Project Halo – predator control for native bird recovery in rural and urban areas

Abstract

Project Halo’s aim is to assist in habitat restoration and biodiversity. Within its initial years the focus was on increasing sightings of Tui within urban areas of Hamilton city. The reason initial an effort focussed on this species was because a viable breeding population was known to exist within a 20 kilometre winter feeding range of the bird. Research had shown that Tui, a nectarivorous species, do not need ‘corridors’ unlike other wildlife and they are known to commute into the city to feed on abundant exotic plants and, more increasingly with the assistance of volunteer groups, native plant species.

Keywords

• habitat restoration
• multi-agency approach
• predator control