The plight of New Zealand's wetlands is similar to the draining of the Everglades in Florida. Less than 10% of the wetlands that existed before human settlement remain today. The dramatic loss has had a devastating effect on many of New Zealand's native plants and animals- around 30% of New Zealand's native birds make their home in wetland habitats. The importance of wetlands spreads beyond being the habitat for many diverse species. Among many other things, wetlands: act as natural sediment traps- helping to keep the water in New Zealand's rivers, streams, and lakes clean and pure, and they ensure that water flows are maintained which reduces the impact of heavy rainfall and flooding.
Wetlands support more bird life than any other habitat in New Zealand. They are also home to numerous species of native fish. These fertile areas have been reduced by over 90% through draining for farming, agriculture, and development. As their wetland homes have disappeared, the animals have begun to disappear too. This makes New Zealand's remaining wetlands some of the most precious habitats.
New Zealand Brown Teal (Pateke)- The New Zealand brown teal, or pateke, is found only in New Zealand. Fossil records show it was the most common wetland bird before humans arrived. It has been badly affected by the loss of forests and wetlands, and the arrival of predators. Now the brown teal is restricted to Great Barrier Island, coastal valleys of eastern Northland, and several protected areas. The Brown Teal Recovery Group has been established to help the recovery of brown teal populations and habitats.
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| New Zealand Brown Teal (Pateke) |
New Zealand Grey Teal (Tete)- The grey teal is the smallest of New Zealand's ducks. Only the female quacks. The males makes a soft 'prep' sound. Grey teal are at their most vocal in a flock. Flocks are usually made up of less than 50 birds, but these can swell to over 1000 in autumn. The grey teal often nests in rabbit burrows, or holes in trees- definitely not your average duck!
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| New Zealand Grey Teal (Tete) |
Paradise Shelduck (Putangitangi)- These ducks breed only in New Zealand and are found throughout the mainland and offshore islands. They are often seen in grasslands and open pastures. Unusually for ducks, the female is more eye-catching than the male. Females have a pure white head and chestnut colored body, while males have a dark grey body and black head. This is one of only a few native species to have flourished since humans started converting forests and wetlands into pasture.
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| Male (left) and female (right) Paradise Shelducks (Putangitangi) |
New Zealand Shoveler (Kuruwhengi)- The New Zealand shoveler gets its English name from its long, wide bill which is ideal for filtering food. Invertebrates, seeds, and aquatic plants are all sifted through this bill as it moves through water or over mud. Shovelers prefer lowland, raupo-fringed freshwater marshes. These are among the most threatened habitats in New Zealand, as they are highly fertile and valuable for agriculture.
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| New Zealand Shoveler (kuruwhengi) |
New Zealand Scaup (Papango)- On the lake you'll see several different types of duck, each special in some way. The New Zealand scaup, or papering, is an expert diver. Its legs are positioned towards the back of its body which makes it clumsy on land but a very strong swimmer. This little duck can hold its breath for twenty seconds while it dives to a depth of 2-3m in search of freshwater snails and aquatic plants.
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| New Zealand Scaup (Papango) |
New Zealand Kingfisher (Kotare)- These are often seen perched above wetlands or pastures. From these vantage points they use their excellent eyesight to spot prey. With big strong beaks and powerful shoulders, they're completely fearless and are excellent hunters. Despite their name, kingfishers don't just eat fish- they also hunt earthworms, insects, skinks, mice and even small birds, tadpoles, crabs, and eels.
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| New Zealand Kingfisher (Kotare) |
Pied Stilt (Poaka)- They live in shallow marshes, lagoon, and tidal mudflats. They can be seen in their thousands on major lakes during autumn and winter. Pied stilts have developed a special way to deal with predators. When their nest is threatened, the adult bird moves away from the nest and flaps about helplessly, pretending to be injured. The chicks stay motionless and squat low to the ground. This dramatic display draws the predator away from the nest.
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| Pied Stilt (Poaka) |
You can help preserve the few wetlands left! Don't let paint or other chemicals into the drain outside, they should only be used for rain! Join a wet regeneration project to plant along waterways near you.
Conservation:
Glenfern Sanctuary is a predator-controlled area on Great Barrier Island, where threatened and endangered species are now able to thrive. Auckland Zoo is assisting with the rehabilitation and release of pateke by helping Glenfern Sanctuary to convert stock grazing paddocks to wetlands, and build a new aviary for pateke. An upgrade to the existing aviary enclosure will make it suitable as a native bird rehabilitation aviary to receive and attend to sick or injured birds (particularly pateke) to enable them to be released back to the wild.
Te Henga is the largest wetland in Auckland with sedge and reed beds, mixed flax/ cabbage tree areas and open water. It contains species such as the nationally threatened bittern, fern bird and spotless crake. It is also adjacent to mixed kauri/ broadleaf forest. The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund assists with continuing predator, herbivore and weed control at Forest and Bird's Matuku Reserve, and expanding this to private properties bordering the whole wetland. By controlling predators in Te Henga, the existing rare and uncommon species such as bitterns, marsh crake and fern birds can thrive and species, once part of a mainland wetland, can be returned. In January 2015, pateke were translocated to the area. Auckland Zoo's financial support covers on-going predator control (particularly for stoat and feral cats) in an area including Te Henga wetland, Bethell's Beach and Lake Wainamu.
The Motutapu Restoration Trust is committed to restoring the cultural and natural landscapes of Motutapu Island, which will enable wildlife, including endangered species, to thrive in a safe haven free from animal and plant pests. The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund is helping to fund the translocation of whitehead (popokotea) and North Island saddleback (tieke) to pest-free Motutapu and Rangitoto Islands. They are also funding a project to improve the hydrology and biodiversity of a wetland by drilling, filling (with herbicide), and felling approximately 600 poplar trees (which are draining the wetland) and replacing them with native species. The poplar trees were planted in the late 1960s as a part of land management to drain Central Gully and to provide erosion control. The poplar plantation has a serious detrimental effect on hydrological and ecological processes of the Watershed Catchment area.
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