Kokako sighting on island

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 3

Kokako sighting on island

Silhouette sightings of the South Island kokako (orange-wattled crow) — believed to be extinct — have been made on Stewart Island.

The sightings were made by an ornithologist, Mr Rhys Buckingham, and wildlife officers before Christmas, and were confirmed by a kokako feather found on the island at the same time. The assistant director of the Wildlife Service, Mr Brian Bell, said there was still a lot to find out about the birds, but that the sightings had confirmed rumours that the kokako still existed.

“It is great news,” he said. “They are extremely secretive birds and we have yet to plan a programme to find out how many there are on the island and what their habitat is, but we hope to be able to do this at the end of this year.”

Mr Bell said the bird had been on the “presumed extinct” list for about four years but there had been a few rumours of sightings from time to time.

Two other areas where breeding populations of the bird may be found are in valleys in north-west Nelson and in the Waikakaho Valley behind Renwick in Marlborough.