran into a bit of a problem relocating the arrow, but my feeling is that it should be in the vicinity of the spot marked 59 on the map. For convenience, I'll copy this to Rhys too.

Kokako Sighting Report: J L Greeks

At 2 pm on Sunday 4 March 2007 I was returning to my vehicle after fishing the Nina River. I had followed the main track up from the river onto an extensive flat area of scattered, open beech, and had been walking along the track across this plateau for probably not more than 5 minutes when I became aware of a bird leaping away from almost under my feet.

The bird was in motion when I first saw it, at a range of 2 - 3 metres. I had the impression that it had leapt from the ground, rather than from a perch, and it executed a long, low "bound" of probably in excess of 1 metre, rising not more than 30 cms above the ground as best I could judge, which carried it into the scrubby beech to the left of the track.

My momentum and the unexpected nature of the event caused me to overshoot the spot where the bird had disappeared by about 1 ½ paces before I could recover myself. I immediately stepped back and peered into the undergrowth but neither saw nor heard any movement. I did not attempt to follow the bird or enter the scrub.

The bird’s trajectory took it away from the track and my position on it at about a 45 degree angle. There were no clouds at the time and in that area of open bush the light was excellent. Although the moment was brief, I had a clear and unobstructed diagonal view of the creature moving away from me, and the image is etched on my mind.

The most memorable feature was the bird’s colour: a distinctive and uniform blue/grey. I also had the impression of a small darker area in the head area, which I assume was an eye. Because of the bird’s angle away from me, I did not see its beak, and my position looking down on it prevented any view of its feet.

The creature appeared to have its wings partially spread, which gave it a slightly "squat" look. The wings seemed to merge with the body at the rear, and I did not see a tail. What did stand out though was a sense of softness or fuzziness of the feathers covering the centre of the back. While I noticed some definition in the wings, the back feathers looked "downy" and indistinct. 1 I had seen a blackbird on the track not long before and this bird was distinctly larger by about 50%, and clearly smaller than a pigeon. Subsequently, I was asked to compare it to a magpie; I judged it to be slightly smaller.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Jim Greeks 2/75 Golf Road Tahunanui Nelson 7011 ph (03) 5465 117

----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 1:36 PM Subject: FW: bird sighting

<> Jim How does this look? Please modify as appropriate. You will no doubt want to adjust the arrow also.

regards

Peter

Peter Gaze (vertebrate conservation) Department of Conservation, Private Bag 5, Nelson ph 03 546 3161 [email protected]

Attention: This e-mail (and attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged.

2 Possible sighting of South Island kokako

In early March I spoke with Jim Greeks, 2/75 Golf Road, Tahuna, Nelson. He recounted the following details of a bird sighting:

At 2pm on the first Sunday of March 2007 he was walking down the Nina Valley track after a day’s fishing.

Jim was walking back through low scubby vegetation (halfway between riverside campsite and carpark ) when this bird is thought to have left a low perch and hopped/bounded away from him at a 45o angle. It was 1.5 times the size of a blackbird and smaller than a pigeon or magpie.

His overwhelming impression is of the blue/grey colouring. There was something dark about the head, no recollection re wings, tail or legs.

Jim says the bird was heading into denser scrub and unlikely to have flown.

as transcribed by Peter Gaze.

Richard Stocker

From: Rhys [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 9:19 a.m. To: 'rv.stocker' Subject: FW: Kokako report SIGHTING

This relates to the Nina valley report

From: Jim [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, 19 March 2007 11:47 p.m. To: Rhys Buckingham Subject: Re: Kokako report

Hi Rhys

Just back from camping at Totaranui - saw a falcon with prey and heard numerous bellbirds and moreporks, so plenty of avian interest.

Only one point needs clarification in your report. The bird was in motion when I first saw it, at a range of 2 - 3 metres. I had the impression at the time that it had leapt from the ground, and I only saw it for that one strong bound, before my momentum and slowness to react carried me past the spot by about 1 1/2 paces. By then the bird had disappeared into the scrub. I immediately stepped back and peered into the undergrowth but neither saw nor heard any movement. I did not attempt to follow it. On reflection, in light of your comment, I am more than ever convinced that the bird was on the ground when my sudden appearance startled it. The angle of its jump and the distance it covered in unobstructed view would not have been possible if it had been on any sort of perch, which would have required it to be within the edge of the scrub itself. I believe it was on the small margin of open ground between the track proper and the edge of the scrub.

Although the moment was fleeting, the light was excellent and the image is etched on my mind's eye.

I found a telephone message from Ron Nilsson on my return, looking forward to a further call from him.

Good luck with the search. If there are any developments, or even appropriate opportunities to become more involved, I'd love to be kept informed.

Cheers

Jim Greeks

----- Original Message ----- From: Rhys Buckingham To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 6:56 PM Subject: Kokako report

Hi Jim Great to get your report. Have told Ron Nilsson (SIKIT (South Island kokako Investigation team) member)�who like me is keen to follow this up at first opportunity. Please check over my descriptions etc (attached) and make any changes or additions as required. Many thanks Rhys 1

Rhys Buckingham� Wildlife Surveys 42 Aranui Road Mapua 7155 03 540 2365 027 630 6118

Hi Jim Great to get your report. Have told Ron Nilsson (SIKIT (South Island kokako Investigation team) member) who like me is keen to follow this up at first opportunity. Please check over my descriptions etc (attached) and make any changes or additions as required. Many thanks Rhys  Rhys Buckingham Wildlife Surveys 42 Aranui Road Mapua 7155 03 540 2365 027 630 6118

2 Richard Stocker

From: Rhys [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 9:20 a.m. To: 'rv.stocker' Subject: FW: Kokako report Nina valley sighting

From: Jim [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 20 March 2007 1:46 p.m. To: Rhys Buckingham Subject: Re: Kokako report

Hi Rhys

The angle I referred to was the path of the bird's trajectory in relation to the track, ie its line was at about 45 degrees away from the track and my position on it, into the scrub. It executed a long, low bound, probably in excess of a metre but not rising more than about 30cm above the ground as best I can judge. I would have been looking down on the bird's back at rather more than 45 degrees. As I mentioned, because of its angle away from me, I did not get a view of the head, except for an impression of a small area of darker colour there, which could have been an eye. My identification book shows the (allegedly extinct) South Island Kokako with orange wattles, but I saw nothing to suggest that it had any appendages at all.

For some reason your report seems to have lines superimposed on each other, and I have only now made out a reference to matagouri scrub. I think you mentioned that when we were talking. It's only a minor point, but I'm not aware of any matagouri in the area. Most of it appeared to be scrubby regenerating beech and assorted shrubs, species not known.

Regards

Jim Greeks

----- Original Message ----- From: Rhys Buckingham To: Jim Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 7:54 AM Subject: Re: Kokako report

Hi Jim Thank you for this. I cut and paste your description into the report. Was this 45 degree angle mentioned earlier the angle between your eyes and the bird on first sighting or the direction that it took off between the track and the scrub, or the angle in which it bound up from the ground?

I am away for about two weeks but hope to get to the Nina in April (often SI kokako are more vocal in April and May). Ron Nilsson has already visited the site but got a bit of rain. He is very keen to return. Have a good week Cheers Rhys

On 19/03/2007, at 10:46 PM, Jim wrote:

1 Hi Rhys

Just back from camping at Totaranui - saw a falcon with prey and heard numerous bellbirds and moreporks, so plenty of avian interest.

Only one point needs clarification in your report. The bird was in motion when I first saw it, at a range of 2 - 3 metres. I had the impression at the time that it had leapt from the ground, and I only saw it for that one strong bound, before my momentum and slowness to react carried me past the spot by about 1 1/2 paces. By then the bird had disappeared into the scrub. I immediately stepped back and peered into the undergrowth but neither saw nor heard any movement. I did not attempt to follow it. On reflection, in light of your comment, I am more than ever convinced that the bird was on the ground when my sudden appearance startled it. The angle of its jump and the distance it covered in unobstructed view would not have been possible if it had been on any sort of perch, which would have required it to be within the edge of the scrub itself. I believe it was on the small margin of open ground between the track proper and the edge of the scrub.

Although the moment was fleeting, the light was excellent and the image is etched on my mind's eye.

I found a telephone message from Ron Nilsson on my return, looking forward to a further call from him.

Good luck with the search. If there are any developments, or even appropriate opportunities to become more involved, I'd love to be kept informed.

Cheers

Jim Greeks

----- Original Message ----- From: Rhys Buckingham To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 6:56 PM Subject: Kokako report

Hi Jim Great to get your report. Have told Ron Nilsson (SIKIT (South Island kokako Investigation team) member)�who like me is keen to follow this up at first opportunity. Please check over my descriptions etc (attached) and make any changes or additions as required. Many thanks Rhys

Rhys Buckingham� Wildlife Surveys 42 Aranui Road Mapua 7155 03 540 2365 027 630 6118

Hi Jim Great to get your report. Have told Ron Nilsson (SIKIT (South Island kokako Investigation team) member) who like me is keen to follow this up at first opportunity. Please check over my descriptions etc (attached) and make any changes or additions as required. Many thanks Rhys  Rhys Buckingham Wildlife Surveys 42 Aranui Road Mapua 7155 03 540 2365 027 630 6118

2

Rhys Buckingham Wildlife Surveys 42 Aranui Road Mapua 7155 03 540 2365 027 630 6118

3 South Island Kokako – 2007

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Mt Xenicus (N.W. Nelson)

Alec Milne, a Contract Worker for DOC in Nelson was surveying for Rock Wren in the upper Cobb region when he wrote the following email to DOC colleagues. “Mid morning, Sunday 27th November I was stalking quietly thru a small boulder field just above bush-line in a small hanging valley on the north side of Mt Xenicus. Peering around a large boulder, I spied 20m away a uniformly coloured slate grey bird (the grey of a Californian Quail) body size slightly larger than a Californian Quail with some bright orange colouring at the base of its bill. Its tail was semi-erect and lightly fanned. The bird seemed very shy, for though I was mostly concealed and in shadow, it moved off with 5-6 hops along a boulder (approx 2.4m) then onto the ground. The Sighting was only for 10seconds and I never saw it again, despite it being in a relatively confined area that I watched for a further hour. At the time of the sighting I could not make sense of it and later decided the only bird fitting the general description was that of a kokako. Having recently returned from a trip south where I saw S. I. Kokako specimens in both the Otago and Southland museums, I am in no doubt the sighting was of a kokako.”

(2) Glaisnock River (Fiordland)

6th December. Ian Southey in an email to Rhys Buckingham and Chris Caskin. “I have just been talking with Les Gorman who is a long time friend and has been going into Fiordland for decades. He mentioned a strange bird he heard and then glimpsed in the Glaisnock Valley and from the conversation I think it may have been a kokako. It was about an hour and a quarter up from the lake and he could take you to the exact spot. The following is the gist of the notes I took. About 9-30am near the river a persistent call was heard over several minutes that was described as pip-pip-pip …. Repeated about 8 times with a pause of about 15-20 seconds between bursts. Like nothing I’d heard before without a doubt most unusual. After speculating what the bird may be Les sneaked up and got directly below the bird managing to see it briefly as it flew from one tree top to another. It was a fine day and he was in a good position for the light. He describes the bird as a little larger than a tui and particulary noted broad wings, quite dumpy looking. It seems to have been a more or less gliding flight with no wing noise and the colour was a deep grey. The bird was in tall silver beech forest on the river flats maybe 15m from the river and in the top of the tallest tree. Ian Southey went on to say that Les Gorman has been a deerstalker in Fiordland for 30 years, and I have every confidence that he knows his birds well enough to make this report interesting. The suggestion that the bird was a kokako was Ian Southey’s. Les Gorman did not ID as such in fact after finding and hearing N.I. kokako song on the web he considered it unlikely and was asking Ian Southey for other suggestions. Ian Southey could only think of kokako.” Ron Nilsson took a keen interest in this report because the calls showed a similarity to those heard by Moses (Ian) Turnbull in the upper flats of Big River in February 2005.

(3) Rainy Creek, Reefton. (Buller)

On 21st March at 0945hrs Len Turner was carrying out predator control work for Oceania Gold Ltd when he heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before. About 15 min later he saw at close range (10-15metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the side of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange-brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping. Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight and described the flight as clumsy. Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer) and Len re- visited the site. At 1040 hrs very distinctive kokako-like heavy wing beats were heard about 60m from the observers. Soon after Len saw a bird making giant leaps up the trunk of a rimu. Unfortunately identification wasn’t possible due to the position of the sun. Peter didn’t see the bird hopping up the trunk but saw the bird glide off from a branch. Peter identified the bird as a kokako due to its size, colour (a light grey) its wingspan and flight. “The bird did a very shallow glide 3degrees approx”. “As it glided it produced a few intermittent very shallow wing beats (no sound). This kind of flight is characteristic of North Island kokako. The two observers attempted to get a closer view of the bird but were not successful. During these observations Peter noted extensive moss along the forest floor and extending up tree trunks higher than weka could reach. On the 23rd March Peter visited the area alone. Kokako-like calls were heard in the dawn chorus but some of these were made by tui and bellbirds. At 0800 hrs 80m further up the ridge from Lens 21st March sighting, Peter heard a bird moving in the branches of a rimu tree. After about 20 min the bird rustled leaves in the tree. And few minutes later Peter heard 2-3 very soft “contact” calls he described as “Boops”. These calls were similar to North Island kokako contact calls (“tooks”) though quite soft. From the 1st-3rd April, Rhys Buckingham and Ron Nilsson investigated Len Turner’s report. No kokako-like calls were heard. However, extensive moss grubbing sign was found in the vicinity of Len’s sighting and calls. The sign differed from that produced by weka in being found up to two metres above the ground on tree trunks. The grubbing sign comprised of neatly plucked segments of moss and areas of liverwort that appeared to be neatly clipped off at ground level. The sign was estimated to be about two weeks old coinciding with the time of Len’s sighting.

(4) Rai Saddle (N.E. Nelson)

Pauline Earle was travelling between Blenheim and Nelson in early February (approx 0630 hrs) when she observed an unusual bird fly across her vision on the Blenheim side of the Rai Saddle. The bird was blue-grey in colour, larger than a tui, initially flapped (like breast-stroke) then glided into indigenous forest. Definitely grey in colour and no white under parts noted. Wings distinct in the way the feathers fanning out (“fingers on end of wing”) but this latter description given after Pauline looked at books on N.Z. birds (specifically referring to N.I. kokako). Tail not noted. Rhys Buckingham interviewed Pauline, and thought that the mystery bird may have been a kereru, as the white under belly does not always show in flight. There are other kokako reports from the same area.

(5) Nina River (Canterbury)

On the 7th March, Jim Greeks was fishing in the Nina River. On his return to the car park he observed an unusual bird. The bird was blue-grey, 1.5 times larger than a blackbird, leapt off a low perch at 45-degree angle then hopped and bounded along the ground out of sight. It made no inclination to fly. Blue- grey feathers distinctly seen on back. Head seemed darker than the rest of body. Jim did not recall details of the legs or tail, the habitat was broken beech forest, open clearings with matagouri and other shrubs. Jim is a retired “Forester” from the old N.Z. Forest Service and has a fair knowledge of N.Z. birds. He was clearly excited about his observation and came to the conclusion that his mystery bird must have been a kokako.

(6) Lake Kaniere (North Westland)

In early December, Ian McCann a resident of Hans Bay at Lake Kaniere visited Sunny Bight at about 0900 hours on a calm bright sunny morning. Ian’s description is as follows “I have never heard any bird song quite like that of the kokako so I know it was not a tui or bellbird. After I heard it I came home and searched the net for kokako songs and confirmed that it was what I had just heard. At the time I was unaware that there was a separate South Island species. I was just surprised to hear them thinking they were a long way from the North Island. No definitely not anything else. I have never seen or heard kaka here but we do regularly see kea. We have plenty of tui around here including a couple living in a rimu tree in my back yard so I am familiar with them and the local bellbirds, but this was definitely different. Hard to describe really, but I have heard them described as a haunting melody which I would definitely agree with. I don’t know why I didn’t try harder to sight it on the day and when I left it was still singing. If I heard it again today it would be straight home for the camera and the binoculars. I was present for about 10 minutes during which time the calls were quite constant. One bird was definitely very handy, probably within 50-100m and the other was calling back to it from quite a distance, possibly up to a kilometre away. The songs were quite loud and I was amazed to hear the second bird, which as I said was quite a long away back in the bush. Sunny Bight is a bay on the N.W. end of Lake Kaniere and is part of the 8,000ha Lake Kaniere Scenic Reserve. The surrounding bush is undisturbed native rimu and kahikitea forest and contains a large flat area which then slopes up to Conical Hill and Mt Graham”.

(7) Nina Valley (Canterbury)

In the latter days of March, Ron Nilsson and Sue Ross investigated the area where Jim Creek’s sighted a large grey bird that bounded away from him in to the nearby forest. No unusual calls were heard but an area of unusual moss grubbing was found. This grubbing site was unusual in that it was large, 2m x 1.5m and between 2cm x 5cm in depth. The moss appeared to have been pulled and clipped from the base of the “rootlets” There are no weka or feral pigs in this region of Lewis Pass Forest. Ron Nilsson and Jill West returned to the area in early June and again in late August including an overnight stay near the site. No unusual birdcalls were heard but the unusual moss grubbing sites were considered “fresh” and scattered over an area of several hectares. What was of particular interest was that each site had a strategic branch or was placed beneath a matagouri shrub as if a bird needed to escape from predators or intruders. The average site measured 60-75cm x 60cm and was 3 -5cm in depth. Some of the sites were photographed. Jill West and Ron Nilsson returned to the sites in February 2010 but on this occasion the sites had all but disappeared. It was clear that there had been no moss grubbing in the area for at least two years! From: Nigel Brook [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, 19 February 2011 7:03 p.m. To: Ron Nilsson Subject: Re: South Island kokako

Hi Ron, I was lucky to find your email as your computer clock is set to 2005! I am very happy to help with any questions you may ask. This sighting has been discussed at length between myself and my hunting partner, Hunter Shaw, who has been hunting this area for most of his adult life and has not seen or heard a Kokako, to his knowledge. The bird I saw had a distinctive beak which has a slight hook at the end and I thought it was some sort of parrot. The orange wattles at the side of the beak were very distinctive as was the overall color, which I would describe as a purple brown. I As I studied it, I was crossing off the list of birds I knew of, especially in the area and in the end, when it flew off in a looping flight, I was certain that it was not a bird I had seen previously. The time of year, I am actually unsure of, but having discussed this with Hunter, it would have probably have been autumn as this is when I am always in that area. If it wasn't autumn, it would have been spring. I remember the weather as bright high overcast and it was late morning, as I was returning to the hut just keeping abreast of the swamp, on my left. The calls I have heard are always in the Autumn around early April, normally from a distance and just one note. They have been distinctive but rare and although both Hunter and I have listened intently and discussed each call heard, during the last couple of years, I can't say I have heard that same sound. The last time we thought, we may have heard one was about three years ago. Again it was just one note. I hope this is helpful. If you have any more questions or you want to talk to me personally, I am available at: W 03 4775500, H 4542501, M 021395037. Regards, Nigel Brook

On 2/01/2005 10:24 a.m., Ron Nilsson wrote:

Hi Nigel

I am a colleague of Alec Milne who wrote to you recently about your sighting of a kokako in the Back Valley of Manapouri in 2004.

Alec has asked me to email you & ask you one or two questions that you may be able to answer.

In the late 1960’s I was involved with members of the Murrell family at Manapouri and during a short stay had the chance to explore The Back Valley a little so I am aware of its habitat of clearings, swamp, scrub, podocarp & beech forest. I may add that I did not see or hear anything unusual other than lots of deer sign.

Sightings of kokako are very rare – these birds are shy & often it is not possible to get closer than 50 metres –you have been very privileged.

Can you tell me what month you saw the bird? And what time of day? And if possible what the weather was like?

I understand you were stalking deer at the time & moving very quietly. When you saw the bird for a minute or two from approx 30 metres can you remember looking at its head & seeing anything unusual? I gather you looked at it’s general profile which you found different from any other bird you had seen? Why was it so different?

There is a difference between the calls of the North Island & South Island kokako. Generally the North Island bird has a song composed of a number of notes (depends a little @ which area the bird has been recorded from – there are separate dialects) The South Island bird generally does not have song but a series of notes – maybe 2 – 4 notes with the last one often heard in a descending scale – thus the mournful, melancholy notes that us humans interpret. The North Island bird sings fairly readily in it’s habitat while the South Island bird will only call every now and again & sometimes there are long intervals between when loud notes are heard. Also the South Island bird calls more in the early spring months and again in the autumn & sometimes not much in between.

Can you remember when you have heard the calls in the Back Valley? Yes the calls recorded by Rhys Buckingham are indeed the calls of the South Island kokako. Our group aims to increase the variety of calls made by the South Island bird so these can be used for management purposes such as attracting other kokako to within sighting range of our observers.

Thank you for the courage to report your sighting to D.O.C. – the report is of immense interest to my fellow colleagues.

Thank you also for your patience in answering my questions – the South Island bird is not extinct – just bloody hard to obtain data that is irrefutable to those that hold our biological fauna in the palm of their hands.

Cheers

Ron Nilsson

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Ron Nilsson Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 1:55 AM To: ammilne Cc: Rhys Buckingham , Peter Rudolf Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Delete | Show original Folks

Copy for your info

Ron

From: Nigel Brook [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 22 February 2011 11:06 a.m. To: Ron Nilsson Subject: Re: South Island kokako Hi Ron, Thanks for the email. To answer your questions, I guess the first thing that drew my attention was the colour of the bird and then the beak and distinctive orange wattles. I thought the bird similar in size to a Tui or perhaps slightly larger. When I saw the bird, I knew immediately that I had never seen a bird of it's type before. I generally take my camera with me nowadays, so hope I see another one! Regards, Nigel.

