Birds and Wildlife
More than 15 years of pest control has led to a healthier forest, greater biodiversity, and significantly increased indigenous and endemic birdlife.
Remnants provide seeds for regeneration
The remnants of indigenous trees such as kauri, rimu, kāhikitea, tanekaha, miro, rata, puriri, nikau, pukatea and pohutukawa provided an important source of seed for the regenerating bush allowing these species to once again take hold.
Fifteen to twenty years of pest control has led to a healthier forest structure, more ground cover, increased density of plant life and greatly increased birdlife. The area has provided habitats for growing numbers of indigenous and endemic birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and fish.
Established populations
Populations of tui, bellbird, kereru, ruru (morepork), piwakawaka (fantail), pipiwharauroa (shining cuckoo), pihipihi (silver eye), riroriro (little grey warbler) and kāhu (harrier hawk) are well established. The streams are home to kokopu (native trout), long fin eel and red fin bully and the hills and gullies support insects such as huhu, weta, snails, millipedes, stick insects (rō), and reptiles like the gecko.
Endangered populations
A number of highly endangered Australasian bittern (matuku) have successfully bred in the coastal wetland which is also home to other threatened and endangered species including fernbird (matata), banded rail and marsh crake. Kākā are increasingly observed and a colony of caspian tern nest off the shores of the harbour.
A short clip of the rare and endangered fernbird in the Kaipapaka wetland near Whangapoua in the Coromandel.
Species we aim to reintroduce
Kiwi have been locally extinct since the 1980s and 1990s. Although they’ve been heard in the area during the summer recently, they have yet to reestablish permanent territories in the area once more. Kiwi are well established in the nearby Whangapoua Forest and at Rings Beach conservation area so providing a habitat for them in the Mana Manu conservation area is entirely feasible.