I will be searching for Kiwis during a trip to New Zealand shortly. HANZAB
lists as having the highest density for Great Spotted Kiwi Apteryx haastii
Gouland Downs in nw Nelson (6 pairs /sq.km) and lowland coastal forest near
Kahurangi Pt c.5 pairs/sq km. Checking out the Lonely Planet guide on
Kahurangi National Park, p.494, it looks like the way to get to Gouland
Downs Hut is to drive to Brown Hut, and then walk for about 7 hours. I
assume I'd have to walk to the hut in daylight, then overnight in the hut.
I'd be grateful for any advice on whether this is the best spot for
A.haasti, whether there are any reliable sites that are a bit more
accessible, and the practicalities of finding the kiwi. I assume they'll
be calling in late September. Can you walk in to the calling bird, or are
they located in accessible bog or something?
I've to spend a couple of nights on Tiritiri Matangi.That's my only shot
for Little Spotted Kiwi, as far as I know. No chance of overnighting on
Kapiti.
I know that Brown Kiwi is a certainty on a beach on Stewart Island, but
what about in the North Island. Hanzab says "Particularly abundant in
Northland:Waitangi State Forest 9exotic pines,2888 ha):400-500 pairs;
Waipoua State Forest(indigenous forest,25000 ha) 5000 pairs." So do I just
go to Waipoua State Forest and walk along the tracks at night?
Thanks for any more specific advice.
John Penhallurick
Associate Professor John M. Penhallurick<>
Canberra, Australia
Phone BH( 61 2) 6201 2346 AH (61 2) 62585428
FAX (61 2) 6258 0426
Snail Mail Faculty of Communication
University of Canberra,A.C.T.2601, AUSTRALIA
OR PO Box 3469, BMDC, BELCONNEN, ACT 2617, AUSTRALIA
"I'd rather be birding!"
"Vivat,crescat,floreat Ornithologia" Hartert,Vog.pal.Fauna,p.2016.
"The market where possible, the state where necessary"(?Margaret Thatcher?)
"Sunt lacrimae rerum." Virgil, Aeneid,i,462.
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