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- Show quoted text - -- JNJ International Ltd JNJ Solar Ltd 77 Vogel St Dunedin. Ph/Fax +64 3 4775500 Mob: +64 21 395037 Web:www.jnj-int.com From: Nigel Brook [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, 7 February 2011 5:48 p.m. To: ammilne Subject: Re: South Island Kokako

Hi Alec, Well it took me a while to contact Doc. I think it was probably about 2-3 years and they probably thought I had lost my marbles, but it was definitely a Kokako I saw. I have been walking about in Fiordland for more than 30 years and I have seen many native birds, as would be expected, but I had never seen this particular bird and didn't even know what a Sth Island Kokako looked like. It was only after I described the bird to my friend , who subsequently showed me a picture of one, that I realised what I had seen. There does seem to be a misconception, as to what the Sth Island Kokako's call sounds like, but I do remember seeing a program on TV with a Dunedin guy , Rhys Buckingham, who had what he thought was a recording of one. The sound was unlike the Nth Island Kokako and was really just a very shrill bong like whistle! Most people now days seem to think the Sth Island and the Nth Island birds have the same call or are very similar. I have just listened to the recordings on your website and these are very interesting! If the call that Reece Buckingham recorded is the Sth Island Kokako, then these birds were probably in the Back Valley of Manapouri until very recently , when this haunting call seems to have disappeared. The bird I saw was approx 500 metres north of the back valley hut, right on the edge of the swamp which can easily be seen on Google Earth, where there are quite a few magnificent Kahikatea. This particular bird was sitting quite high in a beech tree and I had a clear view from approx 30 metres. I was hunting for deer, and was moving very quietly and when I saw the bird, I stopped and had a long and hard look. After perhaps a minute, the bird seemed to spot me and flew off with a looping flight, which again had me thinking, as this was really unlike other birds, I had seen. It headed out over the swamp and I didn't see it again. I have, however, seen plenty of possums, ferrets, stoats and even the odd cat in this area! I hope this is helpful. Kind regards, Nigel Brook.

South Island Kokako – 2003

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Lake Kaurapataka, Taramakau River (North Westland)

On 31st March Renee and Jason Leppens heard a full organ-like song believed to be from a kokako was heard early morning coming from the steep south facing slope across the lake from the campsite (NZMG 24033 58237)

(2) Lake Kaurapataka, Taramakau River (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham, Jean and Roly Mulvay searched the area around the south side of Lake Kaurapataka and Lake Creek between 6th – 9th May. On 8th May some very interesting kokako-like calls were heard towards the head of the lake (NZMG 24035 58237) in dense red beech dominant forest. This was the same area where recent reports were known. Unidentified calls from this location occasionally were answered by kokako-like calls from across the lake (approx 24031 58242) where another kokako report was recently received. Tui were also found to make very kokako-like calls in this area though the unidentified calls were louder, of sharper clarity and not associated with typical components of tui song (e.g. “croaks” and “chattering”) On the return from the lake (1123 hrs 9th May) one long kokako was heard soon after playback of N.I. kokako juvenile song at NZMG 24033 58237. This call was quite distant c.300 m towards the outlet of the lake. Immediately after this loud call was heard both tui and bellbird in the vicinity copied the call.

(3) Oparara River (North Westland)

Rhys Buckingham and John Hall-Jones carried out a search for kokako between 11th-14th June along the ridge immediately south of Nimrodel Creek between point heights 406 and 555 (hereafter this ridge is called Nimrodel Ridge) Putative kokako were heard in this area in 1997 and again in 2000. This search focussed on a few specific sites where presumed kokako were heard in the past. These sites were NZMG 24432 60074, 24437 60074 and 24441 60070. From the second of these sites at 1040 hrs on the 13th June a presumed kokako sang (loud organ song) for approx one minute immediately after playing N.I. kokako juvenile call. Despite a determined effort to locate this bird that was estimated to be singing at only 100m from observer, no further sign of the birds presence was found An attempt to record the kokako song was also unsuccessful as no further calling was heard. However, a distant response to imitative “mew” whistles was recorded on minidisk at a nearby site (c.300m away) the day before this call was heard. The signals are too weak to determine the identity of the caller, though the response is clearly kokako-like. A similar response was heard at NZMG 24441 60072 (1225 hrs, 13th June) when a presumed kokako sang a short sequence of loud song immediately after playing juvenile N.I. kokako calls. This song initiated a dramatic vocal response from bellbirds and tui (song copying. increased vocal output and alarm calls) The search subsequently focussed on this locality (13th – 14th June) because the presumed kokako tended to be more consistently responsive to playback. A number of calls were used but the juvenile N.I. kokako appeared to be the most effective in eliciting response. Despite obtaining several kokako-like recordings no loud song was recorded.

(4) Lake Wahapo (South Westland)

Rhys Buckingham investigated the area where Gus Anning sighted a bird in December 2000. At the site on the 24th May at 1150 hrs (NZMS 22890 57687) Rhys made the comment that tui and bellbirds became “excited” after playback making a range of kokako-type calls.

(5) Waiatoto River (South Westland)

From 17th- 22nd May Rhys Buckingham and Jeroen Lurling attempted to follow up recent kokako reports in forest on each side of the Waiatoto River. However the weather and Rhy’s health restricted the effort. At 0900 hrs on 17th May at one report site (NZMG 21757 56857) a presumed kokako was heard calling immediately on arrival (before playback) The call consisted of loud ringing organ notes coming from the canopy within an estimated 50 metres away. Unfortunately, the bird stopped calling by the time recording equipment was in place. However, recordings were made of tui and bellbird song copying that continued for some time after the presumed kokako called. Calls or other sign of kokako were not recorded despite several returns to the area. It was noted that tui and bellbird were not making kokako-like calls a couple of days after hearing the putative kokako. North Island kokako juvenile recordings were played at another report site (NZMG 21713 56805) during mid-morning on 22nd May. Playback had been carried out at a number of locations along the road between Hannah’s Clearing and the Arawhata River that morning but only at this site was a possible kokako heard. A call consisting of a series of long flute notes followed by a sequence of shorter loud “boks” was heard in the distance on the coastal side of the road (Hindley Creek).

(6) Between Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. (South Westland).

Rhys Buckingham investigated the area where Steve Robson and Paul van Klink heard possible kokako in January 2000. On the 24th May, at one site (NZMG 22742 57490) a bellbird made a kokako-like three note call immediately after playback of North Island juvenile calls. Shortly after he heard very kokako-like “bongs” (long flute-like notes) which were immediately copied by bellbirds.

(7) Lake Ellery, Stafford Range, Smoothwater River (South Westland).

From 11th May – 16th May, Ron Nilsson, Kit Nilsson and Rhys Buckingham investigated the above region where a number of kokako reports have reputed to be heard. Presumed kokako were heard at a number of locations, generally as a response to playing digital recordings of juvenile North Island kokako. Sign was not generally found within the extensive forest flat area from the head of the lake to Smoothwater River or the forest flats in the Smoothwater basin but rather on the north-facing slopes of the Stafford Range. In this location podocarps were prominent, particularly miro which was fruiting prolifically. Most of the interesting vocal activity and moss grubbing sign was found in the upper catchments of Smoothwater River, between Pass Spur and the Stafford Range. Rhys had a convincing kokako response on 15th May in the head of the Smoothwater River. This was from a site (NZMG 21581 567780) about 10 minutes walk up a forested gorge from the top of the river flats (NZMG 21583 56783) at 1000 hrs. The playback site was sufficiently away from the stream to avoid excessive river noise. Approximately a minute after playing North Island kokako “mews” three loud, distinctly kokako-like calls were heard from across the river at an estimated location (NZMG 21578 56781). Rhys had descended that slope the previous day and was impressed with the diversity and richness of the vegetation there. The loud organ -like calls had a high degree of clarity unlike any others heard during the search in this area. Immediately after hearing this call, bellbirds became very noisy and some attempted to copy the organ notes. The call was not repeated despite continued playback of North Island kokako calls and other recorded calls. However further kokako-like unidentified calls were heard throughout the morning and early afternoon during a playback transect along Pass Spur. These were 1200hrs (NZMG 21582 56777) a distant organ song heard 80 degrees mag, McArthur Knob direction. At 1400 hrs (NZMG 21581 56771) at organ-like call response after playback and dramatic reaction to playback from other birds. At 1452 hrs (NZMG 21581 56771) a single loud kokako-like flute note heard 290 degrees est, 800m, direction of where the calls were heard at 1000 hrs. On the 16th May at 1052 hrs (NZMG 21603 56761) Rhys reported distant presumed kokako singing from two directions from Standish Ridge and toward Wheeler Spur. On the 14th May, Rhys found fresh moss grubbing sign at two locations approx 1 kilometre apart along the Stafford Range (NZMG 21560 56766) and (NZMG 21560 56776). Two kinds of sign were found – one referred to as “powder puff” and the other as “clipped moss ploughing”. The “powder puff” sign is very conspicuous comprising disc-shaped segments of the tufted moss (Dicranoloma spp) neatly removed from the ground or fallen logs, and often clustered in loose piles. Individual segments were up to 8cm in diameter. Often associated with this sign was a less conspicuous sign where another species of moss (Ptchomnion aciculare) had been disturbed. The moss had been cut near the base presumably by the bill, rather than dislodged from the ground by bill or foot action. Rhys took video photographs of the sign. This type of moss grubbing was found on Stewart Island during the 1980’s A number of kokako searches took place at this time in a number of different valleys throughout Stewart Island.

(8) Long Point (Fiordland)

Joyce Kolk, (0800 376174) from Wairaurahiri Jet mentioned (December 2009) to Ron Nilsson that a Mr Shields from Riverton had a small hut at Long Point between the Waitutu River and the Wairaurahiri River and that he had observed a bird in that vicinity with an orange wattle. There is no other description given nor is it possible to contact Mr Shields at present. This is recorded only as it is an area of high interest.

(9) Turipahi River, Limestone Road (North Westland)

During September, Ron Nilsson and Euan Kennedy joined Rhys Buckingham and Paul Webb for a weekend at Limestone Road. While waiting for the arrival of Rhys, Ron and Euan were attracted by a very loud and distinct double noted kokako-like call from a tree some 50m from the car. The bird was not seen but several minutes later a tui was seen to mimic the notes of the “invisible bird”. The tui notes were less in volume and the tui very obvious to the observers. Later Rhys Buckingham heard on several occasions unidentified birds respond to playback recordings. These were either loud kokako-like calls heard from a distance or kokako-like quiet contact calls (tooking) and wing flapping close to the observer. When close the bird remained mysteriously “invisible” and it is suspected that the bird practises ventriloquism (on one occasion a distinct “tooking” call was heard immediately after loud wing flapping but from a different apparent direction) Paul Webb who was helping Rhys described seeing a bird that fitted well the description of a kokako right at one of the hot spots where kokako-like calls are frequently heard.. Paul saw a grey coloured bird larger than a tui fly (flap) a short distance and disappear into forest. He said the tail; was notably fanned out and pointing down in flight. Its wings were relatively short.

(10) Turipahi River, Limestone Road (North Westland)

In December, John Kendrick and Rhys Buckingham spent several days camped at Limestone Road near one of the probable kokako sites. John Kendrick has spent many years recording North Island kokako and he was mystified by the responses to recordings of presumed South Island kokako. They found that whatever responded to the local recordings made extremely kokako-like calls and appeared to approach without a trace of being visible. Playback of the “yelp” call was particularly exciting as a bird made very kokako-like heavy wing flapping and classic contact “tooks”. Rhys commented that: “no other bird makes these type of calls, but to make these sounds so close and not be seen is uncanny to state that mildly” John Kendrick was convinced that some of the calls he heard could only have been made kokako!

A Search for South Island kokako in the Waitutu Forest Fiordland 10th to 16th April 2010

Ron J Nilsson 80 Domain Terrace, Spreydon Christchurch 8024 Email “kokakodreaming @ paradise.net. n.z.

Personnel

Ron Nilsson (Christchurch), Alec Milne (Takaka), Peter Rudolf (Takaka), Nigel Babbage (Christchurch) Karin Ludwig (Dunedin), Sue Ross (Christchurch)

Background To Search

In recent years there have been a number of unconfirmed reports of kokako-like birds being observed or unusual and distinct calls heard that might indicate the presence of kokako within the Waitutu Forest.

(1) In January 2010, Glenn Brown (Student, Southern Institute of Technology) recorded a single kokako-like note after using a playback recording system of probable South Island kokako to illicit a response. A sonogram of the recorded note proved to be of the same frequency and amplitude as the “Rocky River Call” used during the playback exercise. The recording, was made in unlogged Podocarp Forest approximately 1.5 kilometres west of the Crombie Creek Walkwire.

(2) In January 2009, Joyce Kolk (Wairaurahiri Jets Ltd), observed a large grey bird (smaller than a pigeon) 500 metres downstream of the swing bridge over the Wairaurahiri River. The bird flew in a clumsy flight, was gunmetal grey in colour and flew with its wing and tail feathers spread out.

(3) In April 2009, Mareta Jowett was walking from the top hut on the Hump Ridge down to the Port Craig Hut. When she was approximately 2 hours from the bottom hut in cutover forest she heard a loud clear “haunting” kokako-like call. A week later after spending time on Tiritiri Matangi Island and observing and hearing North Island kokako, Mareta was convinced that the call she heard near Port Craig were definitely kokako-like.

(4) In the year 2003 a Mr Shields of Riverton who built and owns a hut at Long Point is reported to have observed a kokako with orange wattles in the nearby forest.

(5) During the summer of 2000, Johan Groters (Wairaurahiri Jet Ltd) reported that while unloading guests from the jet boat to the Waitutu Lodge, one elderly gentleman remained in the jet boat, while the other guests went ashore for a break. On their return, Johan was questioned by the elderly gentleman as to “what were the two large grey birds with orange wattles in the nearby trees”?

(6) In the summer of 1995, Pete Shaw (ex Northern Te Urewera Restoration Project Manager for DOC) and Gus McAllister visited the upper Angus Burn. During the late afternoon, they played a tape recording of North Island kokako full organ song and were immediately rewarded by hearing a perfect mimic of the broadcast sequence.

(7) During the 1970/1980-time period there are several historical records from New Zealand Forest Service and New Zealand Wildlife Service files of unconfirmed kokako being seen in the unlogged gorge of the Percy Burn.

Summary of Results

Significant calls were heard from an arrangement of “call types” that are known to be made by kokako in the upper regions of the Angus Burn. Mimicry from species e.g. kaka and tui making kokako-like calls along with suitable habitat requirements for kokako in the surrounding gorges put together an area of “high interest” for the Angus Burn in respect to confirming the presence of kokako within this region.

Weather Conditions

A series of N.W. rain bearing fronts affected the area during the search period bringing passing showers and strong winds. This culminated in an active southerly front on the evening of the 15th April bringing hail and snow to low levels on the surrounding mountains.

Area Searched

Unlogged podocarp forest terraces were searched each day during the trip, west of the Wairaurahiri River to Long Point. One day was spent searching cutover forest, east of the Wairaurahiri River as far as the Percy Burn Viaduct. Two days were spent in a field camp adjacent to the Angus Burn Catchments, at Grid Reference E 1146588 N 4864242, and a late afternoon/evening was spent at Mr Shields hut at Long Point.

Methods

Two independent field parties searched different areas on each day. Each party carried with them taped North Island juvenile kokako and putative South Island kokako recordings in a playback system that were used on a regular basis in an attempt to elicit responses from potential South Island kokako assumed to be still present in the Waitutu Forest. Both parties carried with them various sophisticated recording systems which, could be used immediately if a response was received, or used as an automatic recording unit for possible dawn and dusk songbird chorus. Amongst the equipment used were: - Diasonic DDR-5300 shoulder mounted Dictaphone with Sony ECM lapel microphone. - 60cm Parabolic Sound Dish with Sony ECM lapel microphone combined with Sony MZ-N710 Minidisk Recorder. - Sony MZ-R90 Minidisk Recorder and Rode NTG-2 directional condenser shotgun microphone. - Sony TCD-D3 Digital Audio Tape Recorder with Visivox stereo microphone - Sony “Professional” Digital Audio Tape Recorder with Sennheiser shotgun microphone. - SoundCache Terrestrial Automatic Recording Unit with built in omni directional microphones. - Garmin GPSmap 60CS x navigation system.

Results

A number of unusual calls were heard from all members of the party (mostly at dawn) however many of the calls were distant and were not recorded on any recording units. Most calls came from near the campsite on a ridge above the Angus Burn (Grid Reference E 1146588 – N 4864242). The calls were, considered of interest because of their similarity to known calls of the kokako. Three members of this party have had experience in working with the management of North Island kokako. The remaining members have field experience over many years in searching for the South Island kokako. Some mimicry of kokako-like calls were observed by possible tui and kaka and recorded on tape (the source of these calls were not confirmed). This is, noted as a further important area of interest in the confirmation of the presence of South Island kokako. The following is a description of calls considered significant in their quality and clarity to suggest the presence of kokako within the area.

- 12th April, 6.15am (3/4 hour before dawn) Peter Rudolf and Alec Milne heard a loud resonating call estimated to be 400m from camp and appeared to come from the valley floor close to the stream or alternatively may have been closer and the bird may have been tucked under the face of the slope between the ridge and the valley floor. The calls consisted of two “ringing/chinging” notes - .5 seconds long with .1 to .2 second gap between the two notes. The same call was, repeated three times with 5 seconds between each call. The calls had a definite metallic ring to them. At the same time Alec Milne heard the same call from a different site (500+m away up stream and towards the valley floor). He described the call as a loud double ring call – “ring – chinning (2-3 seconds) – short bridging note – chinning”(2-3 seconds). The instant reaction from both men, were that they had just heard a South Island kokako. In past years, mill workers and forestry gangs on the West Coast and in the northern regions of the South Island were familiar with the calls of the kokako, and one call in particular was, likened to the ring of a struck anvil. Unfortunately, recording gear could not be, assembled in time to record these calls on this occasion.

- 12th April, 7.10am, Peter Rudolf heard soft contact calls from a position of 350m above the camp. The calls were approx 50m down the slope from the ridge top at 100 degrees magnetic. Peter recorded in his diary that the calls were similar to soft contact calls made by North Island kokako i.e. “tooks”.

- 12th April, 7.15am, Peter Rudolf played two “mew” calls from a playback system (one soft, one loud) of a North Island kokako juvenile at the same site 350m above the camp. At 7.20am, Peter heard a loud and very resonant double “ringing/flute” note that had an “organ/bong” like quality. This call came from a position of 66 degrees magnetic and 150 – 200m down the steep face to the valley floor. Ten seconds later Peter heard more very resonant loud flute/ like notes from 180 degrees magnetic direction and 150m distant (back towards camp and on top of the ridge). The calls from this apparent “second” bird appeared to be lower in amplitude and appeared to closer to Peter than the first group of calls. Alec Milne was, situated 400 – 500m (~150 metres from Peter) along the ridge, and heard the same sequence of flute-like notes and noted they were similar to those recorded by Rhys Buckingham during the 1980’s on Stewart Island. He called Peter on the radio and asked if he was playing playback recordings at the time. Peter responded with the fact that no playback recordings had been, played since 7.15am. Alec noted that local kaka were, actively calling during this period but the kaka calls were very different to the flute-like calls heard. There also appeared to be no mimicry from the kaka population to the flute-like calls.

- 12th April, 10.40am Peter and Alec heard a series of rapid notes that reminded them of another of Rhys Buckingham’s earlier recordings. Peter thought the calls might have, been made by tui (although no tui calls had been heard that morning). Alec recorded these calls and after analysing these calls sonographically, Peter was inclined to think they might have been kaka in origin. Alec was of the opinion that they were either kokako or tui.

- 13th April, Alec Milne was, situated on the ridge 400m above the camp. At 6.30am, he heard a series of three kaka flute notes as if each kaka was taking a turn to do a morning roll call. These flute notes had no resonance. Shortly after, Alec heard a single note with moderate resonance from a tree only 50m away. This note was, repeated four times and was, answered by the same note twice, this time from somewhere behind him. The kaka in the area did not react to these calls, nor did he hear any normal tui calls in the 1.5 hours spent at the site. He believes the call was either kokako or tui in origin, and noted that the same note was, heard 100m from Glenn Brown’s site on the podocarp terraces 1.5km west of the Crombie Stream, later on the same day.

- 14th April. The entire field team arrived at the Angus Burn at 5pm (not quite dark but raining and cold). At 5.20pm, all members of the team heard a series of three “tooks” within 50m of the camp (Karin Ludwig wrote in her diary “definitely kokako”). At 7pm Alec Milne placed the automatic recording unit (TARU) in a position up the ridge from the camp and along with Peter and Nigel heard a further series of soft contact calls. At 8pm, all members of the team heard again three “tooks” coming from within 50m despite a strong wind blowing, continual rain and a roaring campfire. Alec Milne described the calls as having a chicken/like “duk” quality while Peter Rudolf described them as three soft “tooks” repeated in rapid succession, similar to North Island kokako that he had heard on numerous occasions.

- 15th April. All members of the field team distributed approx 500m along the ridge top in a pre dawn listening watch. At 6.23am, four members heard flute/like notes coming from near the valley floor that were not, considered as kaka in origin. Nigel Babbage was in the best position (300m above the camp site) to hear the call clearly. He described the call as coming from an easterly direction across the valley but lower down towards the valley floor. The call consisted of four notes. The first two notes were identical and the next two notes were in descending scale. The notes were flute/like and sounded similar to North Island kokako calls that Nigel had heard on recorded tape and on the radio. The call of four notes was, repeated in identical fashion after a break of maybe 2-3 seconds. Nigel noted that his watch read 6.23am (and 11 seconds) at the conclusion of the calls. He estimated the total song length to be about 8 seconds long and estimated that the call came from 150-200 metres away. It was not raining at the time and stars were visible through the forest canopy. He heard no response to the call, and noted, no other bird calls until 21 minutes later, when a dawn chorus began of a number of bird species. In his final comment, Nigel wrote; “the call was quite beautiful and I can’t get it out of my head”.

