Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust

[zooboy28]

Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust is a small attraction located near the tourist trap of Rotorua, in the centre of the North Island, New Zealand. It holds native birds that have been rescued, and rehabilitates them, or maintains them in captivity if unreleasable.

Official Website: Birds of prey at Wingspan Birds of Prey Paradise Valley Rd Rotorua NZ.

I have visited once, in July 2008, and thought I would give a quick review of the place (at that time):

The entry building also includes a bit of a museum, with displays on NZ raptors and the art of falconry, as well as the trust's work on rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of these birds.

Adjacent to this building is a large rectangular shed, with entry and exit on the long front wall, connected by a walway through the centre. There are two avaries on the front wall, and five-seven on the other side of the path. Housed here are a number of New Zealand Falcon/Karearea (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/new-zealand-falcon-wingspan-281154/). The avaries are meshed at the front, with ply-wood or mesh walls (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/new-zealand-falcon-wingspan-281156/). The avaries are relatively small, perhaps 3m x 4m, and ~3m tall, although there was variation. They were also quite bare, with plastic grass-lined shelves and fence posts for the birds to perch on (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/new-zealand-falcon-wingspan-281161/). They had bark-lined floors, with small planted gardens within them. Some of the falcons were calm, while others appeared agitated when we were near their enclosures. I think all were kept individually.

Two of the avaries held Morepork, a small native owl (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/morepork-wingspan-281158/). These were kept in smaller avaries. Whereas the falcon avaries had natural light from clear roofing or windows, the owls were kept in shady corners. The first avairy held a single bird, while the second held a pair.

One of the larger avaries near the exit held two Harrier Hawks (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/harrier-hawk-wingspan-281160/). I believe these were still quite young, and had been rescued as chicks/juveniles. There were plans to release these. Their avairy was similar to those for the falcons, but very well lit, and with grass growing on the ground (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/harrier-hawk-wingspan-281159/).

A paddock outside the shed was used for a falconry display, with tiered seating provided for visitors. This was well done - a falconer bought out New Zealand falcons individually, and demonstrated physical features, flight, falconry techniques and feeding, while explaining about the species, and other native birds of prey, natural behaviour, life, and conservation (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/new-zealand-falcon-wingspan-281162/). The birds flew a significant distance away, demonstrating their speed and agility (http://www.zoochat.com/1807/new-zealand-falcon-wingspan-281163/). Towards the end, I was chosen to put a glove on and the falcon flew to my hand for a small piece of meat. Very cool.

So that was it, a small but very interesting attraction, with the only falconry displays in the country. I suspect visitors would be largely international tourists, supplemented with a few domestic tourists visiting the region. Very few would be locals. Entry is $25 for adults, and $8 for children.

I do not know of any changes since my visit, except that they recieved a 'New Zealand' Barn Owl, specifically a rescued female believed to be the first wild-born of its species in New Zealand. Barn Owls are self-introduced from Australia, and have appeared several times over the last 100 or so years, with the first pair spotted in Kaitaia (very northern North Island) in 2008. This is the only captive individual in the country, although they have previously been displayed at Otorohanga, Hamilton & Wellington Zoos (as recently as 2006).

 

[Chlidonias]

Wingspan have more Barn Owls. One female (now named Marama) was found in July and taken to Wingspan for recovery. Another from last week (?), a male, has a broken wing. There may be others. Only the first two are mentioned on their Facebook page, but the following article says six have come in. The article is awkwardly-written and contains some irregularities, so they may be including the moreporks in the total. I'm pretty sure that "Hyde said he estimates there are between 30 and 50 barn owls in New Zealand" is a gross over-estimate.

Blow-in barn owls hit hard times | Stuff.co.nz

It sounds like a contradiction in terms - a new native species.

But that's exactly what barn owls are, and according to Rotorua's Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre, they're in trouble too.

"Over the last six weeks a total of six owls have been found dead or injured, from Kaitaia to Whangarei. One of these is recovering well and held in a rehabilitation enclosure, another has a vet appointment with a broken/dislocated wing," Wingspan executive director Debbie Stewart said.

"They're recovering well but one will never fly again.

"We can only assume this is climate, habitat or prey linked and a most challenging winter for birds in the wild. This could well be an indication of issues with other native birds, not least after a number of morepork ruru that have been brought into Wingspan lately and we have real concerns."

