Southern View: April 21, 2022

Thursday April 21 2022 5
Plan hatched to improve rifleman’s
breeding chances on peninsula
NEW ZEALAND’S
smallest bird is getting new
accommodation on Banks
Peninsula in a bid to improve its
chances of breeding successfully.
Titipounamu/rifleman are
rarely seen on the peninsula
because they prefer to take cover
in mature forest and mānuka/
kānuka scrub, but a plan has
been hatched to help boost their
numbers in the area.
Titipounamu (Acanthisitta
chloris) is native to New Zealand.
The males weigh just six grams
and females weigh seven grams.
They are one of only two species
left of the New Zealand wren
family.
The city council, Refuge Ecology
and the Banks Peninsula
Conservation Trust have been
installing predator-proof nesting
boxes for the birds in suitable
habitat.
The nest boxes provide a safe
nesting space in the absence of
mature trees.
Recent sightings of titipounamu
in Aylmers Valley, above
Akaroa, have led to the installation
of nest boxes there.
Observations of titipounamu
have also been recorded in
Robinsons Bay, Panama Reserve,
Hinewai and Le Bons Bay.
“We are seeking sightings
of titipounamu from local
residents and visitors to Banks
Peninsula so that we can better
understand their distribution,”
said city council ranger Hannah
Murdoch, who is leading the
project.
“If you have spotted titipounamu
please record the sighting
on iNaturalist or email alison.
evans@ccc.govt.nz with the
details of where you saw the bird
and when. If you can supply GPS
co-ordinates that will greatly
assist us.
“You are most likely to see
titipounamu flitting up and
down trees, feeding on insects
and spiders. They are distinctive
from other birds, due to their
small size and tiny tail.’’
The male has an olive green
colour on its back, while the
female is slightly different in
colour with yellow and dark
speckles on its back.
They are easily mistaken for
riroriro/grey warblers or tauhou/
silvereyes, although these birds
have longer tail feathers and different
colours than titipounamu.
The call of titipounamu is highpitched
and reaches a frequency
that is inaudible to some people.
Murdoch said the titipounamu
ACCOMMODATION:
Nesting boxes for the
titipounamu/rifleman have
been installed on Banks
Peninsula.
PHOTOS: NEWSLINE/
HANNAH MURDOCH
population will be closely
monitored and the team plans
to work in collaboration with
Pest Free Banks Peninsula to
eliminate predators that might
threaten the tiny birds’ chances
of survival.
“Titipounamu are threatened
by predation from introduced
mammals like rats and stoats so
we’re hoping to get volunteers
involved in trapping efforts.
People wanting to help protect
native wildlife by trapping in
their own backyard can borrow
traps from either the Akaroa
Trap Library or the Little River
Trap Library,’’ she said.
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