- Approx 2 km west of the Wairaurahiri River (E 1152720 – N4861484) Peter Rudolf and Alec Milne found about six holes in a moss bank and wondered if in fact they were moss grubbing from a kokako. Ron Nilsson investigated the site and found the sign to be inconclusive for kokako grubbing as a blackbird may have just as easily made them. However, the report is significant enough to note, particularly as Peter Rudolf heard strange wing beats only 250m from this site on April 11th.

- All field members spent a number of hours in an area 1.5km west of the Crombie Stream. This area known as “Glenn’s Site” is, situated on an unlogged podocarp terrace and is where Glenn Brown, (Student with the Southern Institute of Technology) recorded a single organ note that may have come from a kokako in January 2010. No, unusual calls were heard, nor were there any responses to the playback system used on a number of occasions over several days by various members of the field teams. Although the immediate vegetation surrounding the site did not appear suitable for kokako, it is possible that this area is on the edge of more suitable kokako habitat. To the north of the site is a gorge of an unnamed stream, less than 1km away, and this area would be well worth a thorough search in the future.

Comments On Native Birds

For the time and effort and the terrain traversed by all field parties, this area of the Waitutu Forest visited was considered to be de-pauper ate of bird life. Of the native species bellbird were, in reasonable numbers, as were fantail, pigeon, tomtit and silvereye. Less common were kaka, tui, brown creeper, kea, morepork and yellow- crowned parakeet. One small group of mohua was, seen in the higher country along with scattered pairs of robin. Of considerable concern, was the fact that no rifleman or grey warblers were seen. Deer numbers appeared high, and pig damage was, noted in a number of places, particularly in the bottom of shallow valley depressions.

Conclusions

Although no kokako were seen, significant calls were heard that were clearly of kokako origin. The most important of these were the “anvil call”, flute like calls with notes in a descending scale, and soft contact notes (“tooks”) from an unknown source often within 50m of observers. Although tui and kaka were present when these calls were heard, there was no obvious mimicry noted from these species. It was as if this was an every day occurrence during a pre dawn and dawn chorus of forest bird species, not something that was, considered extraordinary or different to bird species that may use mimicry as a call type, when hearing something strange.

The valley floor of the Angus Burn gorges is, known to be floristically rich when compared to other areas of the Waitutu Forest. This floodplain forest is characterised by the presence of divaricating shrubs, often in dense thickets. These high fertility sites have a greater range of vascular plant species than do adjoining areas. As an example, about 30 of the 64 species of indigenous, herbaceous, flowering plants of the upper Angus Burn floodplain were not, found in surrounding parts of the Angus Burn catchment (Elliot, G.P.; Ogle, C.C. 1985. Wildlife and wildlife habitat values of Waitutu Forest, Western Southland. Fauna Survey Unit Report No 39. N.Z. Wildlife Service, Wellington). The Angus Burn also ranked highly for abundance and diversity of hardwood shrubs, which were notably absent or in low abundance throughout the lower terraces of the Waitutu. The steep slopes above the gorge, also shelter a number of plant species, which are frequently, browsed by deer elsewhere on the lower wide podocarp terraces. South Island kokako are leaf browsers and berry eaters and such a floristically rich forest as found within the Angus Burn gorges would appear to be optimum habitat for this species in the Waitutu Forest.

This short trip into a small area of the Waitutu Forest revealed the possibility of the presence of South Island kokako. The habitat of the Angus Burn gorges appears to be more than adequate for such a forest species as kokako. In summation, it would appear to be scientifically irresponsible not to further investigate this area in the very near future.

Recommendations

1/ That the Department of Conservation (Invercargill) be approached to take in an automatic recording unit (TARU) when clearing stoat lines on the Angus Burn ridge in June 2010.

2/ That consideration is given to supporting a further trip into the Angus Burn during the spring of 2010. Ideally, this will be after an aerial drop of 1080 poison scheduled by the Department of Conservation for Waitutu Forest in September 2010.

Thanks

This trip would not have been possible without the financial support of Mohua Ltd. In particular we thank Nigel Babbage for his courage, motivation and good humour in supporting a group of volunteers, whose dream is to reinstate the South Island kokako to its proper place amongst other managed endangered forest birds. Thanks to Johan and Joyce of Wairaurahiri Jets for their hospitality and sharing their knowledge of the bush. To Peanut of Waitutu Lodge we thank you for endless cups of tea and finally to all members of the team. They were all unpaid volunteers who gave freely of their time, equipment and energy in field conditions that were often cold and wet. Thanks team. Your efforts were inspirational, always full of great humour even when stuck in wet boggy Waitutu Forest tracks.

Richard Stocker

From: Ron Nilsson [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 9:53 a.m. To: 'Richard Stocker' Cc: 'Rhys Buckingham' Subject: FW: re kokako - Kekerengu Valley

Gentleman.

This is a copy of an email sent to Ainslie Green (owner of Remuera Station) in April 2011. It transpires that Ainslie’s daughter, Marcia Green then aged 13 was riding on horseback along the back boundary of the Station (adjacent to the “Isolated Hill” D.O.C. Reserve) when she observed a kokako fly up from the ground & loop in flight between the trees in January 2000. I never got a reply from Ainslie re this email, nor have I met Marcia (or know of her where abouts)

Ron

From: Ron Nilsson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, 24 April 2011 11:43 a.m. To: 'RJ AE GREEN' Subject: RE: re kokako

Hi Ainslie

My name is Ron and I am one of a small group of biologists who have been researching the South Island kokako for a number of years. Thank you for contacting our website and taking the time to tell your daughters story of her encounter while riding a horse on the back boundary of your property. On a cool winters day in May 2000 you may remember ringing a phone number in Christchurch in response to an article in the “Press Newspaper” written about the continual search for the kokako. The person who spoke to you was me and you may be surprised to learn that your daughter’s (Marcia) encounter was entered on a data base – one of 130+ reports since 1990 to the present day. I did not know your daughters name at the time but I wrote down the date of her experience as January 2000. Many months later, a couple (merino sheep farmers from Springfield – also interested in kokako) visited your property and camped somewhere on the back boundary in a tent. They reported back that they did not hear anything of interest but I suspect that they did not travel very far into the bush.

Marcia may not be an ornithologist by training but she is obviously a very good observer. She apparently observed the bird fly from the ground into the trees, glimpsed the orange wattles and watched the bird loop from tree to tree. My notes at the time stated that she was ADAMANT that the bird she observed was similar to the description of a kokako given in the “The Press” article. Age has little to do with observation – some folk are born with an innate sense of clarity in what they see and hear!

Now! for a little background as to why we are so interested in kokako. They belong to an ancient family of birds found no where else but New Zealand – they first evolved around 30 – 50 million years ago (only kiwi and tuatara are older) they have survived through glaciations and Maori fires but could not cope with the introduction of mammalian predators such as stoats, possums and rats over the past 100 years. Since the early part of the 20th century their numbers have dwindled drastically throughout the South Island to the extent that they were no longer being observed in the bush. The government (D.O.C.) decided in 2004 that they should be declared extinct! A small group of biologists like myself continued to research & look for the birds. We believed they were not extinct because too many people were recounting stories of hearing unusual birds or catching glimpses of them & these observations were from the top of the South Island all the way to the south including Stewart Island – thus the 130+ records since 1990 – I guess it’s a bit like battling for the underdog & proving a point to D.O.C. that “they don’t’ know what they are doing in making the bird extinct”. What we have found out in the past few years is that the bird itself is shy & doesn’t call very often. If it does its just prior to1 dawn and human observers have difficulty in getting closer than 50m. As you can see it’s quite a challenge but for me (and others) there is a moral responsibility to try and retrieve a species that is in need of a helping hand from humans. I was born and bred on a farm but in my professional life I “farmed” some of N.Z. most endangered birds ( Saddlebacks, Black Robin, Kakapo, Black Stilt to name a few) I am now retired and put all my energy into “ having a good go to find a strategy that will work for the kokako”.

There are a number of different sites where kokako still exist today. Some of these a high altitude beech forests where predator numbers are low because of the altitude. Others are adjacent to swamps and wetlands where also the number of predators are also low. A third type of site is where the bush is floristically rich because of the minerals in the soil. We have an area near Charleston in North Westland that is in limestone country less than 100m A.S.L. that up to recently contained at least 4 kokako. I suspect that “Isolation Hill” and it’s 3,000 hectares reserve are also rich floristically because of nearby limestone outcrops.

A long time ago a land valuer from Blenheim called Ian Lyall (a mostly kiwi with a rich Scottish brogue) valued your property. Ian is my brother in law and I remember him remarking about the merits of your property and saying it was “great sheep country with healthy stock” He also commented on the influence of the limestone and suggested that it would be good place to search for rare birds because of it’s plant diversity and isolation.

I have no positive records of kokako in eastern Marlborough (other than Marcia’s observation). In 1916 – 1920 the then Dominion Museum mounted a number of expeditions into the Ure Valley to look for “possible” huia – apparently 5 birds were seen prior to the expeditions taking place. The expeditions did not find huia and I suspect that the 5 birds previously seen were in fact kokako!! I know of no relatively recent trips into Ure Valley where kokako may have been seen. In recent years I have heard rumours of strange bird calls being heard in the lower Clarence Valley by those who have camped there overnight while kayaking down the river but that could mean anything or nothing. In 1975, Geoff Harrow (the man who rediscovered the Hutton’s Shearwater breeding colonies on the Seaward Kaikouras) was tramping down the Hapuka Valley when he heard a very strange bird call. It sounded like the ringing of an old fashioned anvil and we now know this is one of the calls of the kokako! So eastern Marlborough is a bit of a mystery as far as historical records of kokako go.

Magpies are a nuisance and as far as I am concerned the only good magpie is a dead one! Falcons on the other hand are a great bird (except when they kill chooks). They have been around for a few million years and kokako will be very well aware of their presence.

Thank you for the offer of accommodation and a chance to look around. May be we could look at a trip up your way sometime in the late spring. I would like to meet Marcia and ask her exactly where she observed the bird – I bet you she knows the exact spot as I am sure she has played the “observation scenario” many times over in her head. Thank you Ainslie for taking the time to tell your story and I hope the winter of 2011 is kind to Remuera Station.

Cheers

Ron Nilsson

(Phone 03 9426484)

From: RJ AE GREEN [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, 10 April 2011 11:38 p.m. To: [email protected] Subject: re kokako

Hello, I read about you people today in a Forest and Bird publication.I thought i would let you know a story we have about our farm. We live in Marlborough and have done so for thirty odd years.Our farm borders the Isolated Hill reserve.

2 Our daughter was fixated on a lot of things as a child In fact we thought she would turn in to an ornithologist.Chooks were big for her , she had an aviary full of cockatiels, chinese quail, canarys and at one stage she rescued a hawk and kept it in a cage, She knew a lot about birds and read books about them. Later , horses were big in her life and she took to riding round the farm. One day she came home from riding around the farm and described a bird she had seen.It was grey, but not a pigeon.It "looped ' from tree to tree. It was the odd flight pattern that caught her eye more than the colour. We didnt take much notice, other than to recognise that if she said it wasnt a pigeon, then it wasnt a pigeon because SHE would have known.(We as parents werent that interested in birds) We think that there was a sighting of a kokako in the Ure Valley in the 1960s(the Ure Valley being over the hill from here. I am not sure why I think that-I guess i have read it somewhere because it stuck in our minds and we wondered if it was possible that kokako survived in the Reserve(about three thousand hectares). The bird life here is really tremendous although to my horror , magpies have moved in and they need to go.There are lots of bell birds/tuis /pigeons but also lots of native falcons. sometimes we hear birds out on the farm we cant really identify, other twitchers have been here and tell us bell birds and tuis can mimick really well, I am picking the big population of native falcons wouldnt encourage kokakos to survive over the years. This bird was seen by Marcia when she was twelve or thirteen -ish -she is now twenty six(and still nuts about birds and chooks) If you are ever in the area and want to spend some time having a look around -sing out accommodation available in the shearers quarters. Regards Ainslie Green

Remuera Station P.O Box 1 Kekerengu Valley RD 800 Marlborough 7260 NZ ph. +64 3 575 8678 fax. +64 3 575 8679 ======CAUTION: This e-mail and any attachment(s) contains information that is intended to be read only by the named recipient(s). It may contain information that is confidential, proprietary or the subject of legal privilege. This information is not to be used by any other person and/or organisation. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise us immediately and delete this e-mail from your system. Do not use any information contained in it. This e-mail has been virus scanned and cleared by McAfee Security Center ======

3

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57.

Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp.

Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490

Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp.

Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69.

McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256.

Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p.

Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212

Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107.

Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217

Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

South Island Kokako – 2000

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Between Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. (South Westland)

Steve Robson and Paul van Klink (DOC Officers based at Haast) gave the following information to Rhys Buckingham. Calls from two birds that sounded like kokako (known to observers) were heard on 17th January. (NZMG 22744 57491) No description of calls was given! A follow-up investigation on the 19th January found tui making kokako-like calls.

(2) Granville, Duffers Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 19th November, Rhys Buckingham was in the headwaters of the Right Branch of Duffers Creek playing playback North Island juvenile calls. At 1730 hrs in response to playback he heard presumed kokako from three directions. The first were “pipings” from across the valley. He managed to record about 20 seconds of these calls. These calls have been re -mastered by Alan Coukell using Cedar de-noise 12v, 2001 (on C.D. format). The other calls (quite distant) consisted of a long sequence of “bongs” possessing a characteristic resonant and haunting timbre! Kokako-like calls had been heard in all of these localities during previous visits. Two days later on the 21st November, Rhys was exploring the Left Branch of Duffers Creek. At 0945 hrs a possible kokako was seen immediately after playing North Island kokako calls. A large dark coloured bird with a distinctly longer tail proportion compared to the several tui seen at the locality, glided across a small stream in the headwaters of Duffers Creek. The bird appeared to disappear without trace. On closer investigation a relatively large area of recently disturbed moss was at the site where the bird was thought to have landed. Later that day a sequence of very kokako-like organ calls was heard after playing recordings in the vicinity. This area is approx 1.5 to 2 kilometres from the birds heard on the 19th November. The significance of this report is that over this 2 day trip Rhys was able to define sites or localities where at least 4 possible kokako reside????

(3) Granville, Duffers Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 18th November, Ron and Kit Nilsson explored the headwaters of a large unnamed tributary on the right hand side of Duffers Creek approx 1.5 kilometres down stream from the end of the road. The headwaters of this tributary end in a series of small gullies separated by steep spurs and often clothed in a variety of berry producing hardwood shrubs. Ron wrote the following notes “At approx 1830 hours (N.Z. summer time) we were alerted by a loud double noted call from a bird probably located less than 100m on a nearby ridge top. As both Kit and I were traversing a steep gully at the time neither of us could describe the call other than to observe it was different and very loud. Both of us remained still for the next 20 minutes. During this time the bird called 5 times. The calls were spaced evenly during this period and consisted of a note and half of a unique low resonant quality (like blowing across the neck of an empty whiskey bottle). These calls appeared to be travelling up the ridge as each call materialised further along the ridge as if the bird was moving and calling at the same time. At approx 1855 hours we moved from the bottom of the small gully to the ridge top – a distance of some 80 metres. Half way up the slope to the ridge I heard 2 loud distinct wing beats from the same location as the first calls were heard. Kit who was some 40 metres further up the ridge did not hear the wing beats.” This was a classic example of kokako directing their wing flapping and corresponding wing noise as a “threat display” towards an approaching perceived threat. The site of the wing flapping was different from the site where the 5 low resonant calls were heard, giving the suggestion that two birds were present. Also of significance was the fact that two other observers (Euan Kennedy and David Clarkson) were present on the ridge top only approx 200 metres from where Ron and Kit heard the birds. Euan and David reported hearing no kokako-like calls!

(4) Glenroy River (Buller)

In early January, Ron, Kit and Kjesten Nilsson along with Chris Kjelgaard and Terry Aitken tramped from Caves Road across the Rappahannock Saddle to the terrace above the Glenroy River (NZMG 24542 59003). This is where Rhys Buckingham had heard kokako-like calls and glimpsed a bird in November 1996. At dawn the following morning at approx 0530 hrs Ron heard 2 loud but distant flute-like calls from the lower terrace. A search during the day revealed nothing of significance seen but at dusk a single “hollow” note was heard in response to playback calls. The next day considerable moss disturbance was found on fallen logs and on the forest floor. This sign consisted of clipped moss, occasionally dug out from logs but it was as though every fallen log had been visited. The sign was so extensive (several hectares in size) that it was difficult to believe that just a single bird could leave this entire feeding sign? No further kokako calls were heard but a note was made that all forest birds were particularly abundant along these Red Beech terraces.

(5) Oparara River (North Westland)

From 17th to 24th October, Rhys Buckingham, Stephen Bradley and Warren Burgess visited two sites along “Nimrodel Ridge”. At these localities, possible vocal response by kokako to call playback was observed. On one occasion kokako-like wing flapping was heard followed by a brief sighting of a largish bird that “power-glided” in kokako fashion. A further trip to the same area in late November by Andrew Macalister, Gideon Climo and Scott Freeman revealed neither sign nor calls.

(6) Tutuko River (Fiordland)

In January, Fraser Maddigan was tramping up the Tutuko Valley when he heard song he regarded with a high degree of certainty as being kokako about 1 kilometre from the Milford Sound Road. He did not describe the call! Fraser is apparently an experienced ornithologist and has worked with North Island kokako.

(7) Tutuko River (Fiordland)

From 8th – 12th December, Rhys Buckingham, Richard Nicholl, Kirsty Keen and Jeroen Lurling investigated the site where Fraser Maddigan had heard a possible kokako earlier in the year. Rhys wrote, “ Sign of kokako (calls, response to playback, and wing braking) was recorded at this general location (but nowhere else in the valley) in December 2000. As typical of the behaviour of this furtive subspecies, the unidentified “mystery bird” was not seen even when presumed to be close to the observer. The habitat in the lower Tutuko Valley is particularly diverse. Deer appear to be absent there”.

(8) Jackson River / Tupari Bay (Stewart Island)

From 26th November to 6th December, Rhys Buckingham and Shirley Loffhagen investigated sites where kokako-like calls, a brief silhouette sighting, and fresh moss grubbing sign was found in December 1995 and January 1996. Rhys wrote, “The three distinct areas of moss grubbing found in 1995/1996 still showed relatively fresh activity (months rather than years). Near two of these sites and nowhere else during extensive playback coverage, putative kokako were heard to respond to playback of North Island kokako calls. Some of these calls heard were regarded as unmistakable in their likeness to North Island calls.” Previous reports are known from this area particularly in the 1970’s and early 1980’s.

(9) Lake Wahapo (South Westland)

Late in the afternoon of 28th December, Gus Anning (DOC employee?), 2 kilometres north of Lake Wahapo (south of Franz Josef Glacier) observer claimed to have seen a kokako “with its grey coat and black mask and stumped wings fly across the road and up into a large rimu tree heading east from the lake”

(10) Alexander River, Grey Valley (North Westland)

In December, John Reid (DOC employee?) observed a large grey bird (more pigeon than tui size) briefly. The bird took off down slope in a most unusual flight, with wings “cupped”. The observer noted an area of unusual moss grubbing from where the bird took flight. The location was near Bald Hill (Absolum Junction).

(11) Inangahua River (Buller)

Observer Dawn Kennedy who farms in the upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge during the month of October. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since then she has heard the calls in the morning at least up to 20th June 2001. This report was only a few hundred metres above the Gina Boffelman report of two birds seen in December 1997.

South Island Kokako Investigation Rahu

File Bir 0011

I received a phone call from Dawn Kennedy of Rahu area, Reefton, 7328007 25/06/01

She said last year, October she was working in the garden and saw a bird move from a Pittosporum to a cabbage tree in the garden. She said the voice of the bird had made her look up and identified the bird as having two red wattles. I further clarified with her she said the bird had a defined black band around the eyes but the wattles were not as orange as the photo, computer enhanced one I showed her. She also said there was a distinct coloration difference between the wing and the body of the bird. She thought at the time it was a south island saddleback but described it to a friend who said it was a Kokako.

She said the bird has been calling in the morning between 9.00am to 11.00 am when she gets the cows in from across the river, Last time they were in this area was last Wednesday 20th June

Grid reference 222 905 L 30 Reefton.

Of interest is this is the site of two other records

Gina Boffleman 97/ 98 records. Crow Crier N0 5. Another observer same location no year also in Crow Crier NO 5.

Les Vandijk, Raymond Beckford and I carried out a site inspection on the 26/06/01 of the small area of bush near where the cows are being fed. Very few birds present (two magpies) we played a MD of Kokako but didn’t receive any response.

We walked through to the Inangahua swingbridge bush area Grid reference 223 905

A number of Tuis and Bellbirds were present without playing the tape deck some of these birds were making interesting bong noises.

From there we moved across the river to the tailrace and walked along the race several hundred metres. Again, the area was very quite, One Kereru was observed flying through the bush. This hill terrace is predominately beech forest but interspersed with podocarp/ Rimu (making it unusual in the sense that the predominant vegetation type throughout the area is beech forest)

We then spent some time on the North side of the road from the picnic area through the terraced area. Once again a few notes of interest but they were hard to pinpoint and not consistent.

The reason why we were unsuccessful may relate to the following events at the time.

Doc staff working on the swingbridge. Although the bird may be familiar with the 4x4 motorbike any unusual noise could scare it off or make it more secretive.

Morris contracting removing large amounts of gravel from the riverbed directly opposite the roadside carpark again additional noise.

Weather conditions, Dawn said she remembers the bird singing on fine sunny days not consistent with the misty cold morning we encountered.

Time of day we were late in arriving 10.45 am this is the limit of when she said the bird was calling.

Recommendations

This area shows a potential for SI Kokako given the following

3-4 sightings in close proximity to the Inangahua swingbridge over a period of 4-5 years Tuis and bellbirds replicating a sound similar to the Caples valley bong Vegetation type with podocarps in close proximity providing a range of food for Kokako. Not ideal conditions on the day, given Dawns comment.

I suggest we wait until dawn contacts us again or until things have settled again and weather conditions are perfect.

