The study was carried out by Neil Fitzgerald, John Innes (SCIENCE ADVISOR, CLOAK of PROTECTION) and Norman Mason from Manaaki Whenua/Landcare Research.
Construction of a 47 km pest-resistant fence encircling 3,240 hectare of the forest was completed in August 2006 and eradication of all pest mammals except house mice commenced in November 2006.
“This created the largest area of virtually pest-free forest on the New Zealand mainland.
“Congregations of 100 or more tūī were reported 6 times. Such exceptional congregations of tūī have not been previously reported in Waikato.
“The increased presence of tūī in the wider landscape will help restore indigenous dominance in ecosystem processes such as pollination and seed dispersal.”
In Cloak of Protection, tūī live in the forest realm, but this movement shows that they could just as easily be settlement birds!
In Flight of Pollen, tūī are necessary pollinators and seed dispersers
from the article, Tūī spill out from Maungatautari, Predator Free NZ, blogpost
FEBRUARY 13, 2020 BY KATE GUTHRIE