On 7 July, we had the privilege of witnessing a beautiful moment at Kaipātiki Project — the release of a rehabilitated kererū back into the wild.
This kererū was a window strike victim, found injured and taken to an emergency vet in Albany. From there, she was transferred to BirdCare Aotearoa, where she spent three weeks recovering from a suspected collision injury and a gastrointestinal parasite called Trichomoniasis. Thanks to expert care, including pain relief and anti-parasitic treatment, she made a full recovery.
On the day of her release, she arrived a little late — true to her nature, she was a flighty bird, and the BirdCare staff had a bit of a challenge catching her in the aviary. But once she was safely in the care of Wolfe and Rashi, the release team sprang into action.
Our volunteers and staff quietly took their places as Wolfe carefully carried the 525g kererū in a box along the driveway. Inside, she rustled and scuffled, eager to be free. The box was placed gently on the open lawn at the back of our garden, giving her a clear flight path to the native bush in Eskdale Reserve.
As the towel covering the mesh lid was lifted, she began to thrash — anxious but ready. The lid came off, and in a flash, she took off, wings wide, soaring straight into the trees. A collective “ooooooo” from our volunteers echoed her flight — a shared moment of awe and joy.
She flapped around a bit, trying to find her footing, and then settled into a tree to take in her new surroundings. Later that day, some of our volunteers spotted her again, still nearby, as she adjusted to her new home.
A Bigger Picture
This kererū is one of 77 window-strike cases BirdCare Aotearoa has seen this year — 34 of them kererū, alongside kākā, tūī, kōtare, ruru and tauhou (silvereyes). These incidents highlight the importance of bird-safe building design, such as bird-safe decals that you can get from our friends at Matuku Link, and ongoing care for our native wildlife.
We’re deeply grateful to BirdCare Aotearoa for their tireless rehabilitation work and to our amazing release team and volunteers who made this moment possible.
Special thanks to the Kaipātiki Local Board for supporting this vital work — helping us collectively give our native birds a chance at life.