Hugh Trembath Biodiversity Programme Manager Greymouth.

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

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South Island Kokako – 1998

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Oparara River. (North Westland)

Phil Youngson was on a gold panning trip to the Oparara River in October when he stopped at “Adams Clearing”. At approx 2pm, a bird about the size of a magpie glided approx 2m in height over his head for about 10m before disappearing into the foliage. Mr Youngson had enough time to see that the bird appeared almost black or dark blue, had a long tail and had bright yellow marks about its neck. He also reported that the bird made unusual “thumping & squealing” calls.

(2) Charleston, Limestone Road. (North Westland)

Dan MacKinnon of Westport described seeing two unusual birds with throat wattles on a fairly regular basis during the summer of 1998 (from September onwards). He thought that one of the birds (described as having distinct rusty orange wattles) might have been a juvenile because of its “squeakier” calls. The more frenetic movements he described also indicated a juvenile. The other bird seemed to have a blue wattle. The birds were always hard to see or photograph clearly, as they tended to hop about or make short flights in the canopy in thick (secondary) forest. Dan succeeded in obtaining an excellent copy of loud sustained organ song (about 20 seconds) only to lose all his tape copies in a house fire in 2001. Rhys Buckingham and Alistair Macalister did hear the tape of the organ song but were unable to get copies before they were lost in the fire. Allan Coukell (formerly contracted to Radio New Zealand) Ron Nilsson and Euan Kennedy have interviewed Dan MacKinnon and all, are of the opinion that this report is authentic and is one of the most important reports to surface over the past 20 years.

(3) Waiatoto River Lower valley forest flats. (South Westland)

In February D Grose (an experienced overseas Ornithologist) observed through the foliage a bird about the size of a tui, brown-black in colour, with an orange wattle was seen. Visibility was not perfect, binoculars not used and no feather details noted. It should be pointed out that Mr Grose was adamant to DOC Officers that what he saw was a kokako!

(4) Greenstone River (N.W. Otago)

Dave (“Bugs”) Ayers, now with DOC on Stewart Island was deer stalking above the Slip Flat Hut in the lower Greenstone Valley during the month of April. In the late afternoon while searching for deer he spotted a large bird hopping along the ground under the canopy on the edge of a clearing. The bird was smaller than a pigeon and the colour varied a little from a pale olive to a uniform grey. Dave was looking down on the bird from 300 metres with binoculars as the bird picked up pieces of moss as it hopped along. He viewed the bird for at least 5 minutes before it flew up under the canopy and disappeared. Dave had read in a Deerstalker Magazine that kokako had been seen in the valley in earlier years. He had considerable reluctance to tell DOC colleagues about the possible sighting because of ridicule and the reality that the government department that he works for, considered the bird long since extinct!

(5) Copland River (South Westland)

Jan Neale a resident of Okarito, was tramping the Copland Valley in February when she observed a grey bird, about the size of a blackbird seen from only 2 metres away (for a few seconds) on a branch before it flew horizontally towards the river.. The bird was seen only from the back view. No details because of the angle of the view and short duration of the glimpse but the colours were definitely grey. No calls were heard. UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57.

Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp.

Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490

Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp.

Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69.

McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256.

Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p.

Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212

Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107.

Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217

Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

REPORT OF SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO AT TURIPAHI RIVER, CHARLESTON, WEST COAST, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Rhys Buckingham Wildlife Surveys Unlimited August 2004 Introduction

In October 2000 I interviewed Dan MacKinnon at Westport regarding a report of kokako in forested, limestone country near the Tiropahi Valley, Charleston, on the west coast of the South Island, New Zealand (Map 1). During the interview Dan described seeing two unusual birds (usually present together) in spring and summer 1998/1999 that had a distinctive “ghostly” call which he successfully recorded. The recorded call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song (later the recordings were unfortunately lost in a house fire). During the investigation of this report (late summer 2000-winter 2004), several observers have had brief sightings of presumed kokako and/or have heard calls that are probably from kokako. The most recent observations were: • A silhouette sighting by Ron Nilsson followed by calls heard by him and Rhys Buckingham close to the original report location in May 2004 • An unmistakable kokako contact call heard at very close range by Rhys Buckingham in May 2004, approximately 500 metres from the original report location. John Kendrick had described hearing a bird he said was almost certainly a kokako calling intermittently at the same general location as Ron Nilsson’s sighting in December 2003. Given the detail of the original report and the results of ongoing investigations, it is considered that one or two kokako are present in this area. Other reports in the wider locations of the Tiropahi Catchment and coastal Paparoa Range may indicate the presence of scattered remnant kokako populations.

Dan MacKinnon’s report

Dan MacKinnon described the unusual birds he saw intermittently in 1998 as having blue-grey plumage, being larger than a tui, with face wattles (blue on one individual and orange on the other). He considered that one of the birds (with orange wattles) may have been a young bird because of its “squeakier call” and that it appeared much more restless than the other bird. They were typically seen in the crowns of taller trees within cutover forest, hopping from branch to branch and occasionally flying short distances. The birds did not call often, but when they did call the song was rich and “ghostly”. Dan produced a tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song that he said was recorded beneath one of the birds. Unfortunately this tape and copies were subsequently lost in a house fire. Andrew Macalister and I heard the recordings before they were destroyed. We considered that the recorded call was definitely that of kokako having some resemblance to dialect of a Coromandel kokako (from John Kendrick’s collection). The quality of the recording was excellent, and was obtained using an external microphone pointed at the bird singing in the canopy above. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” (Hughes 1981) consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than

1 typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song at a tributary of Tiropahi River, several kilometres from this site (another report is known from this tributary: see below). The birds seen did not appear to be shy or alarmed when approached, or when helicopters flew above, but were nonetheless hard to see or photograph because they were nearly always in the canopy. I was shown some prints but all were too underexposed to show more than a silhouette of forest canopy.

Other reports

Three other reliable kokako reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston within the past decade (Map 1). Two of these reports (one a sighting of two birds) are from the same valley (a tributary of the Tiropahi River). The third report was from the upper Nile River. I have spoken to the observers involved and consider their descriptions to be reliable.

Field investigations

Summary Since 2001 several field trips have been made by experienced ornithologists into Dan MacKinnon’s kokako report site (Map 1 and 2). Initially, little or no evidence of kokako was found, and we could not substantiate the report. However, after 4-5 trips into the area, calls thought to be made by kokako were heard. These included long flute-like notes, “hollow” organ notes and “mews” (the latter identical to North Island kokako call type). During more recent investigations (winter-early summer 2003 and autumn 2004), brief sightings of presumed or possible kokako have been made, on one occasion associated with calls being heard. Full descriptions of these sightings are given below.

Site location and description Map 1 shows the site locations within the Paparoa Range and coastal adjacent hill country. The terrain in the MacKinnon report location is particularly rugged and dangerous on foot, being heavily forested broken limestone country. Away from logged areas (New Zealand Forest Service some 40 years ago, and recent coupe-logging by Timberlands West Coast Ltd), the habitat is virgin podocarp/beech forest, with lush understorey vegetation, climbing plants and epiphytes. The habitat is considered ideal for kokako because of the rich supply of potential food species (e.g. Rhipogonum scandens, Pseudopanax spp., Prumnopitys ferruginea, Coprosma spp). The other report areas, particularly the tributary of the Tiropahi River comprise more extensive unmodified forest habitat.

2 Field methods Regular trips have been made to the Tiropahi area since 2001, with the aim of recording vocalizations and making general observations throughout different seasons. Temporary routes using forestry cruising tape have been established for logistical and safety reasons. Searching for kokako in area has involved listening to/recording dawn and dusk chorus’s, quietly investigating the area on foot armed with a small portable video camera (Canon 400i™), and playing recorded calls and recording vocal responses. Recordings were made with digital recorders (Philips DCC™, Sony DAT™ or Sony Minidisc Walkman™) using various stereo microphones often seated in a parabolic dish. A hide was set up where some unusual moss grubbing sign was found.

Results Kokako have not been confirmed present in the area since Dan MacKinnon’s reported sightings and song recording. However, evidence for the presence of one or two kokako in the area has accumulated with observations of unconfirmed sightings, calls, and wing flapping, often after playing back North Island kokako (juvenile) calls. In 2003, Paul Webb described seeing a bird that fitted well the description of a kokako right at a location where kokako-like calls were frequently heard. Paul saw a grey bird described as larger than a tui, fly a short distance and disappear into forest. He said the bird’s tail was notably fanned out and pointed down in flight, and its wings were relatively short. The flight was somewhat laboured (wing flapping noted). My sighting of bird flapping across road. And more recently at almost the same site, Ron Nilsson’s silhouette sighting. Calls of presumed kokako were heard occasionally, with the main period of vocal activity occurring between late July and December (observations for 2002 and 2003). A variety of calls were heard/recorded from July 2002, including loud flute or organ-like calls and “yelping” (usually heard at a distance) and soft contact calls (“mews”, “tooks” “hollow” notes or “soft song”). Specific calls appeared to be very seasonal (e.g. “mews” only heard in late winter and “tooks” only for a short period during spring). Loud unidentified calls were usually very short (a couple of notes) and infrequently repeated. These calls were typically copied by tui and/or bellbirds, indicating that the original call was unusual. It was noted that these songbirds often repeatedly copied unidentified calls, but that song convergence was confined to localized areas, and was very seasonal. The “yelp” call is very unusual resembling tui when heard at a distance and kaka when heard closely. Good recordings of this call have been made but the source has not been identified. The rarely heard “hollow” notes equated with Charlie Douglas’s description of a South Island kokako call: “…the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle” (Pascoe 1957). This call is as much a vibration as a sound, being extremely low-pitched, and hauntingly resonant. The loud flute notes were unusual in that the notes were very long (several seconds), slightly tremulous, and rarely repeated. “Mews” were heard only in one general location during July 2002. They were identical to that of North Island kokako. The “tooks” were also like North Island kokako calls and were heard regularly only during a short period in spring 2003. They were often repeated

3 for long periods (e.g. up to 30 minutes), at very close range, but could not be sourced. Perhaps the most convincing call was a soft bubbling contact call (soft song) heard nearby on two occasions. On the first occasion (Winter 2003) the call (which was recorded) was clearly a response to playing North Island kokako juvenile song, while on the more recent occasion (May 2004) the call was heard directly above my head after I stopped for a few minutes trying to source a “nut cracking” noise. Ironically, despite months of investigative searching, loud song similar to that recorded by Dan Mackinnon was heard clearly only on one occasion (April 2004). This was a very short sequence of about 3-4 notes, delivered during a period when songbirds in general were very quiet. The location was only a few hundred metres from where Dan MacKinnon recorded the kokako in 1998. Immediately after hearing this call, tui and bellbirds began calling excitedly in the vicinity, attempting to copy the original call. The one consistent observation made when a presumed kokako call was heard at close range was that the source could not be located. In contrast, tui or bellbird making unusual calls (believed to be imitations of kokako calls) were usually easy to locate. There seems no doubt that the bird making the suspect calls deliberately hides making its detection extremely difficult. On a few occasions heavy wing flapping, very similar to that made by North Island kokako, was heard and on one occasion a loud wing-braking noise was heard. These sounds were generally heard after playing back recordings of North Island kokako or putative South Island kokako calls. During July/August 2002 and again during late July to September 2003, playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako (particularly juvenile calls) produced immediate response from an unidentified caller presumed to be a South Island kokako. Imitative “mew” whistling also produced similar response. After local recordings of possible kokako calls were obtained, vocal response was also noted, but unfortunately not to the extent of confirming the bird responsible for the calls. At other times of the year (summer, autumn, and early winter), presumed kokako appear to be very quiet and largely unresponsive to call playback or imitative “mews”. While near all search effort has been concentrated at Dan MacKinnon’s report site and neighbouring hill country forest, two trips in 2002 were made outside this area in the general location of other kokako reports in the Nile and Tiropahi catchments. No evidence of kokako was found on these one-off trips.

Discussion The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001), though there is still doubt as to the existence of this subspecies. Early descriptions of the behaviour of South Island kokako are varied. Some early accounts describe South Island kokako as tame and confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913; Smith 1888), while others accounts indicate that they were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), and adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). Guthrie-Smith (1925: pages 102-103), who made a determined effort to find South Island kokako in

4 southern Stewart Island early last century, described the difficulties of finding kokako even in places where they were reported to be common. By reviewing both early and recent literature on South Island kokako, it is apparent that this subspecies may have always been elusive and relatively quiet, except perhaps in areas where they were common, or at times of the year when they were vocal. Buller (1892) stated that his captive South Island kokako produced a variety of calls, some of which could be mistaken for tui. Douglas in Pascoe (1957) indicated that South Island kokako were not generally known as a songbird but produced very few notes of a very sweet and mellow tone. Washbourn (1933) was surprised that such a large bird had a very quiet call. The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako may thus not only relate to their rarity but also to their quieter and more unpredictable vocal habits than North Island kokako. The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. Perhaps given this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. It is significant that the range of calls heard on recent investigations correspond with calls believed to be made by kokako in other search areas (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). This supports documented evidence that South Island kokako produce a range of distinct calls that are usually short in duration and number of notes, and rarely produce longer calls (such as recorded by Dan MacKinnon) that are unmistakably similar to those of North Island kokako.

Recommendations Several options are recommended to help detect and manage kokako in this area. The first group of options concerns the improvement of detection methods, while the second group of options focuses on management of the subspecies. There is some overlap between groups of options.

A. Improving detection methods • Train juvenile North Island kokako as song birds to lure South Island kokako. • Use hides and camouflage clothing/paint at strategic localities in this area. I suspect individual kokako may approach closely but become wary of visible observers. • Synchronize playback of calls by observers at different locations to simulate calling of a population of kokako (Gideon Climo, pers. comm.). This method may result in sustained calling by kokako if present in the area.

B. Management options • Undertake integrated pest management for stoats, rats, possums and goats in this area. Predator control would increase the chances of successful breeding of kokako should pairs be present in this area. Control of goats (that are relatively common in this area) would improve the habitat for kokako.

5 • Attempt to capture kokako using mist nets or other form of trap. Future management of this subspecies will require an assessment of gender, and size of populations. Captured birds need to be radio-tagged and banded, and subsequently monitored. A provisional management plan needs to be prepared to outline and discuss goals, objectives, methodologies and outcomes. • Considerations need to be made regarding the release of radio-tagged female North Island kokako, and subsequently monitoring potential breeding attempts with South Island kokako.

References Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island: A discussion document prepared for the Department of Conservation. Unpublished Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Buckingham, R.; Macalister, A. 2001. Kokako 2000: results of a search for South Island kokako carried out between October 2000 and January 2001. Unpublished report. 21 pp. Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57. Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp. Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490 Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp. Hughes, A.J. 1981. The vocal dynamics of the North Island kokako. Unpublished MSc. thesis. Department of Zoology, University of Auckland. Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69. McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256. Pascoe, J. 1957. “Mr Explorer Douglas”: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 pp. Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212 Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217 Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

6 Charleston Kokako Miscellaneous notes

Recent South Island kokako report: Charleston, Buller district. Buckingham 2002 (September 2002). 5 pp.

In 2000 I received a South Island kokako report from Dan Mackinnon (Westport) who described seeing two kokako and hearing their distinct calls on several occasions in September 1998 and during the following summer in rugged, forested, limestone country near Charleston, Buller District, West Coast. His general description was of blue-grey birds, larger than a tui, with face wattles (blue on one individual and orange on the other). Dan produced an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song that he claimed was recorded beneath one of the birds. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost recently in a house fire.

Since Dan’s report I have made several investigations of the area. On two recent searches (1-2 and 28-29 August 2002) I heard and digitally recorded calls I believe to be of South Island kokako, thus backing up the original report. At least one presumed kokako responded vocally on several occasions to playback of recordings of North Island kokako juvenile calls and putative South Island kokako recordings. Unfortunately the unidentified bird remained too distant to obtain good recordings of calls, or a sighting.

Report detail and remarks I interviewed Dan MacKinnon at Westport in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in spring and summer 1998/1999, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of a call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any North Island kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a song of a Coromandel kokako. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” (Hughes 1981) consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako is known; see below).

Dan had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile.

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2001, and we were impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and recent field trips into the area where I heard and digitally recorded presumed kokako calls (see below).

Other reliable kokako reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen independently by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from a tributary of Tiropahi River. Another report was from the upper Nile River. I have spoken to the observers involved and consider their descriptions to be highly probable. I have searched in the Tiropahi area without success, though the habitat is ideal in terms of floristic diversity and forest structure.

Report investigation I have made several short trips into Dan MacKinnon’s kokako report site. During my recent investigations (1-2 and 28-29 August 2002) I heard calls of presumed kokako, mainly heard at distances estimated over 400m. These were loud calls with components resembling kokako song that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). Occasionally I heard closer, low frequency “hollow” notes like Charlie Douglas’s description of a South Island kokako call: “…the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle” (Pascoe 1957). The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and began about 5 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs on 2 August and 0630 hrs on 29 August 2002). These calls were more or less identical to a range of calls known at other areas where kokako are believed to be present (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001).

During August 2002, playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako (particularly juvenile calls) and an unidentified kokako-like call recorded at Rocky River in 1987 produced immediate response from an unidentified caller presumed to be a South Island kokako. Imitative “mew” whistling also produced similar response. Approximately 310 minutes of digital recordings were made, and these show this response as well as song copying by tui and bellbirds. Unfortunately, the unidentified caller did not approach close enough to obtain good recording levels. Some of the “hollow whiskey bottle” notes were recorded, but care need to be taken in identifying the source as tui can produce almost identical copies of the original call. This note is only unmistakable when the caller is close to the observer or microphone. Then the call is as much a vibration as a sound, being extremely low-pitched, loud, and hauntingly resonant (pers. obs; see Douglas in Pascoe 1957). Classic North Island kokako “mews” were heard after the recording equipment was dismantled. Other calls included long flute-like notes, piping notes, and harmonic double notes. Long sequences of notes (i.e. loud song as recorded by Dan Mackinnon) were not heard.

The terrain in the report location is particularly rugged and dangerous, being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako. However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). Early descriptions of the behaviour of South Island kokako are varied. Some early accounts describe South Island kokako as tame and confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913; Smith 1888), while others accounts indicate that they were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), and adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). Guthrie-Smith (1925: pages 102-103), who made a determined effort to find South Island kokako in southern Stewart Island early last century, described the difficulties of finding kokako even in places where they were reported to be common. By reviewing both early and recent literature on South Island kokako, it is apparent that this subspecies may have always been elusive and relatively quiet, except perhaps in areas where they were common, or at times of the year when they were vocal.

Buller (1892) stated that his captive South Island kokako produced a variety of calls, some of which could be mistaken for tui. Douglas in Pascoe (1957) indicated that South Island kokako were not generally known as a songbird but produced very few notes of a very sweet and mellow tone. Washbourn (1933) was surprised that such a large bird had a very quiet call. The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako may thus not only relate to their rarity but also to their quieter and more unpredictable vocal habits than North Island kokako.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous.

It is significant that the range of calls heard on the recent investigations correspond with calls believed to be made by kokako in other search areas (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). This supports documented evidence that South Island kokako produce a range of distinct calls that are usually short in duration and number of notes, and rarely produce longer calls that are unmistakably like those of North Island kokako (as Dan MacKinnon recorded).

Recommendations Several options are recommended to help detect and manage kokako in this area. The first group of options is aimed at improving detection processes while the second group of options is focussed on management of the subspecies. There is some overlap between groups of options. I recommend the first action should be B1, and address other options later.

A. Improving detection processes

1. Train juvenile North Island kokako as song birds to lure South Island kokako.

2. Use of hides at strategic localities in this area. I suspect individual kokako may approach closely but become wary of visible observers.

3. Use high quality digital recording gear and video cameras.

4. Synchronised playback of calls by observers at different locations to simulate calling of a population of kokako (Gideon Climo, pers. comm.). This method may result in sustained calling by kokako if present in the area.

5. Encourage a Masters or PhD student to carry out a study of songbird vocalisations in this area. The characteristic reaction of songbirds to unidentified calls in this area is dramatic, thus a wealth of potential data could be recorded. Such a study would necessitate large amounts of survey time thus increasing the chance of obtaining unequivocal evidence and improved detection techniques.

B. Management options

1. Undertake integrated pest management for stoats, rats, possums and goats in this area. Predator control would increase the chances of successful breeding of kokako should pairs be present in this area. Control of goats (that are relatively common in this area) would improve the habitat for kokako.

2. Attempt to capture kokako using mist nets or other form of trap. Future management of this subspecies will require an assessment of gender, and size of populations. Captured birds need to be radio-tagged and banded, and subsequently monitored. Prior decisions of action require to be made (i.e. in situ release, translocation, captive breeding).

3. Considerations need to be made regarding the release of radio-tagged female North Island kokako, and subsequently monitoring potential breeding attempts with South Island kokako. References

Buckingham, R.P. 1996. South Island kokako: further evidence of remnant populations in the South Island and on Stewart Island: A discussion document prepared for the Department of Conservation. Unpublished Wildlife Surveys No. 3 report. 24 pp. Buckingham, R.; Macalister, A. 2001. Kokako 2000: results of a search for South Island kokako carried out between October 2000 and January 2001. Unpublished report. 21 pp. Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57. Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp. Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490 Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp. Hughes, A.J. 1981. The vocal dynamics of the North Island kokako. Unpublished MSc. thesis. Department of Zoology, University of Auckland. Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69. McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256. Pascoe, J. 1957. “Mr Explorer Douglas”: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 pp. Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212 Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107. Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217 Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

September 2002

Rhys Buckingham 42 Aranui Road Mapua NELSON 7155

03 540 2365 [email protected]

Update on developments concerning the search for South Island kokako: July/august 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

1. In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

2. Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

3. Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

4. Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57.

Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp.

Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490

Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp.

Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69.

McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256.

Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p.

Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212

Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107.

Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217

Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

Buckingham & Macalister2001. Kokako 2000: results of a search for South Island kokako carried out between October 2000 and January 2001. Final draft 21 pp.