Wingspan's Noel Hyde said the birds are classed a native due to the fact they are now breeding in the wild after, remarkably, most likely being blown across the Tasman from Australia.

"They have also been known to come across the Tasman in the wheel housing of aircraft and aboard a ship," he said.

Barn owls were initially spotted in New Zealand in 1948 but it took 60 years, and the publication in 2008 of Wingspan research, to confirm the owls were breeding here.

"Barn owls are the most globalised birds in the world - they'd been everywhere but here," Hyde said.

"They epitomise everything that's remarkable about owls. Absolutely amazing birds. They're just such a special species, and what a neat addition to New Zealand."

Hyde said that due to their preferred hunting terrain they wouldn't compete with other native species for food, and in fact may be helping other native New Zealand wildlife.

He said a pair of barn owls could eat as many as 4000 rodents in a year.

"In Europe they're the farmers friend," he said.

The barn owl's presence is usually only revealed by its distinctive call, very different to a morepork's, Hyde said.

Hyde said he estimates there are between 30 and 50 barn owls in New Zealand, and urged anyone who believes they have seen one to contact Wingspan.

 

[Chlidonias]

The pair of Barn Owls at Wingspan have just hatched out a chick. (See also the article in the post above this one).

Wingspan birth a first for this century

For the first time this century a barn owl has been born in captivity - and its happened at Rotorua's Wingspan Bird of Prey Centre.

"Wingspan are thrilled to announce that our barn owls have produced their first chick, marking the first barn owl chick to be bred in captivity this century," said Wingspan founder Debbie Stewart.

Stewart said their barn owl monitoring programme began a decade ago with a midnight call to Wingspan "when a young female barn owl, Tahi, was found with a broken wing".

"Despite attempts for her rehabilitation back into the wild, with a permanent wing injury she has remained in captivity since that time."

Tahi was introduced to a young male barn owl, Bubo, this year.

"And this month they produced their first chick," Stewart said.

She said that despite being a non-native species, they live happily alongside ruru in both New Zealand and Australia, and thanks to their appetite - a pair can eat as many as 3000 small rodents a year - are known as the 'farmers friend'.

Wingspan researcher Noel Hyde, who oversees their barn owl monitoring, said they had been hoping for a male companion for Tahi for 10 years.

He said barn owls are "incredibly difficult to sex visually" so they would have to pluck a feather and send it to Massey University to have the chick's gender ascertained.

He said they can breed until around 15 years old, so was hopeful too that there may be more chicks to follow.

 

[zooboy28]

Couple of inaccuracies there! - first born in captivity this century? Presumably this refers to NZ only. And 'non-native' is an interesting one, given the alternative is 'introduced by people'.

I wonder what they plan to do with the offspring - could they (legally) be released?

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Couple of inaccuracies there! - first born in captivity this century? Presumably this refers to NZ only. And 'non-native' is an interesting one, given the alternative is 'introduced by people'.

I wonder what they plan to do with the offspring - could they (legally) be released?

I thought the term used previously was self introduced ... (???). Does that not imply the birds migrated of their own volition? So, a natural immigration as opposed to non native or invasive and man-made introductory hands ... species (of which unfortunately there are many examples).

 

[zooboy28]

I thought the term used previously was self introduced ... (???). Does that not imply the birds migrated of their own volition? So, a natural immigration as opposed to non native or invasive and man-made introductory hands ... species (of which unfortunately there are many examples).

Exactly, although I am a little unsure whether self-introduced automatically confers native status, but I think it should. Presumably barn owls have been arriving in NZ for many thousands of years, but were unable to establish sustainable populations over that time. However, with habitat changes (i.e. establishment of open grasslands), and arrival of rodents, they may be able to establish now - although if they are only able to survive due to people, then maybe it could be argued that they are therefore not quite native. But certainly they are in a different category to the species that only arrived via human introduction (intentional or not).

 

[Chlidonias]

The "non-native" may be journalist error or a "dumbing-down" - Wingspan's website does label them as native. Because they are self-introduced and established breeders they are native.

I wonder what they plan to do with the offspring - could they (legally) be released?

I'm really not sure on the legal aspects of releasing captive-bred ones. That would be a DoC decision (same as for, say, kakariki which can be kept and bred by anyone, but not released).