Other reports During the survey several other reports of kokako were received as a result of media, response to the website, or from casual enquiries. One of the most encouraging was a report of sightings and calls heard in densely forested limestone country inland from Charleston on the West Coast. Three independent reports of kokako being seen or heard within the last seven years were known from this area. One of the observers (Dan MacKinnon) successfully obtained a good quality recording of song, which was considered by the authors to be unmistakably of kokako (similar to North Island kokako song, with unusual tui-like timbre). Unfortunately all copies of this recording were recently lost in a house fire. Three short trips were made into this area between late October 2000 and March 2001. The only vague sign of kokako recorded was a single unidentified response to playback of North Island kokako calls near one of the report sites. Given the authenticity of these reports, and the ideal habitat in this locality, return visits will be made during 2001 and 2002.

From Wildlife Surveys 2003. Search for South Island kokako, West Coast May-June 2003. 28 pp (digital version)

Very recently, after early drafts of this report were completed, major progress in trying to detect South Island kokako has been made in the Tiropahi (Four Mile) Valley area near Charleston. An investigation of Dan MacKinnon’s convincing kokako report in 1998 (Appendix 3) has resulted in obtaining high-quality digital recordings of putative kokako calls from this area, and a possible recent sighting. On several occasions in September 2003 an unidentified bird responded to playback of these recordings by either making kokako-like loud calls in the distance or kokako-like quiet contact calls and wing flapping close to the observer. When close, the bird remains mysteriously “invisible” and it is suspected that the bird practises ventriloquism (on one occasion a distinct “tooking” call was heard immediately after loud wing flapping but from a different apparent direction).

From nznature.co.nz site: Gone Bush

Charleston where Dan MacKinnon recorded a long sequence of kokako song a few years ago has got so compelling that I am hardly in civilisation these days to answer emails or keep this message board updated. Me and Luke got pretty close to birds last week each of us getting a glimpse of grey, and an ear-full of ghost. The name "grey ghost" is absolutely appropriate for South Island kokako. But they are out there, more than a handful I might add. And soon the proof will be lodged on video film, if we can remove the mask from our extraordinary wraith.

From nznature.co.nz site: Return to Charleston

A music festival at my hometown Mapua Labour weekend is tempting, but the weather maps are too good for the West Coast to miss the opportunity of a return to Charleston. On the last trip Paul Webb described seeing a bird that fitted well the description of a kokako right at one of the hot spots where we frequently hear kokako-like calls. Paul saw a grey coloured bird a bit larger than a tui fly (flap) a short distance and disappear into forest. He said the tail was notably fanned out and pointed down in flight. Its wings were relatively short. If the bird sees you first you don't seem to have a chance as they hide so well. Just now they are making soft contact calls (we call "tooking") indicating that they may be breeding. They can "took" around you for half an hour or more without being seen. Sometimes you even hear the distinct wing flapping. The ultimate "grey ghost" of the New Zealand forest. We have identified four-five calling areas which could mean five to ten birds present. We are waiting in anticipation for any sign of youngsters. Then we may hear some song and see some dance.

But possum sign is quite abundant so we fear that breeding may be a no no. Anyone who may be able to help with a predator control program in this area please let us know!

Thank you David Clarkson, Euan Kennedy, Ron and Kit Nilsson, and Paul Webb for your help last week.

From nznature.co.nz site: September 2003

SIKIT (South Island Kokako Investigation Team) are on the verge of a very big celebration after years of effort, with the crucial help from sponsors (particularly Ecologic Foundation and Maruia Nature Catalogue) numerous volunteers and people who give us the reports to follow up. Recent dramatic progress has been possible after purchasing a quantity of appropriate (in fact remarkable) field audio equipment. Missing out in recording some convincing kokako calls in May and June prompted me to do something about updating the audio gear. Not having a huge capital to work from, SIKIT took the risk and bought microphones through eBay! The little stereo Visivox mikes designed for minidisc recorders had good reviews so we opted for those. Then I bought a stereo video Sima microphone to fit our Canon miniDV camera. Both microphones are far better than I could have hoped, even outmatching a professional Nakamichi shotgun mike for our purpose.

With these lightweight microphones I was able to get several brilliant recordings of putative kokako in the Charleston area where Dan MacKinnon recorded loud kokako song in 1998 (and subsequently lost all his tapes in a house fire).

Since returning from this area last Sunday I have been very busy day and night editing out the good calls for playback, calls to pass on for expert opinion, and call sequences to analyse by sonograph. One of the calls is loud enough and convincing enough to hopefully get on this web site. A very long tremulous double-note. Sounds amazing when I play it back through my portable system, and hope the bird thinks so too when we return this coming weekend!

On the last trip, the sneaky bird (I call "the mad piper") must have answered the calls I had successfully recorded from its neighbour "the yelper", came close, (even flapped its wings once), kept well hidden until the last half hour when I started packing up the mikes. Luckily I kept one mike going and the bird called close to it, when I was down packing up the other recording set.

It appears that the common calls South Island kokako make are so much like tui or kaka that they would be missed by most ornithologists. Confounding the situation even more, tui, kaka and even bellbirds copy kokako calls, but under most circumstances these more common songbirds can be seen. The presumed Charleston kokako calls have a slightly different timbre and are considerably louder volume than tui. But the fun begins when you play the recorded mystery calls back and get answers in the form of kokako call-types coming (if close) from an "invisible" bird. This is very suspicious, but of course not yet conclusive that our mystery bird is a kokako.

With time and patience we will get that video film of our “grey ghost”. But the bird is so cagey we can't expect sudden miracles unless DoC and/or OSNZ experts come to our help and blanket the area with mist nets. Alternatively I have sourced two options for remote video surveillance. But this will cost money that we will have to find from somewhere.

In the meantime I am organising a party of SIKIT to help me this coming weekend and early next week at the kokako site. We will play back the locally obtained recordings and hope the grey ghost comes out of hiding in a flurry of wings and wattles. So watch this space closely!

A huge thank you to our supporters, and also to Jon Enoch of Visivox Audio Technologies Canada for producing the most incredible little mikes and pre-amps that have revolutionised our search.

From nznature.co.nz site: Progressing further

Although the rainy season on the West Coast is in full swing, there are gaps of fine weather in which the SIKIT team race off to Charleston, now the main focus of the kokako search. Since successfully obtaining good quality loud recordings of unidentified calls, excitement levels have dramatically risen. For a mysterious bird replies to these recordings by either making kokako-like calls at a distance or approaching closely as indicated by loud wing flapping and contact calls almost identical to those made by North Island kokako. But unlike the northern cousin, this South Island grey “ghost” bird lives up to its reputation by remaining “invisible” in a most uncanny way.

On a recent trip to the Charleston area well-known ornithologist John Kendrick, who has spent many years recording North Island kokako, was mystified by the responses to our recent recordings, presumed to be of South Island kokako. Critical independent assessment of the situation is important and encouraged. Playback of our local recordings may lead to the breakthrough we have been hoping for.

We thank the many other experts for comments on our recordings and particularly Don Merton who organised further sponsorship for the search. Our immediate task is to set up a hide and try and photograph the ghost bird after playing recordings. If this method doesn’t work we may have to purchase or hire appropriate video surveillance equipment to track our quarry.

We also want to encourage DoC to undertake predator control in the area, and investigate the use of live traps or mist nets to catch the ghost bird (and subsequently monitor using radio transmitters).

Our progress to date would not have occurred without the report from Dan MacKinnon who in 1998 described seeing, and hearing the calls of two strange birds with wattles, and obtaining an excellent-quality recording of full loud song (subsequently lost in a house fire). Although we have not had this luck yet we hope to get more typical kokako recordings in the near future. It appears that South Island kokako are comparatively quiet and rarely make the loud organ-like calls of the North Island kokako (an observation made by some of our pioneer ornithologists such as Walter Buller and Charlie Douglas).

From nznature.co.nz site: Winter Approaches: Text for kokako message board, 15 April 2004

A combination of inclement weather and busyness has deterred me from venturing to the kokako areas over the last two months. But I did manage a field trip on behalf of DoC and Forest and Bird looking for the endangered rock wren along the mountain ranges at the back of Golden Bay, in Kahurangi National Park, north west Nelson. The rock wren is a small bird with a short tail that has a distinctive habit of bobbing up and down. It lives above bushline amongst rockfalls or boulders usually where there are patches of shrubs. I only found one wren where there were numerous previous reports, so indications are that these birds too might be seriously threatened. They can be very elusive, but not anything as secretive as South Island kokako.

In the next month I hope to get an interested team together to return to Charleston and flush out our grey ghost. The cool change of weather should have got the kokako's voice box tuned up making life for us crazy crow-hunters a little easier. Surely this time we may be lucky!

Incidentally, I made a quick trip to the area last month and heard a short version the distinct organ call of our quarry, the same kind of call that Dan MacKinnon tape recorded in 1998. Immediately after hearing this out-of-the-blue call, the local tui went crazy trying to copy some of the notes. The big question in my mind is WHY this mysterious kokako should be so quiet and reluctant to call when it has such an incredible voice that would wipe out in any competition the best flute player in the world!

Basically we need help, a massive amount of help, to save this phenomenal songster from extinction.

Recordings from Charleston, 2002-2003:Expert Opinion

CALL TYPE Jansen Elliott Eason Moorhouse Flux Kendrick “contact” Goat or Goat or Kokako Interesting n/c Kokako kokako kokako “piping” n/c Unsure Interesting Tui or Probably bellbird kokako “yelps” n/c Unsure Interesting n/c Unsure

Overall Impressed Goats Unlikely None Convinced comments with don’t kaka if of calls with quality of generall doesn’t suggest “goat” recordings y call respond to kokako contact from local calls call treetops

Don Merton also heard the recorded calls and our evidence, and was very helpful in finding us sponsorship and recommended as I do that predator control (targeting stoats, possums and rats) be undertaken at Charleston area asp.

“Goat” call heard clearly after playback of NI kokako juvenile. Appeared to come from canopy a short distance away, and close to microphone. A quiet call possessing a degree of “richness” and a distinctly kokako-type contact call. Not at all sounding like a goat at the time. Graeme Elliott told me later that the general feeling among the group (Paul Jansen, Don Merton, Daryl Eason, Ron Moorhouse, Kath Walker and Graeme Elliott) was that this recorded call was in all probability from a kokako.

Presumed kokako respond to local calls (particularly “yelp” call) either by calling loudly at distance or approaching with quiet calls or wing flapping. However to hear these sounds so close and not to see the source is uncanny to say the least.

From computer file. Opinion after playing recordings 2 October, 2003.

Recordings from Charleston, 2002-2003: Expert Opinion

CALL TYPE Jansen Elliott Eason Moorhouse Flux Kendrick “contact” Goat or Goat or kokako Interesting n/c Kokako kokako kokako “piping” Unsure Unsure Interesting Tui or Probably bellbird kokako “yelps” Unsure Unsure Interesting n/c Unsure

Overall Impressed Goats Unlikely None Convinced comments with don’t kaka if of calls with quality of generall doesn’t suggest “goat” recordings y call respond to kokako contact from local calls call treetops

On a recent trip with John Kendrick we found that whatever responded to our local recordings made extremely kokako-like calls and appeared to approach without a trace of being visible. Playback of the “yelp” call was particularly exciting as a bird made very kokako-like heavy wing flapping and classic contact “tooks” which in my experience no other bird makes. But to make these sounds so close and not to be seen is uncanny to state that mildly.

A second file, created same day (2/Oct. 2003)

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

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Charleston Kokako Miscellaneous notes

Recent South Island kokako report: Charleston, Buller district. Buckingham 2002 (September 2002). 5 pp.

In 2000 I received a South Island kokako report from Dan Mackinnon (Westport) who described seeing two kokako and hearing their distinct calls on several occasions in September 1998 and during the following summer in rugged, forested, limestone country near Charleston, Buller District, West Coast. His general description was of blue-grey birds, larger than a tui, with face wattles (blue on one individual and orange on the other). Dan produced an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song that he claimed was recorded beneath one of the birds. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost recently in a house fire.

Since Dan’s report I have made several investigations of the area. On two recent searches (1-2 and 28-29 August 2002) I heard and digitally recorded calls I believe to be of South Island kokako, thus backing up the original report. At least one presumed kokako responded vocally on several occasions to playback of recordings of North Island kokako juvenile calls and putative South Island kokako recordings. Unfortunately the unidentified bird remained too distant to obtain good recordings of calls, or a sighting.

Report detail and remarks I interviewed Dan MacKinnon at Westport in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in spring and summer 1998/1999, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of a call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any North Island kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a song of a Coromandel kokako. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” (Hughes 1981) consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako is known; see below).

Dan had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile.

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2001, and we were impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and recent field trips into the area where I heard and digitally recorded presumed kokako calls (see below).

Other reliable kokako reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen independently by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from a tributary of Tiropahi River. Another report was from the upper Nile River. I have spoken to the observers involved and consider their descriptions to be highly probable. I have searched in the Tiropahi area without success, though the habitat is ideal in terms of floristic diversity and forest structure.

Report investigation I have made several short trips into Dan MacKinnon’s kokako report site. During my recent investigations (1-2 and 28-29 August 2002) I heard calls of presumed kokako, mainly heard at distances estimated over 400m. These were loud calls with components resembling kokako song that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). Occasionally I heard closer, low frequency “hollow” notes like Charlie Douglas’s description of a South Island kokako call: “…the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle” (Pascoe 1957). The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and began about 5 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs on 2 August and 0630 hrs on 29 August 2002). These calls were more or less identical to a range of calls known at other areas where kokako are believed to be present (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001).

During August 2002, playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako (particularly juvenile calls) and an unidentified kokako-like call recorded at Rocky River in 1987 produced immediate response from an unidentified caller presumed to be a South Island kokako. Imitative “mew” whistling also produced similar response. Approximately 310 minutes of digital recordings were made, and these show this response as well as song copying by tui and bellbirds. Unfortunately, the unidentified caller did not approach close enough to obtain good recording levels. Some of the “hollow whiskey bottle” notes were recorded, but care need to be taken in identifying the source as tui can produce almost identical copies of the original call. This note is only unmistakable when the caller is close to the observer or microphone. Then the call is as much a vibration as a sound, being extremely low-pitched, loud, and hauntingly resonant (pers. obs; see Douglas in Pascoe 1957). Classic North Island kokako “mews” were heard after the recording equipment was dismantled. Other calls included long flute-like notes, piping notes, and harmonic double notes. Long sequences of notes (i.e. loud song as recorded by Dan Mackinnon) were not heard.

The terrain in the report location is particularly rugged and dangerous, being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako. However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). Early descriptions of the behaviour of South Island kokako are varied. Some early accounts describe South Island kokako as tame and confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913; Smith 1888), while others accounts indicate that they were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), and adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). Guthrie-Smith (1925: pages 102-103), who made a determined effort to find South Island kokako in southern Stewart Island early last century, described the difficulties of finding kokako even in places where they were reported to be common. By reviewing both early and recent literature on South Island kokako, it is apparent that this subspecies may have always been elusive and relatively quiet, except perhaps in areas where they were common, or at times of the year when they were vocal.

Buller (1892) stated that his captive South Island kokako produced a variety of calls, some of which could be mistaken for tui. Douglas in Pascoe (1957) indicated that South Island kokako were not generally known as a songbird but produced very few notes of a very sweet and mellow tone. Washbourn (1933) was surprised that such a large bird had a very quiet call. The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako may thus not only relate to their rarity but also to their quieter and more unpredictable vocal habits than North Island kokako.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous.

It is significant that the range of calls heard on the recent investigations correspond with calls believed to be made by kokako in other search areas (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). This supports documented evidence that South Island kokako produce a range of distinct calls that are usually short in duration and number of notes, and rarely produce longer calls that are unmistakably like those of North Island kokako (as Dan MacKinnon recorded).

Recommendations Several options are recommended to help detect and manage kokako in this area. The first group of options is aimed at improving detection processes while the second group of options is focussed on management of the subspecies. There is some overlap between groups of options. I recommend the first action should be B1, and address other options later.

A. Improving detection processes

1. Train juvenile North Island kokako as song birds to lure South Island kokako.

2. Use of hides at strategic localities in this area. I suspect individual kokako may approach closely but become wary of visible observers.

3. Use high quality digital recording gear and video cameras.

4. Synchronised playback of calls by observers at different locations to simulate calling of a population of kokako (Gideon Climo, pers. comm.). This method may result in sustained calling by kokako if present in the area.

5. Encourage a Masters or PhD student to carry out a study of songbird vocalisations in this area. The characteristic reaction of songbirds to unidentified calls in this area is dramatic, thus a wealth of potential data could be recorded. Such a study would necessitate large amounts of survey time thus increasing the chance of obtaining unequivocal evidence and improved detection techniques.

B. Management options

1. Undertake integrated pest management for stoats, rats, possums and goats in this area. Predator control would increase the chances of successful breeding of kokako should pairs be present in this area. Control of goats (that are relatively common in this area) would improve the habitat for kokako.

2. Attempt to capture kokako using mist nets or other form of trap. Future management of this subspecies will require an assessment of gender, and size of populations. Captured birds need to be radio-tagged and banded, and subsequently monitored. Prior decisions of action require to be made (i.e. in situ release, translocation, captive breeding).

3. Considerations need to be made regarding the release of radio-tagged female North Island kokako, and subsequently monitoring potential breeding attempts with South Island kokako. References

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September 2002

Rhys Buckingham 42 Aranui Road Mapua NELSON 7155

03 540 2365 [email protected]

Update on developments concerning the search for South Island kokako: July/august 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

1. In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

2. Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

3. Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

4. Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

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Buckingham & Macalister2001. Kokako 2000: results of a search for South Island kokako carried out between October 2000 and January 2001. Final draft 21 pp.

Other reports During the survey several other reports of kokako were received as a result of media, response to the website, or from casual enquiries. One of the most encouraging was a report of sightings and calls heard in densely forested limestone country inland from Charleston on the West Coast. Three independent reports of kokako being seen or heard within the last seven years were known from this area. One of the observers (Dan MacKinnon) successfully obtained a good quality recording of song, which was considered by the authors to be unmistakably of kokako (similar to North Island kokako song, with unusual tui-like timbre). Unfortunately all copies of this recording were recently lost in a house fire. Three short trips were made into this area between late October 2000 and March 2001. The only vague sign of kokako recorded was a single unidentified response to playback of North Island kokako calls near one of the report sites. Given the authenticity of these reports, and the ideal habitat in this locality, return visits will be made during 2001 and 2002.

From Wildlife Surveys 2003. Search for South Island kokako, West Coast May-June 2003. 28 pp (digital version)

Very recently, after early drafts of this report were completed, major progress in trying to detect South Island kokako has been made in the Tiropahi (Four Mile) Valley area near Charleston. An investigation of Dan MacKinnon’s convincing kokako report in 1998 (Appendix 3) has resulted in obtaining high-quality digital recordings of putative kokako calls from this area, and a possible recent sighting. On several occasions in September 2003 an unidentified bird responded to playback of these recordings by either making kokako-like loud calls in the distance or kokako-like quiet contact calls and wing flapping close to the observer. When close, the bird remains mysteriously “invisible” and it is suspected that the bird practises ventriloquism (on one occasion a distinct “tooking” call was heard immediately after loud wing flapping but from a different apparent direction).

From nznature.co.nz site: Gone Bush

Charleston where Dan MacKinnon recorded a long sequence of kokako song a few years ago has got so compelling that I am hardly in civilisation these days to answer emails or keep this message board updated. Me and Luke got pretty close to birds last week each of us getting a glimpse of grey, and an ear-full of ghost. The name "grey ghost" is absolutely appropriate for South Island kokako. But they are out there, more than a handful I might add. And soon the proof will be lodged on video film, if we can remove the mask from our extraordinary wraith.

From nznature.co.nz site: Return to Charleston

A music festival at my hometown Mapua Labour weekend is tempting, but the weather maps are too good for the West Coast to miss the opportunity of a return to Charleston. On the last trip Paul Webb described seeing a bird that fitted well the description of a kokako right at one of the hot spots where we frequently hear kokako-like calls. Paul saw a grey coloured bird a bit larger than a tui fly (flap) a short distance and disappear into forest. He said the tail was notably fanned out and pointed down in flight. Its wings were relatively short. If the bird sees you first you don't seem to have a chance as they hide so well. Just now they are making soft contact calls (we call "tooking") indicating that they may be breeding. They can "took" around you for half an hour or more without being seen. Sometimes you even hear the distinct wing flapping. The ultimate "grey ghost" of the New Zealand forest. We have identified four-five calling areas which could mean five to ten birds present. We are waiting in anticipation for any sign of youngsters. Then we may hear some song and see some dance.

But possum sign is quite abundant so we fear that breeding may be a no no. Anyone who may be able to help with a predator control program in this area please let us know!

Thank you David Clarkson, Euan Kennedy, Ron and Kit Nilsson, and Paul Webb for your help last week.

From nznature.co.nz site: September 2003

SIKIT (South Island Kokako Investigation Team) are on the verge of a very big celebration after years of effort, with the crucial help from sponsors (particularly Ecologic Foundation and Maruia Nature Catalogue) numerous volunteers and people who give us the reports to follow up. Recent dramatic progress has been possible after purchasing a quantity of appropriate (in fact remarkable) field audio equipment. Missing out in recording some convincing kokako calls in May and June prompted me to do something about updating the audio gear. Not having a huge capital to work from, SIKIT took the risk and bought microphones through eBay! The little stereo Visivox mikes designed for minidisc recorders had good reviews so we opted for those. Then I bought a stereo video Sima microphone to fit our Canon miniDV camera. Both microphones are far better than I could have hoped, even outmatching a professional Nakamichi shotgun mike for our purpose.

With these lightweight microphones I was able to get several brilliant recordings of putative kokako in the Charleston area where Dan MacKinnon recorded loud kokako song in 1998 (and subsequently lost all his tapes in a house fire).

Since returning from this area last Sunday I have been very busy day and night editing out the good calls for playback, calls to pass on for expert opinion, and call sequences to analyse by sonograph. One of the calls is loud enough and convincing enough to hopefully get on this web site. A very long tremulous double-note. Sounds amazing when I play it back through my portable system, and hope the bird thinks so too when we return this coming weekend!

On the last trip, the sneaky bird (I call "the mad piper") must have answered the calls I had successfully recorded from its neighbour "the yelper", came close, (even flapped its wings once), kept well hidden until the last half hour when I started packing up the mikes. Luckily I kept one mike going and the bird called close to it, when I was down packing up the other recording set.

It appears that the common calls South Island kokako make are so much like tui or kaka that they would be missed by most ornithologists. Confounding the situation even more, tui, kaka and even bellbirds copy kokako calls, but under most circumstances these more common songbirds can be seen. The presumed Charleston kokako calls have a slightly different timbre and are considerably louder volume than tui. But the fun begins when you play the recorded mystery calls back and get answers in the form of kokako call-types coming (if close) from an "invisible" bird. This is very suspicious, but of course not yet conclusive that our mystery bird is a kokako.

With time and patience we will get that video film of our “grey ghost”. But the bird is so cagey we can't expect sudden miracles unless DoC and/or OSNZ experts come to our help and blanket the area with mist nets. Alternatively I have sourced two options for remote video surveillance. But this will cost money that we will have to find from somewhere.

In the meantime I am organising a party of SIKIT to help me this coming weekend and early next week at the kokako site. We will play back the locally obtained recordings and hope the grey ghost comes out of hiding in a flurry of wings and wattles. So watch this space closely!

A huge thank you to our supporters, and also to Jon Enoch of Visivox Audio Technologies Canada for producing the most incredible little mikes and pre-amps that have revolutionised our search.

From nznature.co.nz site: Progressing further

Although the rainy season on the West Coast is in full swing, there are gaps of fine weather in which the SIKIT team race off to Charleston, now the main focus of the kokako search. Since successfully obtaining good quality loud recordings of unidentified calls, excitement levels have dramatically risen. For a mysterious bird replies to these recordings by either making kokako-like calls at a distance or approaching closely as indicated by loud wing flapping and contact calls almost identical to those made by North Island kokako. But unlike the northern cousin, this South Island grey “ghost” bird lives up to its reputation by remaining “invisible” in a most uncanny way.

On a recent trip to the Charleston area well-known ornithologist John Kendrick, who has spent many years recording North Island kokako, was mystified by the responses to our recent recordings, presumed to be of South Island kokako. Critical independent assessment of the situation is important and encouraged. Playback of our local recordings may lead to the breakthrough we have been hoping for.

We thank the many other experts for comments on our recordings and particularly Don Merton who organised further sponsorship for the search. Our immediate task is to set up a hide and try and photograph the ghost bird after playing recordings. If this method doesn’t work we may have to purchase or hire appropriate video surveillance equipment to track our quarry.

We also want to encourage DoC to undertake predator control in the area, and investigate the use of live traps or mist nets to catch the ghost bird (and subsequently monitor using radio transmitters).

Our progress to date would not have occurred without the report from Dan MacKinnon who in 1998 described seeing, and hearing the calls of two strange birds with wattles, and obtaining an excellent-quality recording of full loud song (subsequently lost in a house fire). Although we have not had this luck yet we hope to get more typical kokako recordings in the near future. It appears that South Island kokako are comparatively quiet and rarely make the loud organ-like calls of the North Island kokako (an observation made by some of our pioneer ornithologists such as Walter Buller and Charlie Douglas).

From nznature.co.nz site: Winter Approaches: Text for kokako message board, 15 April 2004

A combination of inclement weather and busyness has deterred me from venturing to the kokako areas over the last two months. But I did manage a field trip on behalf of DoC and Forest and Bird looking for the endangered rock wren along the mountain ranges at the back of Golden Bay, in Kahurangi National Park, north west Nelson. The rock wren is a small bird with a short tail that has a distinctive habit of bobbing up and down. It lives above bushline amongst rockfalls or boulders usually where there are patches of shrubs. I only found one wren where there were numerous previous reports, so indications are that these birds too might be seriously threatened. They can be very elusive, but not anything as secretive as South Island kokako.

In the next month I hope to get an interested team together to return to Charleston and flush out our grey ghost. The cool change of weather should have got the kokako's voice box tuned up making life for us crazy crow-hunters a little easier. Surely this time we may be lucky!

Incidentally, I made a quick trip to the area last month and heard a short version the distinct organ call of our quarry, the same kind of call that Dan MacKinnon tape recorded in 1998. Immediately after hearing this out-of-the-blue call, the local tui went crazy trying to copy some of the notes. The big question in my mind is WHY this mysterious kokako should be so quiet and reluctant to call when it has such an incredible voice that would wipe out in any competition the best flute player in the world!

Basically we need help, a massive amount of help, to save this phenomenal songster from extinction.

Recordings from Charleston, 2002-2003:Expert Opinion

CALL TYPE Jansen Elliott Eason Moorhouse Flux Kendrick “contact” Goat or Goat or Kokako Interesting n/c Kokako kokako kokako “piping” n/c Unsure Interesting Tui or Probably bellbird kokako “yelps” n/c Unsure Interesting n/c Unsure

Overall Impressed Goats Unlikely None Convinced comments with don’t kaka if of calls with quality of generall doesn’t suggest “goat” recordings y call respond to kokako contact from local calls call treetops

Don Merton also heard the recorded calls and our evidence, and was very helpful in finding us sponsorship and recommended as I do that predator control (targeting stoats, possums and rats) be undertaken at Charleston area asp.

“Goat” call heard clearly after playback of NI kokako juvenile. Appeared to come from canopy a short distance away, and close to microphone. A quiet call possessing a degree of “richness” and a distinctly kokako-type contact call. Not at all sounding like a goat at the time. Graeme Elliott told me later that the general feeling among the group (Paul Jansen, Don Merton, Daryl Eason, Ron Moorhouse, Kath Walker and Graeme Elliott) was that this recorded call was in all probability from a kokako.

Presumed kokako respond to local calls (particularly “yelp” call) either by calling loudly at distance or approaching with quiet calls or wing flapping. However to hear these sounds so close and not to see the source is uncanny to say the least.

From computer file. Opinion after playing recordings 2 October, 2003.

Recordings from Charleston, 2002-2003: Expert Opinion

CALL TYPE Jansen Elliott Eason Moorhouse Flux Kendrick “contact” Goat or Goat or kokako Interesting n/c Kokako kokako kokako “piping” Unsure Unsure Interesting Tui or Probably bellbird kokako “yelps” Unsure Unsure Interesting n/c Unsure

Overall Impressed Goats Unlikely None Convinced comments with don’t kaka if of calls with quality of generall doesn’t suggest “goat” recordings y call respond to kokako contact from local calls call treetops

On a recent trip with John Kendrick we found that whatever responded to our local recordings made extremely kokako-like calls and appeared to approach without a trace of being visible. Playback of the “yelp” call was particularly exciting as a bird made very kokako-like heavy wing flapping and classic contact “tooks” which in my experience no other bird makes. But to make these sounds so close and not to be seen is uncanny to state that mildly.

A second file, created same day (2/Oct. 2003)

REPORT OF SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO AT TURIPAHI RIVER, CHARLESTON, WEST COAST, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Rhys Buckingham Wildlife Surveys Unlimited August 2004 Introduction

In October 2000 I interviewed Dan MacKinnon at Westport regarding a report of kokako in forested, limestone country near the Tiropahi Valley, Charleston, on the west coast of the South Island, New Zealand (Map 1). During the interview Dan described seeing two unusual birds (usually present together) in spring and summer 1998/1999 that had a distinctive “ghostly” call which he successfully recorded. The recorded call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song (later the recordings were unfortunately lost in a house fire). During the investigation of this report (late summer 2000-winter 2004), several observers have had brief sightings of presumed kokako and/or have heard calls that are probably from kokako. The most recent observations were: • A silhouette sighting by Ron Nilsson followed by calls heard by him and Rhys Buckingham close to the original report location in May 2004 • An unmistakable kokako contact call heard at very close range by Rhys Buckingham in May 2004, approximately 500 metres from the original report location. John Kendrick had described hearing a bird he said was almost certainly a kokako calling intermittently at the same general location as Ron Nilsson’s sighting in December 2003. Given the detail of the original report and the results of ongoing investigations, it is considered that one or two kokako are present in this area. Other reports in the wider locations of the Tiropahi Catchment and coastal Paparoa Range may indicate the presence of scattered remnant kokako populations.

Dan MacKinnon’s report

Dan MacKinnon described the unusual birds he saw intermittently in 1998 as having blue-grey plumage, being larger than a tui, with face wattles (blue on one individual and orange on the other). He considered that one of the birds (with orange wattles) may have been a young bird because of its “squeakier call” and that it appeared much more restless than the other bird. They were typically seen in the crowns of taller trees within cutover forest, hopping from branch to branch and occasionally flying short distances. The birds did not call often, but when they did call the song was rich and “ghostly”. Dan produced a tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song that he said was recorded beneath one of the birds. Unfortunately this tape and copies were subsequently lost in a house fire. Andrew Macalister and I heard the recordings before they were destroyed. We considered that the recorded call was definitely that of kokako having some resemblance to dialect of a Coromandel kokako (from John Kendrick’s collection). The quality of the recording was excellent, and was obtained using an external microphone pointed at the bird singing in the canopy above. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” (Hughes 1981) consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than

1 typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song at a tributary of Tiropahi River, several kilometres from this site (another report is known from this tributary: see below). The birds seen did not appear to be shy or alarmed when approached, or when helicopters flew above, but were nonetheless hard to see or photograph because they were nearly always in the canopy. I was shown some prints but all were too underexposed to show more than a silhouette of forest canopy.

Other reports

Three other reliable kokako reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston within the past decade (Map 1). Two of these reports (one a sighting of two birds) are from the same valley (a tributary of the Tiropahi River). The third report was from the upper Nile River. I have spoken to the observers involved and consider their descriptions to be reliable.

Field investigations

Summary Since 2001 several field trips have been made by experienced ornithologists into Dan MacKinnon’s kokako report site (Map 1 and 2). Initially, little or no evidence of kokako was found, and we could not substantiate the report. However, after 4-5 trips into the area, calls thought to be made by kokako were heard. These included long flute-like notes, “hollow” organ notes and “mews” (the latter identical to North Island kokako call type). During more recent investigations (winter-early summer 2003 and autumn 2004), brief sightings of presumed or possible kokako have been made, on one occasion associated with calls being heard. Full descriptions of these sightings are given below.

Site location and description Map 1 shows the site locations within the Paparoa Range and coastal adjacent hill country. The terrain in the MacKinnon report location is particularly rugged and dangerous on foot, being heavily forested broken limestone country. Away from logged areas (New Zealand Forest Service some 40 years ago, and recent coupe-logging by Timberlands West Coast Ltd), the habitat is virgin podocarp/beech forest, with lush understorey vegetation, climbing plants and epiphytes. The habitat is considered ideal for kokako because of the rich supply of potential food species (e.g. Rhipogonum scandens, Pseudopanax spp., Prumnopitys ferruginea, Coprosma spp). The other report areas, particularly the tributary of the Tiropahi River comprise more extensive unmodified forest habitat.

2 Field methods Regular trips have been made to the Tiropahi area since 2001, with the aim of recording vocalizations and making general observations throughout different seasons. Temporary routes using forestry cruising tape have been established for logistical and safety reasons. Searching for kokako in area has involved listening to/recording dawn and dusk chorus’s, quietly investigating the area on foot armed with a small portable video camera (Canon 400i™), and playing recorded calls and recording vocal responses. Recordings were made with digital recorders (Philips DCC™, Sony DAT™ or Sony Minidisc Walkman™) using various stereo microphones often seated in a parabolic dish. A hide was set up where some unusual moss grubbing sign was found.

Results Kokako have not been confirmed present in the area since Dan MacKinnon’s reported sightings and song recording. However, evidence for the presence of one or two kokako in the area has accumulated with observations of unconfirmed sightings, calls, and wing flapping, often after playing back North Island kokako (juvenile) calls. In 2003, Paul Webb described seeing a bird that fitted well the description of a kokako right at a location where kokako-like calls were frequently heard. Paul saw a grey bird described as larger than a tui, fly a short distance and disappear into forest. He said the bird’s tail was notably fanned out and pointed down in flight, and its wings were relatively short. The flight was somewhat laboured (wing flapping noted). My sighting of bird flapping across road. And more recently at almost the same site, Ron Nilsson’s silhouette sighting. Calls of presumed kokako were heard occasionally, with the main period of vocal activity occurring between late July and December (observations for 2002 and 2003). A variety of calls were heard/recorded from July 2002, including loud flute or organ-like calls and “yelping” (usually heard at a distance) and soft contact calls (“mews”, “tooks” “hollow” notes or “soft song”). Specific calls appeared to be very seasonal (e.g. “mews” only heard in late winter and “tooks” only for a short period during spring). Loud unidentified calls were usually very short (a couple of notes) and infrequently repeated. These calls were typically copied by tui and/or bellbirds, indicating that the original call was unusual. It was noted that these songbirds often repeatedly copied unidentified calls, but that song convergence was confined to localized areas, and was very seasonal. The “yelp” call is very unusual resembling tui when heard at a distance and kaka when heard closely. Good recordings of this call have been made but the source has not been identified. The rarely heard “hollow” notes equated with Charlie Douglas’s description of a South Island kokako call: “…the whistling of the wind through the neck of an empty whiskey bottle” (Pascoe 1957). This call is as much a vibration as a sound, being extremely low-pitched, and hauntingly resonant. The loud flute notes were unusual in that the notes were very long (several seconds), slightly tremulous, and rarely repeated. “Mews” were heard only in one general location during July 2002. They were identical to that of North Island kokako. The “tooks” were also like North Island kokako calls and were heard regularly only during a short period in spring 2003. They were often repeated

3 for long periods (e.g. up to 30 minutes), at very close range, but could not be sourced. Perhaps the most convincing call was a soft bubbling contact call (soft song) heard nearby on two occasions. On the first occasion (Winter 2003) the call (which was recorded) was clearly a response to playing North Island kokako juvenile song, while on the more recent occasion (May 2004) the call was heard directly above my head after I stopped for a few minutes trying to source a “nut cracking” noise. Ironically, despite months of investigative searching, loud song similar to that recorded by Dan Mackinnon was heard clearly only on one occasion (April 2004). This was a very short sequence of about 3-4 notes, delivered during a period when songbirds in general were very quiet. The location was only a few hundred metres from where Dan MacKinnon recorded the kokako in 1998. Immediately after hearing this call, tui and bellbirds began calling excitedly in the vicinity, attempting to copy the original call. The one consistent observation made when a presumed kokako call was heard at close range was that the source could not be located. In contrast, tui or bellbird making unusual calls (believed to be imitations of kokako calls) were usually easy to locate. There seems no doubt that the bird making the suspect calls deliberately hides making its detection extremely difficult. On a few occasions heavy wing flapping, very similar to that made by North Island kokako, was heard and on one occasion a loud wing-braking noise was heard. These sounds were generally heard after playing back recordings of North Island kokako or putative South Island kokako calls. During July/August 2002 and again during late July to September 2003, playback of recorded calls of North Island kokako (particularly juvenile calls) produced immediate response from an unidentified caller presumed to be a South Island kokako. Imitative “mew” whistling also produced similar response. After local recordings of possible kokako calls were obtained, vocal response was also noted, but unfortunately not to the extent of confirming the bird responsible for the calls. At other times of the year (summer, autumn, and early winter), presumed kokako appear to be very quiet and largely unresponsive to call playback or imitative “mews”. While near all search effort has been concentrated at Dan MacKinnon’s report site and neighbouring hill country forest, two trips in 2002 were made outside this area in the general location of other kokako reports in the Nile and Tiropahi catchments. No evidence of kokako was found on these one-off trips.

Discussion The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001), though there is still doubt as to the existence of this subspecies. Early descriptions of the behaviour of South Island kokako are varied. Some early accounts describe South Island kokako as tame and confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913; Smith 1888), while others accounts indicate that they were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), and adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). Guthrie-Smith (1925: pages 102-103), who made a determined effort to find South Island kokako in

4 southern Stewart Island early last century, described the difficulties of finding kokako even in places where they were reported to be common. By reviewing both early and recent literature on South Island kokako, it is apparent that this subspecies may have always been elusive and relatively quiet, except perhaps in areas where they were common, or at times of the year when they were vocal. Buller (1892) stated that his captive South Island kokako produced a variety of calls, some of which could be mistaken for tui. Douglas in Pascoe (1957) indicated that South Island kokako were not generally known as a songbird but produced very few notes of a very sweet and mellow tone. Washbourn (1933) was surprised that such a large bird had a very quiet call. The difficulties of detecting South Island kokako may thus not only relate to their rarity but also to their quieter and more unpredictable vocal habits than North Island kokako. The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. Perhaps given this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. It is significant that the range of calls heard on recent investigations correspond with calls believed to be made by kokako in other search areas (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). This supports documented evidence that South Island kokako produce a range of distinct calls that are usually short in duration and number of notes, and rarely produce longer calls (such as recorded by Dan MacKinnon) that are unmistakably similar to those of North Island kokako.

Recommendations Several options are recommended to help detect and manage kokako in this area. The first group of options concerns the improvement of detection methods, while the second group of options focuses on management of the subspecies. There is some overlap between groups of options.

A. Improving detection methods • Train juvenile North Island kokako as song birds to lure South Island kokako. • Use hides and camouflage clothing/paint at strategic localities in this area. I suspect individual kokako may approach closely but become wary of visible observers. • Synchronize playback of calls by observers at different locations to simulate calling of a population of kokako (Gideon Climo, pers. comm.). This method may result in sustained calling by kokako if present in the area.

B. Management options • Undertake integrated pest management for stoats, rats, possums and goats in this area. Predator control would increase the chances of successful breeding of kokako should pairs be present in this area. Control of goats (that are relatively common in this area) would improve the habitat for kokako.

5 • Attempt to capture kokako using mist nets or other form of trap. Future management of this subspecies will require an assessment of gender, and size of populations. Captured birds need to be radio-tagged and banded, and subsequently monitored. A provisional management plan needs to be prepared to outline and discuss goals, objectives, methodologies and outcomes. • Considerations need to be made regarding the release of radio-tagged female North Island kokako, and subsequently monitoring potential breeding attempts with South Island kokako.

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6

South Island Kokako Investigation Rahu

File Bir 0011

I received a phone call from Dawn Kennedy of Rahu area, Reefton, 7328007 25/06/01

She said last year, October she was working in the garden and saw a bird move from a Pittosporum to a cabbage tree in the garden. She said the voice of the bird had made her look up and identified the bird as having two red wattles. I further clarified with her she said the bird had a defined black band around the eyes but the wattles were not as orange as the photo, computer enhanced one I showed her. She also said there was a distinct coloration difference between the wing and the body of the bird. She thought at the time it was a south island saddleback but described it to a friend who said it was a Kokako.

She said the bird has been calling in the morning between 9.00am to 11.00 am when she gets the cows in from across the river, Last time they were in this area was last Wednesday 20th June

Grid reference 222 905 L 30 Reefton.

Of interest is this is the site of two other records

Gina Boffleman 97/ 98 records. Crow Crier N0 5. Another observer same location no year also in Crow Crier NO 5.

Les Vandijk, Raymond Beckford and I carried out a site inspection on the 26/06/01 of the small area of bush near where the cows are being fed. Very few birds present (two magpies) we played a MD of Kokako but didn’t receive any response.

We walked through to the Inangahua swingbridge bush area Grid reference 223 905

A number of Tuis and Bellbirds were present without playing the tape deck some of these birds were making interesting bong noises.

From there we moved across the river to the tailrace and walked along the race several hundred metres. Again, the area was very quite, One Kereru was observed flying through the bush. This hill terrace is predominately beech forest but interspersed with podocarp/ Rimu (making it unusual in the sense that the predominant vegetation type throughout the area is beech forest)

We then spent some time on the North side of the road from the picnic area through the terraced area. Once again a few notes of interest but they were hard to pinpoint and not consistent.

The reason why we were unsuccessful may relate to the following events at the time.

Doc staff working on the swingbridge. Although the bird may be familiar with the 4x4 motorbike any unusual noise could scare it off or make it more secretive.

Morris contracting removing large amounts of gravel from the riverbed directly opposite the roadside carpark again additional noise.

Weather conditions, Dawn said she remembers the bird singing on fine sunny days not consistent with the misty cold morning we encountered.

Time of day we were late in arriving 10.45 am this is the limit of when she said the bird was calling.

Recommendations

This area shows a potential for SI Kokako given the following

3-4 sightings in close proximity to the Inangahua swingbridge over a period of 4-5 years Tuis and bellbirds replicating a sound similar to the Caples valley bong Vegetation type with podocarps in close proximity providing a range of food for Kokako. Not ideal conditions on the day, given Dawns comment.

I suggest we wait until dawn contacts us again or until things have settled again and weather conditions are perfect.

Hugh Trembath Biodiversity Programme Manager Greymouth.

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

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South Island Kokako – 1997

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On the 7th March, Barry Donovan observed a dark bird from about 7 metres the size and shape of a kokako amongst small branches in a shadowed area on the peninsula area of Abuts Head. When the bird was startled it sprang backwards about 300mm at an angle of about 45degrees from the horizontal while remaining facing forward and landed on a branch. It then scrabbled away through the low growth, While under observation the bird made loud “clucking” noises quite similar to that of a domestic hen. The “clucks” were slow in comparison to those of a blackbird and were evenly spaced.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 2nd June, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of North Island kokako in an area of edge kahikatea forest approx 1.5 kilometres from the peninsula area of Abuts Head. At about 2pm on a frosty clear winters day Barry observed a dark bird flying about 8metres above the ground and landed in a tree about 20metres away. As Barry was changing a tape on the recorder he heard two loud “crunchy” wing beats. He spun around to see a dark bird flying soundlessly away from the origin of the wing beats. This was in the same area that Barry had observed a rather bedraggled large dark bird with rather a patchy grey appearance closely sitting on a branch in the late 1970’s. Barry’s knowledge of bird life was limited at the time

(3) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 31st May, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of the North Island kokako in the area of the peninsula on Abuts Head. At about 4.30pm in the afternoon while playing a sequence of tapes he heard a bird flying behind him and over his right shoulder. As Barry turned to the right he observed a dark bird fly past from about 3-4 metres just in time to glimpse of a blue wattle.

(4) Mokihinui River, (North Westland)

In October Simon Foster was on a hunting trip to the Forks Hut of the Mokihinui River. One day around the middle of the afternoon he went up the south branch of the river to an area known as Gate Creek. Here he was attracted by a loud call of a bird that he had never heard before. The calls continued for at least 10min. Mr Foster maintains that he has a good knowledge of native birds in the bush but on this occasion he was unable to find the bird that made the call.

(5) Caples River (N.W. Otago)

Gerald Freeman was tramping from the Greenstone Valley to the Caples Valley during February when he became convinced that he had heard a kokako. It was approx 11am in the morning, in deep forest and about 1hour 30min tramping above the Upper Caples Hut. The bird called for a period of 3-4min. Mr Freeman stated, “I cannot say that I saw the bird but the sound seemed all around me and was breathtaking”. Mr Freeman also mentioned that he had been tramping for 25 years and believes he has a good knowledge of N.Z. birds. This was the only occasion that he had heard such a birdcall. Mr Freeman also stated that “I checked a recording of a N.I.bird and in my mind verified that the call I had heard was a kokako.

(6) Oparara River (North Westland)

On the 9th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated a ridge approx 2 km east of Moira Gate (NZMG 24445 60056) Here he obtained responses from two presumed kokako (one close and the other estimated to be 200-300 m away, @ 1130 – 1300hrs) The unidentified calls, heard intermittently were composed of 1-5 notes and described as follows. (a) single loud “hollow-sounding” flute notes similar to the Rocky River calls. (b) long harmonic organ-like note, ending with a short abrupt “pip” (c) sequence of loud “hollow” piping notes. The only call types used were juvenile North Island “mews”, juvenile North Island kokako song, Rocky River single hollow notes and Rocky River three- note phrases.

(7) Buller River, Iron Bridge (Buller)

Rhys Buckingham stopped at the Iron Bridge on the 6th May. After playing juvenile North Island calls at 1010hrs, a single loud unidentified call was heard. This consisted of a long flute-like note followed by a short, lower- pitched note. The call was unlike any bellbird or tui calls in the area and was not repeated. Previous reports of kokako are known from this area.

(8) Oparara River (North Westland)

In April, Sandy King (ex N.Z.Wildlife Service Officer and DOC Biodiversity Officer) was exploring the “Adams Flat” area (NZMG 24441 60008) when she heard kokako-like calls. No description of the calls was given however Sandy is an experienced bird expert so the calls must have been quite distinctive for her to make a comment!

(9) Oparara River (North Westland).

On the 7th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated the “Adams Flat” area. He heard calls closely resembling North Island kokako from near Adams Flat (NZMG 24441 60008) and at Scorpion Creek (NZMG 24445 60056). At the first location a presumed kokako answered the Rocky River call with two unmistakeable “mews” followed by a short sequence of loud flute-like notes (0835 hrs). A single “mew” followed by loud organ-like notes were heard shortly after playing North Island kokako calls at Scorpion Creek (1149 hrs) Rhys, returned to the area on the 10th May but received no responses to tape playback. Rhys also commented that tui and bellbirds regularly copied the playback calls and also the unidentified calls when they were heard. Imitated calls were easy to distinguish from the much louder and richer unidentified calls, when heard at close range (within approx 50m of the observer). It was noted that tui near Adams Flat and in Scorpion Creek, made very kokako-like calls (particularly “mews”) on 7/5/97 (before and after tapes were played) whereas these calls were not heard at these localities on 10/5/97.

(10) Granville, Half Ounce Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 14th November, Ron Nilsson and Jennie Kjelgaard were travelling the West Coast when they decided to camp a night in the Granville State Forest. The weather forecast was for heavy rain so in the early afternoon they set about preparing a secure campsite in a narrow part of Half Ounce Creek, just above the confluence with Melody Creek. At 1830 hrs while collecting water, Ron was stopped in his tracks by a loud and very distinctive kokako “mew” The call was very close. There was no tui present at the time of the call. Ron was unable to determine which side of the valley the call came from and could not observe the “mysterious bird” A gale force N.W. wind was blowing at the time. At 1930 hrs Jennie and Ron heard 3 flute/organ-like organ notes of high pitch, which appeared to come from the north side of GermanGully. As dusk approached a series of 5 or 6 (one each half hour or so) “hollow”, (blowing across the neck of an empty whiskey bottle), low resonant notes were heard clearly and quite close. The calls may have been within 50metres? These were the calls that Charlie Douglas described in the early days on the West Coast that anticipated the change in the weather and often followed by heavy rain! Shortly after the last of the calls were heard, heavy rain commenced and no further kokako-like calls were heard.

(11) Ngatau River (South Westland)

In February while deer stalking Mike Bennett observed 4 unidentified birds fly out of a bush for a short while before disappearing into a deep gully. They were a shiny grey-blue colour. Rhys Buckingham suggested that these might have been pigeons. Ron Nilsson commented that pigeons were unlikely because pigeons are rare in high altitude mountain beech forest. Kokako were positively identified in this area in 1970.

(12) Buller River (Buller)

On the 23rd February Roger Frost was with a party of 12 trampers on a well- forested terrace overlooking the Ariki Falls in the upper reaches of the Buller River when they heard an unusual loud birds call. The call was quite different to anything heard before. The call was described as very high pitched call, flute-like or notes from the very high octaves of a pipe organ. The call was seemingly overhead though no one could locate the source of where the call was coming from. It was loud and clear and seemed to resound through out the forest. The call was a strong one about the intensity of a kaka. It consisted of more or less single-toned notes, repeated at most about a half a dozen times. The bird was investigated but no sign was found. This behaviour was thought to be unusual had the bird been in fact a kaka. The site was about 300m in altitude and the predominant forest species were a mixture of red beech, silver beech with some hard beech. There were scattered miro and Hall’s totara throughout and rimu and kahikatea in wet places on the terrace. The under story was a mixture of horopito, coprosma species, mingimingi and bush lawyer.

(13) Parapara Ridge (N.W. Nelson)

Rhys Buckingham supplied the following information found in literature. In July a M. Southern (c/- Takaka Post Office) observed a dark coloured bird, parrot-like in appearance with “lumps of orange” around its face. It was bigger than a tui and squawking loudly.

(14) Kenepura Sound (Marlborough)

Stu Moore, a D.O.C. Officer from Christchurch interviewed a Roy Jones (Phone 03 3667791) also from Christchurch. On the 1st January, Roy observed a single bird on repeated occasions. It was larger than a tui with pale colouring. When seen to fly the bird the bird had a slow wing flap and glided. Stu Moore (now a resident in Australia) thought that the description best fitted a kokako. No location site was given, as Kenepura Sound is a huge area with a number of large bush reserves scattered around the edge of it’s many bays and inlets.

(15) D’Urville River (Nelson Lakes)

Brent Boyce (Phone 03 5442519) was hunting near Bull Creek during the month of June. He reported large areas of intense moss grubbing on the forest floor. Some were large patches (size of a living room) The moss was clipped rather than grubbed. He commented that he had never sign like this before.

(16) Inangahua River (Buller)

In December, Gina Boffelman was travelling from the West Coast when she stopped at a picnic site 200metres east of the Branch River Bridge. Two loud “startling” birdcalls alerted Gina to the forest edge beside the car park. The closer bird was larger than a tui and had an area of yellow on the side of its face. There were two birds and they were heard calling quietly to each other. Gina also noted a gliding flight. She claimed to be familiar with tui but had never heard calls such as these. Conditions were poor with misty rain thus the viewing conditions were dark and poor. Rhys Buckingham suggested that the birds might have been kaka. The site was investigated in 1998 and Rhys drew a blank on moss grubbing, plus there was no response to playback tapes. It should be noted that this site is only a short distance from Rainy Creek where kokako were confirmed to be present in 2007.

(17) Catlins River. (S.E.Otago)

In January, Peter Miller (03 6143785) gave a detailed description of an unidentified bird seen and heard on the Catlins River Track.” About 1.5 – 2 times larger than a tui (about the size of a homing pigeon). Seen on a branch of a beech tree drooping out into the river. Wisp end of the Catlins Track. Made loud repeated call like an alarm call and ran out along the branch like a pheasant, then flew 3.5 m across the river to another tree. The bird was very noisy crashing into a tree on the other side. It then glided back to the original tree, making loud raucous call as if distressed. Shortly after the bird disappeared thought to have flown to the ground. Plumage described as rough, uniform lilac-greyish/blue. Feather fell out on the flight across the river. Pale coloured wattles noted, thought to be yellow in colour. The tail seemed relatively long at least compared to a pigeon”. Ron Nilsson commented in 2009 that this bird may have been a young bird because of the behaviour that was exhibited or an adult associated with a young bird nearby. January is recorded historically as the month that most kokako have chicks!

.

South Island Kokako – 1997

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On the 7th March, Barry Donovan observed a dark bird from about 7 metres the size and shape of a kokako amongst small branches in a shadowed area on the peninsula area of Abuts Head. When the bird was startled it sprang backwards about 300mm at an angle of about 45degrees from the horizontal while remaining facing forward and landed on a branch. It then scrabbled away through the low growth, While under observation the bird made loud “clucking” noises quite similar to that of a domestic hen. The “clucks” were slow in comparison to those of a blackbird and were evenly spaced.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 2nd June, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of North Island kokako in an area of edge kahikatea forest approx 1.5 kilometres from the peninsula area of Abuts Head. At about 2pm on a frosty clear winters day Barry observed a dark bird flying about 8metres above the ground and landed in a tree about 20metres away. As Barry was changing a tape on the recorder he heard two loud “crunchy” wing beats. He spun around to see a dark bird flying soundlessly away from the origin of the wing beats. This was in the same area that Barry had observed a rather bedraggled large dark bird with rather a patchy grey appearance closely sitting on a branch in the late 1970’s. Barry’s knowledge of bird life was limited at the time

(3) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 31st May, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of the North Island kokako in the area of the peninsula on Abuts Head. At about 4.30pm in the afternoon while playing a sequence of tapes he heard a bird flying behind him and over his right shoulder. As Barry turned to the right he observed a dark bird fly past from about 3-4 metres just in time to glimpse of a blue wattle.

(4) Mokihinui River, (North Westland)

In October Simon Foster was on a hunting trip to the Forks Hut of the Mokihinui River. One day around the middle of the afternoon he went up the south branch of the river to an area known as Gate Creek. Here he was attracted by a loud call of a bird that he had never heard before. The calls continued for at least 10min. Mr Foster maintains that he has a good knowledge of native birds in the bush but on this occasion he was unable to find the bird that made the call.

(5) Caples River (N.W. Otago)

Gerald Freeman was tramping from the Greenstone Valley to the Caples Valley during February when he became convinced that he had heard a kokako. It was approx 11am in the morning, in deep forest and about 1hour 30min tramping above the Upper Caples Hut. The bird called for a period of 3-4min. Mr Freeman stated, “I cannot say that I saw the bird but the sound seemed all around me and was breathtaking”. Mr Freeman also mentioned that he had been tramping for 25 years and believes he has a good knowledge of N.Z. birds. This was the only occasion that he had heard such a birdcall. Mr Freeman also stated that “I checked a recording of a N.I.bird and in my mind verified that the call I had heard was a kokako.

(6) Oparara River (North Westland)

On the 9th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated a ridge approx 2 km east of Moira Gate (NZMG 24445 60056) Here he obtained responses from two presumed kokako (one close and the other estimated to be 200-300 m away, @ 1130 – 1300hrs) The unidentified calls, heard intermittently were composed of 1-5 notes and described as follows. (a) single loud “hollow-sounding” flute notes similar to the Rocky River calls. (b) long harmonic organ-like note, ending with a short abrupt “pip” (c) sequence of loud “hollow” piping notes. The only call types used were juvenile North Island “mews”, juvenile North Island kokako song, Rocky River single hollow notes and Rocky River three- note phrases.

(7) Buller River, Iron Bridge (Buller)

Rhys Buckingham stopped at the Iron Bridge on the 6th May. After playing juvenile North Island calls at 1010hrs, a single loud unidentified call was heard. This consisted of a long flute-like note followed by a short, lower- pitched note. The call was unlike any bellbird or tui calls in the area and was not repeated. Previous reports of kokako are known from this area.

(8) Oparara River (North Westland)

In April, Sandy King (ex N.Z.Wildlife Service Officer and DOC Biodiversity Officer) was exploring the “Adams Flat” area (NZMG 24441 60008) when she heard kokako-like calls. No description of the calls was given however Sandy is an experienced bird expert so the calls must have been quite distinctive for her to make a comment!

(9) Oparara River (North Westland).

On the 7th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated the “Adams Flat” area. He heard calls closely resembling North Island kokako from near Adams Flat (NZMG 24441 60008) and at Scorpion Creek (NZMG 24445 60056). At the first location a presumed kokako answered the Rocky River call with two unmistakeable “mews” followed by a short sequence of loud flute-like notes (0835 hrs). A single “mew” followed by loud organ-like notes were heard shortly after playing North Island kokako calls at Scorpion Creek (1149 hrs) Rhys, returned to the area on the 10th May but received no responses to tape playback. Rhys also commented that tui and bellbirds regularly copied the playback calls and also the unidentified calls when they were heard. Imitated calls were easy to distinguish from the much louder and richer unidentified calls, when heard at close range (within approx 50m of the observer). It was noted that tui near Adams Flat and in Scorpion Creek, made very kokako-like calls (particularly “mews”) on 7/5/97 (before and after tapes were played) whereas these calls were not heard at these localities on 10/5/97.

(10) Granville, Half Ounce Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 14th November, Ron Nilsson and Jennie Kjelgaard were travelling the West Coast when they decided to camp a night in the Granville State Forest. The weather forecast was for heavy rain so in the early afternoon they set about preparing a secure campsite in a narrow part of Half Ounce Creek, just above the confluence with Melody Creek. At 1830 hrs while collecting water, Ron was stopped in his tracks by a loud and very distinctive kokako “mew” The call was very close. There was no tui present at the time of the call. Ron was unable to determine which side of the valley the call came from and could not observe the “mysterious bird” A gale force N.W. wind was blowing at the time. At 1930 hrs Jennie and Ron heard 3 flute/organ-like organ notes of high pitch, which appeared to come from the north side of GermanGully. As dusk approached a series of 5 or 6 (one each half hour or so) “hollow”, (blowing across the neck of an empty whiskey bottle), low resonant notes were heard clearly and quite close. The calls may have been within 50metres? These were the calls that Charlie Douglas described in the early days on the West Coast that anticipated the change in the weather and often followed by heavy rain! Shortly after the last of the calls were heard, heavy rain commenced and no further kokako-like calls were heard.

(11) Ngatau River (South Westland)

In February while deer stalking Mike Bennett observed 4 unidentified birds fly out of a bush for a short while before disappearing into a deep gully. They were a shiny grey-blue colour. Rhys Buckingham suggested that these might have been pigeons. Ron Nilsson commented that pigeons were unlikely because pigeons are rare in high altitude mountain beech forest. Kokako were positively identified in this area in 1970.

(12) Buller River (Buller)

On the 23rd February Roger Frost was with a party of 12 trampers on a well- forested terrace overlooking the Ariki Falls in the upper reaches of the Buller River when they heard an unusual loud birds call. The call was quite different to anything heard before. The call was described as very high pitched call, flute-like or notes from the very high octaves of a pipe organ. The call was seemingly overhead though no one could locate the source of where the call was coming from. It was loud and clear and seemed to resound through out the forest. The call was a strong one about the intensity of a kaka. It consisted of more or less single-toned notes, repeated at most about a half a dozen times. The bird was investigated but no sign was found. This behaviour was thought to be unusual had the bird been in fact a kaka. The site was about 300m in altitude and the predominant forest species were a mixture of red beech, silver beech with some hard beech. There were scattered miro and Hall’s totara throughout and rimu and kahikatea in wet places on the terrace. The under story was a mixture of horopito, coprosma species, mingimingi and bush lawyer.

(13) Parapara Ridge (N.W. Nelson)

Rhys Buckingham supplied the following information found in literature. In July a M. Southern (c/- Takaka Post Office) observed a dark coloured bird, parrot-like in appearance with “lumps of orange” around its face. It was bigger than a tui and squawking loudly.

(14) Kenepura Sound (Marlborough)

Stu Moore, a D.O.C. Officer from Christchurch interviewed a Roy Jones (Phone 03 3667791) also from Christchurch. On the 1st January, Roy observed a single bird on repeated occasions. It was larger than a tui with pale colouring. When seen to fly the bird the bird had a slow wing flap and glided. Stu Moore (now a resident in Australia) thought that the description best fitted a kokako. No location site was given, as Kenepura Sound is a huge area with a number of large bush reserves scattered around the edge of it’s many bays and inlets.

(15) D’Urville River (Nelson Lakes)

Brent Boyce (Phone 03 5442519) was hunting near Bull Creek during the month of June. He reported large areas of intense moss grubbing on the forest floor. Some were large patches (size of a living room) The moss was clipped rather than grubbed. He commented that he had never sign like this before.

(16) Inangahua River (Buller)

In December, Gina Boffelman was travelling from the West Coast when she stopped at a picnic site 200metres east of the Branch River Bridge. Two loud “startling” birdcalls alerted Gina to the forest edge beside the car park. The closer bird was larger than a tui and had an area of yellow on the side of its face. There were two birds and they were heard calling quietly to each other. Gina also noted a gliding flight. She claimed to be familiar with tui but had never heard calls such as these. Conditions were poor with misty rain thus the viewing conditions were dark and poor. Rhys Buckingham suggested that the birds might have been kaka. The site was investigated in 1998 and Rhys drew a blank on moss grubbing, plus there was no response to playback tapes. It should be noted that this site is only a short distance from Rainy Creek where kokako were confirmed to be present in 2007.

(17) Catlins River. (S.E.Otago)

In January, Peter Miller (03 6143785) gave a detailed description of an unidentified bird seen and heard on the Catlins River Track.” About 1.5 – 2 times larger than a tui (about the size of a homing pigeon). Seen on a branch of a beech tree drooping out into the river. Wisp end of the Catlins Track. Made loud repeated call like an alarm call and ran out along the branch like a pheasant, then flew 3.5 m across the river to another tree. The bird was very noisy crashing into a tree on the other side. It then glided back to the original tree, making loud raucous call as if distressed. Shortly after the bird disappeared thought to have flown to the ground. Plumage described as rough, uniform lilac-greyish/blue. Feather fell out on the flight across the river. Pale coloured wattles noted, thought to be yellow in colour. The tail seemed relatively long at least compared to a pigeon”. Ron Nilsson commented in 2009 that this bird may have been a young bird because of the behaviour that was exhibited or an adult associated with a young bird nearby. January is recorded historically as the month that most kokako have chicks!

. UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE SEARCH FOR SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO: JULY/AUGUST 2002

Observations

Two areas in north Westland and Buller were investigated in late July and early August 2002. Both were areas where several people reported sightings and calls of putative kokako within the past four years. Three independent reports were known from an area near Reefton and had been followed up independently without success by DoC (Greymouth), Andrew Macalister and I.

Another report came from a forested area in rugged limestone country near Charleston. This report involved sightings of more than one bird including descriptions of orange wattles and an excellent quality tape recording of about 20 seconds of unequivocal loud kokako song recorded from beneath the mystery bird. Unfortunately this tape and copies were lost in a house fire recently.

The current investigation indicated that kokako were present in both areas. This was particularly significant for the Charleston report as the observations satisfied me that the report was not a hoax (i.e. involving computer-derived tape recordings from North Island kokako). At the Reefton site, copious unidentified moss and liverwort grubbing sign was found (strong circumstantial link to putative South Island kokako), presumed kokako calls and wing flapping were heard, as well as song copying by other songbirds (an indication of unusual vocalisation presence). At the other site, loud presumed kokako calls were heard fairly regularly and followed by dramatic vocal response (alarms and song copying) by bellbirds and tui in the area. Digital tape recordings were made but the presumed kokako remained too distant to obtain reasonable recordings.

Previous reports

Upper Inangahua River

• In December 1997, G. Boffelman reported seeing and hearing calls of possible kokako in the upper Inangahua River valley near Reefton. Two loud, "startling" calls alerted the observer who observed two unusual birds near the forest edge from where the calls came from. The closer bird, said to be larger than a tui, was seen to have a yellow area on side of its face. They were then heard calling quietly to each other. Observer noted gliding flight. The observer claimed to be familiar with tui, but had not heard tui make these kinds of calls. Weather was overcast with misty rain, thus viewing conditions were dark and poor. She reported that a friend, visiting the same area during that summer, independently heard unidentified bird calls.

• Observer D. Kennedy of upper Inangahua Valley reported seeing a bird with two red wattles in her garden near the forest edge in October 2000. She described the bird as having a defined black band around the eyes, and a distinct coloration difference between its wing and body. She was alerted to this bird from its distinct call. Since she has heard the calls on occasions in the morning at least up to 20 June 2001. The location was within a few hundred metres of the above report.

Charleston Forest

• Dan MacKinnon of Westport was interviewed in October 2000 regarding a report of kokako in a forest area near Charleston. During the interview he described seeing two unusual birds in summer 1998, and hearing their calls frequently. While giving a detailed description of these birds (see below), he produced a tape recording he had made of their call. The call consisted of about 20 seconds of unequivocal kokako song. The dialect was different to any kokako song I was familiar with, though it had some resemblance to a Coromandel kokako dialect. The quality of the recording was excellent. The call was a continuous sequence of “loud song” consisting of characteristic organ-like notes with a slightly more “metallic” timbre than typical North Island kokako song. Dan said he had heard this call regularly while working in the area and had borrowed a tape recorder and external microphone to make the recording. The bird producing the call was in the tree above him when he recorded its call. He had also heard the distinctive song in another area of more unmodified forest several kilometres from this site (where another report of kokako was received; see below).

Dan MacKinnon had regularly seen the birds, but they were hard to photograph because they were always in the canopy busily moving about. The birds were larger than a tui and dark blue-grey in colour. One individual seemed to have a blue wattle while the other (a slightly smaller bird) had an orange wattle. He described the smaller bird as being more active, rapidly hopping about, and producing a different (squeakier) call to the other bird. This indicated that the smaller bird might have been a juvenile (this was Dan’s opinion too).

Dan showed Andrew Macalister and I the site and surrounding ridges in early 2000, and we were highly impressed by the habitat despite that much of it was regenerating forest after logging. During this initial investigation we played back Dan’s recorded song but heard no response. Andrew and I were highly impressed at Dan’s observation skills and ability to identify birds.

Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a copy of this recording during this trip (the copy used was destroyed by water), and all other copies of the tape were subsequently lost during a house fire. Having worked extensively with North Island kokako, I have no hesitation to state that the recording was definitely of kokako. An independent opinion can be sought from Andrew Macalister (03 548 2292; 025 622 8135). The possibility that the recording may have been derived from North Island kokako (from radio, TV, etc) and enhanced by computer was considered. However, this possibility was discounted after several meetings with Dan (including his involvement with an interview for National Radio), and a recent field trip into the area where I heard an estimated three presumed kokako calling from nearby ridges (see below).

• Other reports are known from forested hill-country near Charleston. These reports are of putative kokako heard or seen by three observers within the past decade. Two of these reports are from the same valley, a tributary of Tiropahi River. One observer was convinced that he had seen a pair of birds at close quarters. Another report was from the upper Nile River in the Charleston Forest. This was a song heard at first light.

Observations: July 25 to August 2, 2002

During this period I heard calls that I strongly suspected were made by kokako at both the Inangahua and Charleston areas. At the Inangahua area, I found extensive areas of moss and liverwort grubbing sign that was identical to sign that I have attributed to possible kokako elsewhere (Buckingham 1996), and noted also by McBride (1981) in Aspiring National Park in the 1960s . At one freshly disturbed site I heard putative kokako wing flapping (as of a bird on a short flight) followed a few minutes later by a loud, resonant, organ-like note. The unidentified bird appeared to hide and was not seen.

In the Charleston area (1-2 August) I heard from three directions, loud distant calls that were characteristic components of kokako song, as well as several unidentified calls that were invariably copied by tui and/or bellbirds (an indication that the original calls were unusual). I noted that there was response by the unidentified bird/birds to playback calls of North Island kokako and putative South Island kokako, but I was unsuccessful in luring the mystery bird in for positive identification. The unusual calls were heard for short periods approximately every 30 minutes, and on 2 August began about 10 minutes after tui started calling in the dawn chorus (0700 hrs).

The country is particularly rugged and dangerous in that area being heavily forested broken limestone country. It was thus not safe, or even possible to directly climb on to ridges to try and locate the suspected kokako.

However, hearing these calls and obtaining digital recordings of both the unidentified calls and song copying, gives authenticity to the original sightings and tape recording of song.

Discussion

The difficulties of detecting presumed South Island kokako have been fully discussed (Buckingham 1996; Buckingham & Macalister 2001). It is documented that South Island kokako were quiet and shy (Douglas in Pascoe 1957; Fulton 1907; Washbourn 1933), that they rarely produced the characteristic organ-like song of North Island kokako (Buller 1892), and that they were adept at hiding (Hutton & Drummond 1904; Reischek 1885). The difficulties of finding South Island kokako are aptly described by Guthrie-Smith (1925) who made a determined effort to find them in southern Stewart Island where they were said to be common early last century.

The continuous sequence of loud song that Dan MacKinnon recorded, and regularly heard could be due to the presence of an adult and juvenile bird, as his description suggested. In this situation, kokako may be inclined to be more vocal and conspicuous. Some early accounts describing South Island kokako as tame or confiding (e.g. Cockayne 1909; Hutton & Drummond 1904; Philpott 1913) may have related to family groups or juveniles, though Smith (1888) indicated that single kokako could be very tame.

Buller, W.L. 1892. Notes on New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 25: 56-57.

Cockayne, L. 1909. New Zealand Department of Lands report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. John MacKay, New Zealand Government Printer. 68 pp.

Fulton, R. 1907. The disappearance of the New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 40: 490

Guthrie-Smith, H. 1925. “Bird life on island and shore” William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, London. 195 pp.

Hutton, F.W.; Drummond, J. 1904. “The animals of New Zealand” Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch. Pages 68-69.

McBride, K. 1981. Short Note. Sighting of South Island kokako in Mount Aspiring National Park. Notornis 28: 255-256.

Pascoe, J. 1957. ‘Mr Explorer Douglas’: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 331 p.

Philpott, A. 1913. Notes on the birds of south-western Otago. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 46: 205-212

Reischek, A. 1885.Notes on the habits of some New Zealand birds. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 18: 106-107.

Smith, W.W. 1888. On the birds of Lake Brunner district. Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: p. 217

Washbourn.,H.P. 1933. “Reminiscences of early days”. Lucas & Son, Nelson Mail. 62 pp.

-----Original Message----- From: Michael Southern [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, 10 April 2010 3:05 p.m. To: [email protected] Subject: S.I. Kokako

Well Alec, here it is as I recall. Please first accept my apologies for taking so long in getting back to you with the details of our experience. A frustration to you, I am sure, but my hat is off to you for your dedication and unassuming persistence. I did try this a few days ago from home but our connection was typically not working on that day, so here from Takaka... Roughly about ten years ago a friend and myself went bush for a night or two in the hills behind the Hinterland property and what was Felix Langford's farm at that time in Onekaka. The weather was clear and settled. We set up a tarpaulin bivvy for our camp in a sort of dip or small valley not too far from the top of the ridge. This area was very lush and abundant with mosses. Early the next morning I was woken by a very unusual bird sound that I had never heard before. The resonance of the sound is what I remember best, bell-like or as if from a wind instrument of sorts, sort of eerie or haunting in it's qualities. My friend Paul awoke as well and we poked our heads out quietly from under the tarp to see a very unusual bird indeed. Neither of us had ever seen this bird before. It sat clear to view on a branch directly above our tarp, perhaps 12 foot or so from the ground. We watched it for at the very least a minute, maybe a little longer. It's call was now a series of short pipping sounds, equally resonant and full as before. The bird was quite large, I thought, certainly larger than a tui, but not plump like a wood-pigeon. It was rather a tall looking bird taking into account it's stature and I remember that to my perception it had a sort of prehistoric look about it. It's plumage was overall a gun-metal grey colour and it had orange or red wattles on either side of it's head and seemed to wear a dark mask over it's eyes like an old-time bandit. It alighted after this minute or so and seemed to glide more so than fly or flutter from one tree to the next. After two or three of these sweeping arcs I lost sight of and didn't hear anymore of the bird, but Paul and I were unanimous that we had just seen something unusual or perhaps even rare, though neither of us knew at that time exactly what. After going out that day we were telling someone about the bird we'd seen and they brought out a newspaper article from that morning or the the previous day's paper with a picture of a S.I. Kokako on it and there was no doubt at all that this was the same bird we had seen. No doubt. All a bit uncanny. I rang DOC that day and let them know what we'd seen and they told me that they would get someone up there to check it out and that if a Kokako was to be seen, that the sort of habitat I described to them of where we had been would be a most likely sort of place for such a sighting to occur. And that's about it. But I will add that regardless of any status of extinction or otherwise, which is of little significance to me personally, that atleast as of that day ten years or so ago, I know for a fact that we saw that bird, the S.I. Kokako, unmistakedly and without question or shadow of doubt. So, all the best in your efforts to get that status lifted so that something may be put into preserving the probable few S.I.Kokako that remain. Regards to you, Alec and I hope these notes are of some use. Michael Southern.

South Island Kokako – 1997

(Notes by Ron J Nilsson)

(1) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On the 7th March, Barry Donovan observed a dark bird from about 7 metres the size and shape of a kokako amongst small branches in a shadowed area on the peninsula area of Abuts Head. When the bird was startled it sprang backwards about 300mm at an angle of about 45degrees from the horizontal while remaining facing forward and landed on a branch. It then scrabbled away through the low growth, While under observation the bird made loud “clucking” noises quite similar to that of a domestic hen. The “clucks” were slow in comparison to those of a blackbird and were evenly spaced.

(2) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 2nd June, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of North Island kokako in an area of edge kahikatea forest approx 1.5 kilometres from the peninsula area of Abuts Head. At about 2pm on a frosty clear winters day Barry observed a dark bird flying about 8metres above the ground and landed in a tree about 20metres away. As Barry was changing a tape on the recorder he heard two loud “crunchy” wing beats. He spun around to see a dark bird flying soundlessly away from the origin of the wing beats. This was in the same area that Barry had observed a rather bedraggled large dark bird with rather a patchy grey appearance closely sitting on a branch in the late 1970’s. Barry’s knowledge of bird life was limited at the time

(3) Abut Head, Whataroa Valley (South Westland)

On 31st May, Barry Donovan was playing recorded tapes of the North Island kokako in the area of the peninsula on Abuts Head. At about 4.30pm in the afternoon while playing a sequence of tapes he heard a bird flying behind him and over his right shoulder. As Barry turned to the right he observed a dark bird fly past from about 3-4 metres just in time to glimpse of a blue wattle.

(4) Mokihinui River, (North Westland)

In October Simon Foster was on a hunting trip to the Forks Hut of the Mokihinui River. One day around the middle of the afternoon he went up the south branch of the river to an area known as Gate Creek. Here he was attracted by a loud call of a bird that he had never heard before. The calls continued for at least 10min. Mr Foster maintains that he has a good knowledge of native birds in the bush but on this occasion he was unable to find the bird that made the call.

(5) Caples River (N.W. Otago)

Gerald Freeman was tramping from the Greenstone Valley to the Caples Valley during February when he became convinced that he had heard a kokako. It was approx 11am in the morning, in deep forest and about 1hour 30min tramping above the Upper Caples Hut. The bird called for a period of 3-4min. Mr Freeman stated, “I cannot say that I saw the bird but the sound seemed all around me and was breathtaking”. Mr Freeman also mentioned that he had been tramping for 25 years and believes he has a good knowledge of N.Z. birds. This was the only occasion that he had heard such a birdcall. Mr Freeman also stated that “I checked a recording of a N.I.bird and in my mind verified that the call I had heard was a kokako.

(6) Oparara River (North Westland)

On the 9th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated a ridge approx 2 km east of Moira Gate (NZMG 24445 60056) Here he obtained responses from two presumed kokako (one close and the other estimated to be 200-300 m away, @ 1130 – 1300hrs) The unidentified calls, heard intermittently were composed of 1-5 notes and described as follows. (a) single loud “hollow-sounding” flute notes similar to the Rocky River calls. (b) long harmonic organ-like note, ending with a short abrupt “pip” (c) sequence of loud “hollow” piping notes. The only call types used were juvenile North Island “mews”, juvenile North Island kokako song, Rocky River single hollow notes and Rocky River three- note phrases.

(7) Buller River, Iron Bridge (Buller)

Rhys Buckingham stopped at the Iron Bridge on the 6th May. After playing juvenile North Island calls at 1010hrs, a single loud unidentified call was heard. This consisted of a long flute-like note followed by a short, lower- pitched note. The call was unlike any bellbird or tui calls in the area and was not repeated. Previous reports of kokako are known from this area.

(8) Oparara River (North Westland)

In April, Sandy King (ex N.Z.Wildlife Service Officer and DOC Biodiversity Officer) was exploring the “Adams Flat” area (NZMG 24441 60008) when she heard kokako-like calls. No description of the calls was given however Sandy is an experienced bird expert so the calls must have been quite distinctive for her to make a comment!

(9) Oparara River (North Westland).

On the 7th May, Rhys Buckingham investigated the “Adams Flat” area. He heard calls closely resembling North Island kokako from near Adams Flat (NZMG 24441 60008) and at Scorpion Creek (NZMG 24445 60056). At the first location a presumed kokako answered the Rocky River call with two unmistakeable “mews” followed by a short sequence of loud flute-like notes (0835 hrs). A single “mew” followed by loud organ-like notes were heard shortly after playing North Island kokako calls at Scorpion Creek (1149 hrs) Rhys, returned to the area on the 10th May but received no responses to tape playback. Rhys also commented that tui and bellbirds regularly copied the playback calls and also the unidentified calls when they were heard. Imitated calls were easy to distinguish from the much louder and richer unidentified calls, when heard at close range (within approx 50m of the observer). It was noted that tui near Adams Flat and in Scorpion Creek, made very kokako-like calls (particularly “mews”) on 7/5/97 (before and after tapes were played) whereas these calls were not heard at these localities on 10/5/97.

(10) Granville, Half Ounce Creek, Grey Valley (North Westland)

On the 14th November, Ron Nilsson and Jennie Kjelgaard were travelling the West Coast when they decided to camp a night in the Granville State Forest. The weather forecast was for heavy rain so in the early afternoon they set about preparing a secure campsite in a narrow part of Half Ounce Creek, just above the confluence with Melody Creek. At 1830 hrs while collecting water, Ron was stopped in his tracks by a loud and very distinctive kokako “mew” The call was very close. There was no tui present at the time of the call. Ron was unable to determine which side of the valley the call came from and could not observe the “mysterious bird” A gale force N.W. wind was blowing at the time. At 1930 hrs Jennie and Ron heard 3 flute/organ-like organ notes of high pitch, which appeared to come from the north side of GermanGully. As dusk approached a series of 5 or 6 (one each half hour or so) “hollow”, (blowing across the neck of an empty whiskey bottle), low resonant notes were heard clearly and quite close. The calls may have been within 50metres? These were the calls that Charlie Douglas described in the early days on the West Coast that anticipated the change in the weather and often followed by heavy rain! Shortly after the last of the calls were heard, heavy rain commenced and no further kokako-like calls were heard.

(11) Ngatau River (South Westland)

In February while deer stalking Mike Bennett observed 4 unidentified birds fly out of a bush for a short while before disappearing into a deep gully. They were a shiny grey-blue colour. Rhys Buckingham suggested that these might have been pigeons. Ron Nilsson commented that pigeons were unlikely because pigeons are rare in high altitude mountain beech forest. Kokako were positively identified in this area in 1970.

(12) Buller River (Buller)

On the 23rd February Roger Frost was with a party of 12 trampers on a well- forested terrace overlooking the Ariki Falls in the upper reaches of the Buller River when they heard an unusual loud birds call. The call was quite different to anything heard before. The call was described as very high pitched call, flute-like or notes from the very high octaves of a pipe organ. The call was seemingly overhead though no one could locate the source of where the call was coming from. It was loud and clear and seemed to resound through out the forest. The call was a strong one about the intensity of a kaka. It consisted of more or less single-toned notes, repeated at most about a half a dozen times. The bird was investigated but no sign was found. This behaviour was thought to be unusual had the bird been in fact a kaka. The site was about 300m in altitude and the predominant forest species were a mixture of red beech, silver beech with some hard beech. There were scattered miro and Hall’s totara throughout and rimu and kahikatea in wet places on the terrace. The under story was a mixture of horopito, coprosma species, mingimingi and bush lawyer.

(13) Parapara Ridge (N.W. Nelson)

Rhys Buckingham supplied the following information found in literature. In July a M. Southern (c/- Takaka Post Office) observed a dark coloured bird, parrot-like in appearance with “lumps of orange” around its face. It was bigger than a tui and squawking loudly.

(14) Kenepura Sound (Marlborough)

Stu Moore, a D.O.C. Officer from Christchurch interviewed a Roy Jones (Phone 03 3667791) also from Christchurch. On the 1st January, Roy observed a single bird on repeated occasions. It was larger than a tui with pale colouring. When seen to fly the bird the bird had a slow wing flap and glided. Stu Moore (now a resident in Australia) thought that the description best fitted a kokako. No location site was given, as Kenepura Sound is a huge area with a number of large bush reserves scattered around the edge of it’s many bays and inlets.

(15) D’Urville River (Nelson Lakes)

Brent Boyce (Phone 03 5442519) was hunting near Bull Creek during the month of June. He reported large areas of intense moss grubbing on the forest floor. Some were large patches (size of a living room) The moss was clipped rather than grubbed. He commented that he had never sign like this before.

(16) Inangahua River (Buller)

In December, Gina Boffelman was travelling from the West Coast when she stopped at a picnic site 200metres east of the Branch River Bridge. Two loud “startling” birdcalls alerted Gina to the forest edge beside the car park. The closer bird was larger than a tui and had an area of yellow on the side of its face. There were two birds and they were heard calling quietly to each other. Gina also noted a gliding flight. She claimed to be familiar with tui but had never heard calls such as these. Conditions were poor with misty rain thus the viewing conditions were dark and poor. Rhys Buckingham suggested that the birds might have been kaka. The site was investigated in 1998 and Rhys drew a blank on moss grubbing, plus there was no response to playback tapes. It should be noted that this site is only a short distance from Rainy Creek where kokako were confirmed to be present in 2007. (17) Catlins River. (S.E.Otago)

In January, Peter Miller (03 6143785) gave a detailed description of an unidentified bird seen and heard on the Catlins River Track.” About 1.5 – 2 times larger than a tui (about the size of a homing pigeon). Seen on a branch of a beech tree drooping out into the river. Wisp end of the Catlins Track. Made loud repeated call like an alarm call and ran out along the branch like a pheasant, then flew 3.5 m across the river to another tree. The bird was very noisy crashing into a tree on the other side. It then glided back to the original tree, making loud raucous call as if distressed. Shortly after the bird disappeared thought to have flown to the ground. Plumage described as rough, uniform lilac-greyish/blue. Feather fell out on the flight across the river. Pale coloured wattles noted, thought to be yellow in colour. The tail seemed relatively long at least compared to a pigeon”. Ron Nilsson commented in 2009 that this bird may have been a young bird because of the behaviour that was exhibited or an adult associated with a young bird nearby. January is recorded historically as the month that most kokako have chicks!

.

kimi birdsong Mon, Apr 25, 2011 at 12:28 AM

To: [email protected] Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Delete | Show original It was several years ago now when I was down at my Mothers house in what was then a semi-suburban area, alongside the Waikawa river, close to where the river meets the sea- opposite the Waikawa marina area.

It was about 9am, as I had dropped the kids at school nearby and popped in the house to water plants, etc. I work as an Eco-tour guide on the local Dolphin watch boat, which takes folk out to the bird sanctuary, Motuara Island. We also do special bird watching tours in the Marlborough sounds, which I have somewhat made my specialty - I am not without bird watching skills. So, when I heard a very srange bird call from the garden, I was straight away intrigued and went to see what on earth could possibly make such an eerie call . It was like organs/mystical air pipes, all rapt up in a bird call. I am very familiar with bell bird sounds and most familiar bird calls, but, this to me was quite something else!

As I walked to the far corner of the garden , i could very clearly see a very large pale grey bird that walked along branches and down the trunk of a smallish silk tree in my mothers garden. The tree was not much taller than myself and had no obstructing leaves, so I stood within five to six feet of where the bird was and watched in awe as it carried on climbing around. It seemed none too fussed that I was there and carried on .It moved a bit like the saddle back I watch on Motuara, however, It was much larger than a saddle back ( at least twice the size, maybe even three times, quite a solid, beefy bird.) It had very electric blue wattles on each side of its face, I watched clearly as it carried on booming and chiming amazing sounds. At one stage I watched it climb off the branch and head down the trunk, turn around and walk back up. I noted how it moved somewhat like a saddle back, but was also very parrot like , especially in the way it used its feet and moved, i remember thinking is it a parrot? though its slender face was not that of a parrot. I spent at least a couple of minutes watching it at my height and very close. I had no trouble in seeing it - clear as!

Then when it had had enough of me it flew off, over towards the marina , which has some nice regenerating bush on the other side of the marina, I guessed that's where it was heading.

With the size of the bird, its amazing song and the very unusual pale slate-grey colour, dark lines around it's face features and it's incredible electric blue wattles. There was nothing to compare it to in my personal history of many years of watching bird's. I guessed that such a bird was indeed a rare sight, But, I had no idea- Apparently it didn't even exist !!!!.

I came straight back into mums house and looked up her bird book. You can imagine how strange I thought it all to be when I read about the Kokako, which it said was extinct in the South Island. More confusing to read that the one that I saw was a North I sland one ( According to the bird book , because of the blue wattles).

Well, It all seemed a bit weird . The whole event left me feeling like it was a bit dream like. ( Anyone who has seen one or heard one I am sure will understand this!)

Anyway, a few weeks later when an archaeologist friend convinced me that I should call DOC to let them know about my sighting, I did. Well that was really humiliating! The guy on the other end of the phone just flat out laughed at me, treated me like an idiot. Didn't for one moment believe it could be possible ,hah! Even the fact that it was a north island Kokako and did I know anything about birds? Even told me I may have been dreaming, Or, whatever I was on!!!! Yup, he really put me off telling anyone else about it, ever again ! ( Even now I feel quite reluctant to talk about this, Probably rather just think of it as my own special dream. ) Well, that would have been quite fine, until, some months later I turned up at my Mums house who was so excited to have seen ( and of course heard!!!!) .... You guessed it , a blue wattled kokako in a neighborhoods tree close over her section. Well, I had not even told her of my encounter, so it was fun exchanging notes and knowing that I wasn't mad or dreaming... Well not unless Mum was too. (Lol.) Anyway for what it is worth my mum is a record keeper and she wrote down the date of her sighting straight away and we worked out my sighting because she was away for that month, it was easy to come up with the month I saw it. We wrote these dates both down in the bird book beside the picture of the Kokako.The ink is now fading, but not the memories. My sighting was in March 1997. Mums was on the 23rd of June 1997. I have no doubt about what I saw. None at all. Call it what you like, and take it for whatever its worth .

Kim Coutts